Hair Scrunchies Knitting Pattern with Ruffles: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
If you have ever wanted to make your own hair accessories, knitted scrunchies with ruffles are one of the most satisfying projects you can tackle. They are quick enough to finish in an evening, use up yarn scraps you might already have on hand, and the finished result looks far more polished and intentional than anything you could pick up at a drugstore. Better yet, the ruffle detail elevates a simple scrunchie into something genuinely beautiful — the kind of handmade accessory that prompts people to ask where you bought it.
This pattern is written for knitters at an intermediate beginner level. If you have mastered the knit stitch and purl stitch and you are comfortable with basic increases, you will be able to follow along without difficulty. Absolute beginners can also give this a try with a little patience — the techniques involved are straightforward, and the small scale of the project means mistakes are easy to identify and fix.
Let’s walk through everything you need to know, from materials to finishing, with tips along the way to help you get the best possible result.
Why Knit Your Own Scrunchies?
Before diving into the pattern itself, it is worth spending a moment on why knitted scrunchies have become such a beloved project in the knitting community. The short answer is that they tick almost every box a knitter could want.
They are fast. A single scrunchie takes most knitters between one and three hours, depending on yarn weight and individual speed. That makes them ideal for times when you want the satisfaction of a finished object without committing to a multi-week project.
They are inexpensive. You need very little yarn — often less than 50 grams — which means scrunchies are perfect for using up leftovers from larger projects. That skein of luxury merino you have been hoarding since last winter? A scrunchie is a wonderful excuse to finally use it.
They make excellent gifts. A hand-knitted scrunchie is personal, practical, and pretty. It fits in an envelope, it works for people of almost any age, and it shows genuine care and craftsmanship. A set of three in coordinating colors, tucked into a small gift bag, makes a thoughtful and inexpensive present for birthdays, holidays, or just because.
And the ruffle version, specifically, adds a layer of visual interest that makes the finished accessory feel special. The ruffles catch the light, add movement, and give the scrunchie a romantic, slightly vintage quality that pairs beautifully with both casual and dressed-up looks.
Materials You Will Need
Gathering your materials before you begin will make the knitting process much smoother. Here is what you need for this pattern.
Yarn: The yarn choice matters more here than in many projects, because the drape and softness of the finished scrunchie depend heavily on fiber content and weight. For the ruffle version of this pattern, a light fingering weight or sport weight yarn in a smooth, soft fiber works beautifully. Merino wool, cotton, bamboo blends, and silk blends all produce lovely results. Avoid yarn with a lot of texture or slubbing, as this can make the ruffles look uneven. You will need approximately 30 to 50 grams, so this is truly a stash-buster project.
Needles: You will use circular needles or a set of double-pointed needles (DPNs). For fingering weight yarn, a set of US size 1 or 2 (2.25 mm to 2.75 mm) needles works well. For sport weight, try US size 3 (3.25 mm). The exact needle size can vary slightly based on your personal tension and the specific yarn you are using, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Hair tie: You will need one standard elastic hair tie, the kind sold in multipacks at any pharmacy or grocery store. Neutral colors work best since they will be mostly hidden inside the knitting, but it does not matter much.
Scissors and a tapestry needle: These are for finishing. A tapestry needle with a blunt tip is ideal for weaving in ends without splitting the yarn.
Optional: A stitch marker or two can be helpful for keeping track of rounds if you are new to knitting in the round.
Understanding the Construction
This scrunchie is knitted in the round, directly over the hair elastic. This construction method is neat and tidy because you never have to sew a seam or insert the elastic after the fact — it is captured inside the knitting as you work. The fabric wraps around the elastic snugly, and the ruffle is created by working a series of increases and then decreases across specific rounds, building up a gathered, wavy edge.
The ruffle sits along the outer edge of the scrunchie and fans out naturally when the scrunchie is worn or displayed. The number of ruffle repeats can be adjusted to make a more dramatic, full ruffle or a subtler, slightly gathered edge, depending on your preference.
Gauge
Gauge is less critical for this project than it would be for a garment, but it does affect the finished size of your scrunchie. The pattern is designed to produce a scrunchie approximately 20 cm (8 inches) in circumference when stretched over a standard hair elastic, which fits comfortably on most wrists and works well as a hair accessory.
If your scrunchie comes out significantly smaller or larger, try adjusting your needle size by one size up or down. A looser tension will give you more drape and a softer ruffle. A tighter tension will give you a more structured look.
The Pattern
Cast On
Using your circular needles or DPNs, and holding your hair elastic behind the needle so that the working yarn loops over both the needle and the elastic simultaneously, cast on 60 stitches. You are casting on directly over the elastic, which means the elastic will be enclosed in your cast-on row.
Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist your stitches. Place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round if you are using one.
Foundation Rounds
Rounds 1–4: Knit all stitches.
These four rounds form the base of the scrunchie and give it a smooth, clean look before the ruffle begins. As you work, you will notice the knitting naturally wrapping around the elastic, which is exactly what you want.
Ruffle Setup Round
Round 5 (Increase Round): Knit 1, make 1 left (M1L) — repeat from to to end of round. You now have 120 stitches on your needles.
The M1L increase is worked by lifting the bar between stitches from front to back and knitting through the back loop. This creates a neat, almost invisible increase that adds minimal bulk to the fabric.
Ruffle Body
Rounds 6–10: Knit all stitches.
Work these five rounds in plain stockinette. You will begin to see the ruffled fabric starting to gather and curl slightly at this point, which is a sign that the increases are working as intended.
Second Increase Round
Round 11: Knit 1, make 1 left — repeat from to to end of round. You now have 240 stitches on your needles.
This second round of increases is what creates the full, generous ruffle. The fabric now has significantly more stitches than the base, which means it has nowhere to go except to gather and wave outward. At this stage, the scrunchie will look quite dramatic on the needles — almost like a little ruffle collar.
Ruffle Extension
Rounds 12–15: Knit all stitches.
These four rounds give the ruffle additional height and body. If you want a more dramatic ruffle, you can add an extra two or four rounds here. If you prefer a subtler effect, you can reduce by two rounds.
Decrease Round
Round 16: Knit 2 together — repeat from to to end of round. You now have 120 stitches.
Round 17: Knit 2 together — repeat from to to end of round. You now have 60 stitches.
These two decrease rounds bring you back down to the original stitch count and form the other edge of the ruffle. The fabric will gather and compress as you work these rounds, and the ruffle will begin to take its final shape.
Closing Rounds
Rounds 18–21: Knit all stitches.
These four rounds mirror the foundation rounds at the beginning of the scrunchie and give the finished piece a symmetrical, finished look.
Bind Off
Bind off all stitches loosely. A stretchy bind-off method is recommended here — a simple one is to knit 2 stitches together through the back loop, then slip the resulting stitch back to the left needle and repeat across. This ensures the edge does not pull in and restrict the stretch of the elastic.
Finishing
Cut your yarn, leaving a tail of approximately 15 cm (6 inches). Thread the tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it through several stitches along the inside of the scrunchie, making sure the woven-in end sits on the inside where it will not be visible. Weave in your cast-on tail the same way.
Give your scrunchie a gentle wash in cool water with a small amount of mild wool wash or baby shampoo. Squeeze out excess water without wringing or twisting, then lay it flat or hang it to dry. Blocking a scrunchie is not strictly necessary, but a quick wash helps even out the stitches and softens the yarn considerably.
Tips for the Best Results
Use smooth yarn for a cleaner ruffle. Textured or fuzzy yarns like mohair or bouclé can make the ruffle harder to see and harder to work with. If you love the look of fuzzy yarn, try holding a single strand of smooth fingering weight alongside it for the best of both worlds.
Don’t pull too tight when knitting over the elastic. The elastic needs room to stretch, and if your tension is very tight, the finished scrunchie may not have enough give. Try to keep your tension relaxed, especially in the first and last few rounds where the elastic is closest to the edge.
Experiment with color. A single-color scrunchie is classic and elegant, but this pattern also works beautifully with hand-dyed or variegated yarn. Because the ruffle fans out across a large number of stitches, the color transitions in variegated yarn create a gorgeous gradient effect that you would not see in a simpler pattern.
Adjust the ruffle size freely. The double increase round in this pattern creates a full, voluminous ruffle. If you want a more understated effect, try working only one increase round (going from 60 to 120 stitches) and skip the second doubling. The ruffle will be more delicate and close to the body of the scrunchie.
Make a matching set. Once you have made your first scrunchie and have the rhythm of the pattern, you can easily knock out two or three more in an evening. Matching sets in complementary colors are especially popular as gifts and are also a satisfying way to work through a colorful stash.
Variations to Try
Once you are comfortable with the basic pattern, there are several variations worth exploring.
The Picot Edge: Instead of a simple bind-off, try a picot bind-off for even more decorative detail along the edge. Work as follows: cast on 2 stitches using a knitted cast-on, then bind off 4 stitches. Repeat across. This creates a delicate zigzag along the outer edge that complements the ruffle beautifully.
The Striped Ruffle: Work the foundation rounds in one color, change to a contrasting color for the ruffle body and increases, then switch back to the original color for the closing rounds. The contrasting ruffle becomes a pop of color and gives the scrunchie a bold, graphic look.
The Double Ruffle: For an especially lavish scrunchie, work the increase and decrease sequence twice before the closing rounds. The result is a scrunchie with two distinct layers of ruffling — more material, more movement, and a very dramatic effect.
Lace Ruffles: If you are comfortable with basic lace techniques, try substituting a simple lace pattern such as yarn-over, knit-two-together across the ruffle body rounds. The openwork adds lightness to the ruffle and makes it almost float when worn. This version looks stunning in silk or bamboo yarn.
Caring for Your Knitted Scrunchies
Knitted scrunchies are surprisingly durable as long as they are cared for properly. Hand washing in cool water is always the safest option, especially for wool or silk. Lay them flat to dry rather than putting them in the dryer, where heat can shrink wool fibers or degrade the elastic more quickly.
If you are making scrunchies as gifts, it is a kind gesture to include a small care note with the washing instructions. Many people who receive handmade gifts are not aware that handmade knitwear often requires slightly more care than machine-made items.
Even with careful washing, the elastic inside the scrunchie will eventually lose some of its stretch. Fortunately, this is easy to fix — simply cut the knitting carefully along one edge, remove the old elastic, thread a new one through the knitting tube, and rejoin. The knitting itself will last far longer than any elastic.
A Note on Yarn Quantities and Stash Busting
One of the loveliest things about this pattern is how little yarn it requires. A single scrunchie in fingering weight yarn typically uses between 20 and 35 grams, meaning you can often make two or three scrunchies from a single 50-gram skein. This makes the pattern ideal for knitters who have accumulated a collection of partial skeins and are looking for a way to use them up.
Consider keeping a dedicated basket or bag for scrunchie-worthy yarn scraps. Any time you finish a project and have a small amount left over, tuck it away. Over time, you will accumulate a lovely collection of materials for scrunchies, and the variety of fibers and colors will ensure that no two scrunchies are ever quite alike.
Final Thoughts
A hair scrunchie with ruffles is a small project with a big payoff. Whether you are making one for yourself, gifting a set to a friend, or teaching a newer knitter with a quick and engaging pattern, the ruffle scrunchie delivers on every level. It is fast, it is beautiful, it is practical, and it is a wonderful way to explore basic shaping techniques in a low-stakes, low-commitment format.
Keep this pattern bookmarked for evenings when you want to knit but do not want to think too hard, for times when you need a quick and thoughtful handmade gift, or simply for the pleasure of creating something small and lovely with your own two hands. Happy knitting.
