How To Crochet Headphone Covers
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The headphones you see below were in bad shape. The original covers were peeling and shedding everywhere. I’ve had them for about 7 years and took them travelling with me so they’ve had a lot of use. It was definitely time to try and fix them and of course I used crochet to help me.
What are the original covers made of?
I have a big bug bear with headphone covers, I mean, what are they even made of and why? They never last long before they start disintegrating and it bothers me that they’re not made of something more long lasting or natural. I had to look into it.
It turns out that ear pads / cushions are usually made of synthetic leather, real leather or velour and the reasons are for comfort, sound quality and noise isolation. I won’t go into detail about those here as that’s a whole other blog post.
Mine however were none of the above. They were made of synthetic foam which is super soft but porous and wears away quickly. Because of their porous surface they pick up a lot of dirt and they don’t handle extreme temperatures very well.
So in order to maintain the original cushions and make them last longer, we really need to take extra care with them. Keep them in a dedicated case away from sunlight, wipe them clean after every use and the advice is to wipe/wash them regularly with a damp cloth but I would be worried about micro plastics. Another suggestion is to replace them often but again I wouldn’t want to be doing that and keeping throwing away foam cushions.
What did I do with the original velour cushions?
Unfortunately, they were so bad there was nothing I could really do with them but put them in the bin. They were unsavable, ripped, shedding and I didn’t want the micro plastics to go anywhere else but in a bag away from any water.
You can probably tell that I didn’t want to replace the cushions with new velour ones as the same thing would probably happen eventually. I decided to make new cushions with what I had available. Let’s get to the pattern.
What size headphones is this pattern for?
Mine are Sennheiser travel headphones that fold away easily into a small case. The ear pads themselves measure about 5cm in diameter without the cushion. They are also an exact circle which makes the pattern really easy.
What you will need
Hook: 4.5mm
Yarn: You will need a really soft yarn for this so that they are comfortable to wear for a long time and also something breathable. Here are some options that I think would work really well.
Lion Brand Truboo Yarn (100% bamboo)
Stylecraft Naturals Organic Cotton from Love Crafts (100% organic cotton)
Scissors
Stitch Markers
Abbreviations
Mr = Magic Ring
St = Stitch
Ss = Slip Stitch
Dc = Single Crochet (U.K. Double Crochet)
Blo = Back Loop Only
Gauge
13 sc and 16 rows over 10cm (4”).
Notes
Skill level: Easy.
The pattern is written in US crochet terms. Please see the abbreviations section above for conversions.
The first stitch of each round is made into the stitch after the join.
The last stitch of each round is made into the marked stitch.
The numbers in brackets at the end of each row show how many stitches you should have at the end of the row.
The front loop line made by round 4 does not sit on the edge of the ear pad but rather one row in towards the middle.
We don’t need to weave in any ends as we can just tuck them in underneath the cover.
The Pattern
Begin with mr. (See my Magic Ring tutorial for a recap)
Round 1: 6 sc into centre of ring. Pull ring closed and ss into first sc to join. Mark last st. (6)
Round 2: 2 sc into first st from join. 2 sc into each st including the marked st. Ss into first st to join. Mark last st. (12)
Round 3: * 2 sc in first st, 1 sc in next. Repeat from * til end. Ss into 1st st to join. Mark last st. (18)
Round 4: Working into the blo for both the sc and ss. Sc into each st. Ss into 1st st to join. Mark last st. (18)
Round 5: Sc into each st. Mark last st. (18)
Round 6: Repeat Row 5.
Cut the end, weave the end through the loop and tighten. Fold the ends into the inside of the cover before putting it onto your ear pad. Done! Now make another for the second side.
I really hope you enjoyed making this pattern to save your existing headphones instead of buying new. Head to this link for more free crochet patterns.
