Crochet Yarn Lei

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It’s almost high school and college graduation time.  Growing up in Hawai’i, this time of year means making or buying leis for graduating family and friends.  It’s a little harder to make a fresh flower lei here on the mainland, but I’m not willing to let my baby graduate from high school with out a bunch of leis from her family.  I decided to make crochet yarn leis for my daughter and her group of friends. It’s a beginner level project and a fun graduation gift to give.

2 crocheted yarn leis with bows on  rustic wood table.

This lei in white resembles a pikake lei.  I’ve made it with 3 strands of white to look like a traditional pikake lei, but this was the perfect opportunity to use up some leftover yarn scraps and make one of the 3 strands a contrasting color.

Crochet Yarn Lei

Supplies

Yarn, sport or worsted weight

Crochet hook, size H 

Purple yarn over crochet hook.

To start, chain 2, draw loop of yarn up through 2nd chain.  Make loop about 3/4 to 1 inch long.

5 Loops of purple yarn on crochet hook.

Yarn over (add another loop), and insert the crochet hook back through the same stitch.  Yarn over and pull the loop through.  Repeat until you have 9 loops on the hook. 

Yarn over and single crochet your 9 loops closed.

Repeat until your lei is about 40-43″ long, depending on the height of the person you’re giving the lei to.

3 strands of crocheted purple and white leis lying untied next to each other.

Make 3 strands.

3 Strands of lei wrapped together to make completed lei.

Tie one end together and twist the strands together until you reach the other end and tie off.  Tie the lei together and add a ribbon to cover the joining.

3 leis made up of three strands lying next to each other with text overlay.

I made some of the leis in the girls’ favorite colors and other leis in the school colors.  I can’t wait to surprise them at graduation with a crocheted yarn lei. 

Close up of leis with 3 wrapped strands.

Drop by next week and I’ll show you how to crochet the green leaf strand wrapped around the middle lei.

Check out the leis I crocheted last year and the lei I crafted for my daughter’s hula competition. 

Lei pattern adapted from Hawaiian Lei in Crochet by Roberta Wong 

book cove of Hawaiian Leis in Crochet showing colorful yarn leis.

More DIY Lei Tutorials and Instructions

collage of 5 lei tutorial images with text overlay.

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14 Comments

  1. Looks simple and cute!! I have leftover yarn too like ALL other hookers. 🙂

    Pinning this!

    Thanks for sharing!

  2. I just love these! I never thought about crocheting a lei. These came out beautiful and I know your daughter and her friends will love and cherish them forever.

  3. Found you on Jewish Mom’s blog and have to tell you this is amazing. I have a daughter that loves unique scarves and I am going to adapt your beautiful lei into a scarf for her. Thanks so much for the tutorial and sharing. With a post like this, I had to subscribe.

    1. Alice, I’d love to see how you evolve the lei into a scarf! Have fun with it and welcome to Organized 31.

  4. I hope this still works. But I’ve never crocheted before and the instructions sound easy. I am a visual learner and there’s not many step by step pics or a video. Is there anyway you could make a video on how to make this?

    1. I’d be happy to, Dominique. It’ll take me some time, but I’ll get on it as soon as I can. Feel free to email me with any questions.

    1. I haven’t yet (it’s on my to do list). Are there any questions I can answer? You can email them to me at Susan (at) organized31 (dot) com

  5. Hi Susan, I’d love to see if you have a video of making the lay a little confused I’m not sure on some of the lingo. Please and thank you.

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