Learn how to crochet ear savers for face masks with this easy step-by-step tutorial. Even beginners will be able to make DIY ear savers in less than 10 minutes. They’re perfect for donating to essential workers or anyone who has to wear a face mask for extended periods of time.

three types of ear savers for face masks

If you wear a face mask for extended periods of time, you might have noticed they can irritate the backs of your ears. The elastic ear loops that hold the mask in place can chafe delicate skin, leading to irritation.

Luckily, it’s easy to prevent sore ears by wearing a face mask with one of these easy crochet ear savers.

New to crochet? You may want to start with this How to Crochet beginner’s guide, and review the 6 basic crochet stitches.

Materials

Here are the supplies you’ll need for this project.

worsted weight yarn. I chose Lily Sugar’n Cream cotton yarn for this project because I wanted the ear savers to be washable and durable.
size G 4.0mm crochet hook. I sized down for this project because I wanted a tight fabric that wouldn’t stretch out over time.
two buttons, larger than 1/2 inch
needle and thread, to sew on the buttons
yarn needle, to sew in the ends
stitch markers, if desired
ruler or tape measure, if desired

Ear Saver Crochet Pattern

Difficulty: Beginner to Easy

Finished Size: 5″ long by 1.5″ wide.

Remember, the finished item will stretch a bit with wear.

To make the ear saver longer or shorter, add or subtract stitches from the starting chain. For each inch you’d like to add to the finished size, add 4 stitches to the starting chain.

Stitches and Abbreviations

st/sts – stitch/stitches
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet

Instructions

Ch 18.

Round 1: Make 2 hdc into the 3rd st from the hook. Work 14 hdc. Make 4 hdc into the last ch st.

Turn the piece 180 degrees to work around the opposite side of the chain. (Rotate it, don’t flip it to the wrong side.)

Work 14 hdc. Make 2 hdc in the last ch. Join to the top of the first hdc with a sl st.

Round 1 in easy crochet ear saver pattern

Round 2: Ch 1. Make 2 sc into the same st. Make 2 sc into the next st. Work 14 sc. Make 2 sc into each of the next 4 sts. Work 14 sc. Make 2 sc into each of the next 2 sts. Join to the top of the first sc with a slip st.

Cut yarn and fasten off. Weave in ends.

If you have buttons with large holes that will accommodate the worsted weight yarn, you could use the yarn ends to sew in the buttons.

round 2 in crochet pattern for ear saver

More likely, however, you will need to use regular sewing thread to sew on the buttons to each end. Make several passes with the needle and thread to ensure the buttons are sewed on securely.

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What’s Next?

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Crochet Ear Savers

Yield: 1

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Learn how to crochet ear savers for face masks with this easy step-by-step tutorial. Even beginners will be able to make DIY ear savers in less than 10 minutes. They're perfect for donating to essential workers or anyone who has to wear a face mask for extended periods of time.

Materials

worsted weight yarn, like Lily Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn
two buttons, larger than 1/2 inch

Tools

size G 4.0mm crochet hook
needle and thread, to sew on the buttons
yarn needle, to sew in the ends
stitch markers, if desired
ruler or tape measure, if desired

Instructions

Ch 18.
Round 1: Make 2 hdc into the 3rd st from the hook. Work 14 hdc. Make 4 hdc into the last ch st. Turn the piece 180 degrees to work around the opposite side of the chain. (Rotate it, don’t flip it to the wrong side.) Work 14 hdc. Make 2 hdc in the last ch. Join to the top of the first hdc with a sl st.
Round 2: Ch 1. Make 2 sc into the same st. Make 2 sc into the next st. Work 14 sc. Make 2 sc into each of the next 4 sts. Work 14 sc. Make 2 sc into each of the next 2 sts. Join to the top of the first sc with a slip st.
Cut yarn and fasten off. Weave in ends.
Use a regular sewing thread to sew on the buttons to each end. If you have buttons with large holes that will accommodate the worsted weight yarn, you could use the yarn ends to sew in the buttons.

Notes

Stitch Abbreviations

st/sts – stitch/stitches
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet

16 Comments

These would be great for people who wear behind-the-ear hearing aids. When you wear a mask that attaches behind the ear, you are apt to pull the hearing aid out and possibly lose it or damage it when you take the mask off.

Daily visits to the I.C.U. and my ears being set farther back this was a great idea. 2 hours doesn’t hurt now. Appreciate this thank you

Made as directed and found them satisfactory and well liked. Some one donated a bunch to our ward, that person used 3 buttons ….2 on one end. A couple co-workers found that helpful for them getting a better fit if the crocheter, worked a bit looser. I tend to work tightly so I am told.

Just finished these. I used size 3 yarn and 4.5 hook to get a size perfect for my 14year old daughter

Hi, I’ve been following your pattern for my ear savers, and have gotten great feedback on them! I’ve followed your advice, and am now making them 8 inches (button center to button center) for folks that have hearing implants. Thanks for sharing your instructions! Have a great day!

Is there a video of this ear saver crochet

Hi! Great pattern!
I want to make some for our doctors’ surgery and they will be washed with the scrubs at 60*C, but the Lily Sugar’n’Cream says to wash at 30*C delicate.
Have you tried washing these at 60*C?

Sarah says:

at

No, I’ve only had the chance to wash them with my regular laundry.

Reply

the finish lenght

Exquisite pattern. Also used cotton yarn. Used the yarn as thread, just cut a length and separated the strands. Thank you for how easy this was.

Would this ear saver fit only adults, or can it be used for children too? I’m trying to figure out a way for my 4-year-old to be more comfortable with his mask around the ears, so this crochet project looks very interesting to me

Sarah says:

at

I designed this to fit adults, but I think you can easily adapt it for children. Is he going to use a kid-sized mask with elastic ear loops? What I would do is have him wear the mask and pull back the ear loops so you can see how long you want the finished piece to measure. Then, you can subtract stitches from the starting chain to get the right size.

Reply