How to Make a Neck Warmer With Buttons

I’m all for keeping my neck warm.  I have oodles of scarves to prove it.  Yet none of them accomplished what I really wanted. Then one day, on pintrest, I found one that had a button to hold it close!  QED! (Greek for “eureka”, learned that in Chemistry my Jr. Year of High School.  If it is wrong, blame my chemistry teacher Mr. Johnson!)  I would never pay what they were asking, so I decided to design my own.

Supplies:
Bulky yarn
Size 15 knitting needles
Scissors
Row markers
2 large buttons
Yarn needles

This is a beginning level knitting pattern.  I am assuming you know how to do the two basic knitting stitches, knit (k)

and purl (p) and how to cast off.

Cast on 20 stitches.  I learned a fun new (to me) way to cast on.  Put a sip stitch loop on your left needle. 

Reach in, like for knitting, knit, 

pull the new loop through, 

pullthe loop off the right needle and put it on the left needle.  

Repeat until you have 20 stitches.  (I’m telling you how to do this because you will need it when we get to the other end to make button holes.)

Rows 1-80:  Work ribbing stitch (k1, p1) for the 20 stitches.  You should end with purl.  When you turn to start the next row, it will start with knit. (Use the row markers to mark off each 10 rows, that way you won’t waste time recounting the rows, over and over again. Your goal is 24 inches so make as many rows as it takes to get that length.)

Row 81: (We are going to make the button hole) k1, p1, k1, cast off 2, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, cast off 2, p1, k1, p1

Row 82: (k1, p1, k1, cast on 2, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, cast on 2, p1, k1, p1 (You should have 20 stitches again. You have put the top back on the button holes, take a moment to make sure the button will fit through the hole, that it’s not too large or too small.  You can adjust by casting off and a stitch or more on each end.)

Row 83: Work ribbing one last time.
Cast off all the stitches.  Use the yarn and needle to weave in ends of yarn.

Now lay the neck warmer in front of you, running from left to right.  Fold the right down at an angle to the left.  The left side (the side with the button holes) is folded down on top of the right side.  

Using the button holes, determine where the buttons should be.  

Sew the buttons in place.

Try it on.  See how warm and toasty it feels.  If it’s winter out for you, put your coat on and go outside.  Does your whole body feel warmer because your neck feels warm?  Wonderful!