Wrap  v.  \’rap\     (1) to cover, especially by winding or folding  (2) to coil, fold, draw or wind around something.

What better quick last minute Christmas project than a neck warmer or neck “wrap”!  I sat down with one skein of yarn a few nights ago with a mind to create my own neck warmer.  Something just big enough to sit inside the neckline of a winter coat, with a keyhole to keep it in place.  After two evenings, one football game, an episode of Boardwalk Empire and a movie I finished my project.  A simple, useful neckwarmer that anyone can knit up in just a few evenings.

This neck warmer was knit with worsted weight yarn on US size 8 needles.  I used an inexpensive skein of Red Heart Super Saver.  I love this yarn for scarves because it is so soft after one washing – no scratchy, itchiness against your neck!  And because it washes so nicely, there’s no worry about using white.

 Speaking of washing, whenever I work with acrylic yarn I always launder the item after completing it.  It removes the residue skin oil from working the piece, ensures it will launder okay, and softens it up so you just want to put it against your skin! 

With less than a month to Christmas, if you are wanting a quick simple handmade project you can find the pattern here -- just click and get clacking!

Adaptations

ad·ap·ta·tion   ( ăd dăp tā΄ shən )  n.    Something, such as a device, pattern or mechanism, that is changed so as to become suitable to a new or special application or situation.

I like to knit small afghans for car-seats and strollers -- quick and easy baby gifts.  These are small (24"x 30") blankets with a tab on the back to slip the harness base through.    Because the blanket is anchored by a tab, it doesn't sit under the shoulder harness and therefore complies with the car seat or stroller safety requirements. The tab keeps the blanket from falling on the ground and the small size keeps edges from being caught in wheels.   

After knitting the blanket I make the tab by  knitting a 2"H x 4"W strip in garter stitch.  Then I center it on the back of the blanket 10" from the bottom and stitch it into  place.  The base of the harness (the piece that sits between the baby's legs and that the shoulder straps are clicked into) slips up through the tab before buckling the baby in.

"But what does that have to do with 'adaptation'?",  you ask. 

Well ... I look for pattern stitches I like and then ADAPT them to the yarn, needle and finished size that I want. Here's my latest "On-The-Go Baby Blanket"

This is a simple "garter stitch lace" pattern worked over multiples of 10 stitches.  I used worsted weight yarn (size 4) and US size 10 needles.  In a test swatch (I've extolled the virtues of test swatches in earlier blogs!) I found that one pattern of 10 stitches was 2" wide.  I wanted a 24"-wide blanket so I needed 12 pattern repeats across the blanket to get to my desired size.  12 repeats of a 10-stitch pattern = 120 stitches to cast on. 

The pattern stitch was truly "garter stitch' in that it only used a knit stitch -- no purling on this one!

     Garter Stitch Lace

     Row 1:  *K1, YO, K3, Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO, K3 YO*, K last stitch

     Row 2:  Knit across

I hope I've inspired you to adapt a pattern stitch to one of your favourite projects.  It's only a test swatch away!