Garter Stitch Button-up Neck Warmer
Today’s project was a long lost pattern I had made a few months ago, but forgot to post! Better late than never…right?? It was inspired by one of my boss’s cowls that she had worn to work this past winter. It was such a cute shape and a simple enough design that I knew I had to make one for myself! On my way home from work that afternoon I booked it straight to JoAnn’s and bought two wooden buttons and a couple skeins of yarn for good measure (impulse yarn purchase only… I already had what I needed for this. Ha!).
Over the next couple evenings I whipped up this cowl, and have to say it looks just like the original! I LOVED this project because once again, it knits up really quickly with the large knitting needles and chunky yarn. The entire piece is 26 inches long and when folded it fits snuggly to the neck, almost like a turtle neck. It would look really cute with a fitted black shirt!
To make your own, see the pattern below!
A printable PDF of this pattern is available for purchase here.
Garter Stitch Button-up Neck Warmer
Finished Measurement:
26 inches laying flat.
**Please note this piece fits snuggly to the neck almost like a turtle neck.**
Materials:
- 1 skein Bernat Collegiate Chunky Yarn in grey (you will need approximately 100 yards or 93 grams)
- US size 10 circular knitting needles – 29″
- Scissors
- Yarn needle
- Needle
- 2 wooden buttons (1 3/8″)
- embroidery floss in coordinating color
Key:
- Double YO – Double yarn over – knit up to the stitch before the yarn over, bring the yarn to the front of the work and wrap yarn around your right needle 2x, and continue pattern as written.
Pattern:
Cast on 80. You will be working back and forth in rows.
Rows 1 – 10: knit
Row 11: K7, bind off 2, knit to the end of row
Row 12: knit to the bind off, double yo, knit to the end.
Rows 13 – 26: knit
Row 27: Repeat row 11
Row 28: Repeat row 12
Rows 29 – 39: knit
Bind off. Weave in ends.
Positioning Buttons:
Lay piece flat, and on the opposite end of the button holes, line up your buttons so the center rests approximately 2 inches in from the sides and 6 rows from both the cast on and bind off edges. This position should line up your button with the holes. Just to make sure, you may fold your piece over to see if the buttons line up with the holes and if not, make adjustments so they line up.
Using your embroidery floss and needle, sew the buttons to the cowl.
Have a great day!
Hi
I just was about to start this cowl and there is no way that I can get 80 stitches onto a number 10 knitting needles. Can you help me? Is there an error in this pattern?
Hi Diane! Thank you for catching that!!! You will want to use US size 10 circular knitting needles in 29″. (I use this interchangeable set http://amzn.to/2dYRLRD) The pattern has been updated. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy Knitting!
Hi Dianne
I am about to make this cowl and looking at the picture I note that the edges are all very even stitch all the way around. How do I get that look?
Hi Kathy!
Do you mean that the stitches look even? That comes with practice, practice, practice and making sure that you are knitting with the same tension in every stitch and not making it too tight or too loose. Once you get going in your knitting rhythm you’ll find your happy medium! 🙂
Also, once you finish the piece, you will want to make sure you take the time to line your buttons up with your button wholes. If you rush this step, your cowl might end up a bit crooked.
Once you get started, let me know how it goes! Let me know if you need anything else!!
Brittany
hi
what do u mean by kmit to bind off double yo knit to end
thanks
what do u mean by knit to bind off double yo knit to end?
HI Leisha!
In rows 11 and 12 you are making your first button hole. To create the hole, you will bind off 2 stitches (or in other words be taking away two stitches) and in the next row you will be making a double yarn over to put those two stitches back. Thus closing the button hole.
In row 11, you will be binding off 2 stitches. Then, once you get in row 12, the pattern instructs you to knit up to the bind off (or essentially to the hole you created from binding off) and then making a double yarn over.
In the pattern I have the abbreviations and descriptions for more clarification, but if you need a visual for the double yarn over, check out this awesome tutorial! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NEAw0qtR70
Let me know if this helps, or if you need anything else!! 🙂
IS it possible to make this with straight needles and what size would I use ?
Hi Linda, technically yes… but they would need to be longer than 26 inches. That is the length of the piece. I’m not sure if they make knitting needles that long :).
Can I use straight needles for this project and if so what size ?thanks, MA
Hi Mary, technically yes… but they would need to be longer than 26 inches. That is the length of the piece. I’m not sure if they make knitting needles that long :).
Hi, Mary Ann. Not sure Brittany answered the question you were asking. This pattern calls for circular needles because of the number of stitches involved. You are not going to be joining the stitches to knit in the round – you’re going to knit back and forth on the circular needles. As Brittany stated, I don’t think that they make straight needles that would hold the number of stitches required for this pattern.
Can you transform into a cro hey one. ? Or maybe u can figure it out myself, shouldn’t be difficult.
I have been knitting some things similar to this and I cast on 14 to 16 stitches, however wide I want it and it works fine on straight needles. I’m a beginner and I tried using circle needles and had to take them back…they kept curling up ad driving me nuts. I have made 17 head bands/ear warmers and made them all this way.
Hi Marjorie! That’s great you found a way that worked for you! Circular needles can be a bit tricky at first, but once you get used to them they are very handy.
This pattern uses circular needles because the piece is designed to have the garter stitch lines appear horizontal. Using a set of straight needles and casting on stitches for the desired width and knitting the length of the cowl will give you a vertical garter stitch line. Both work great, it just depends on the look you are going for.
Happy knitting!
When I make the buttonhole row, I knit a short piece of fine yarn or thread for a couple stitches at the button end of the row. You have a perfectly placed marker when you sew on your buttons. Or you could hang a safety pin at the button location. (I have been known to use a piece of dental floss.)
can you clarify on YO, not working out for me. Tutorial is more indepth but not what you explain in pattern and not on stocking knot stitch. I cant get past that.
Thank you,
Casting on two stitches instead of yarn overs work better for me with the buttonhole on row 12 and row 28.
But otherwise very simple and fun pattern.