I’d better post about Maisie’s neck warmer before it gets so warm outside she’s not wearing it anymore. I made it way back in January from the leftovers of her Kirsa hood, hat and mittens. We had a lot of days in January that were just a bit too cold for Maisie to ride with her head out of the back of the amouti (“ride warm” she calls it) and she really didn’t like being covered (“ride hide”). The dual hat system kept her reasonably warm but I decided a neck warmer to fill in the gaps between coat, scarf and hats would let her ride warm at slightly cooler temperatures. I was hoping she’d let me pull the neck warmer up over her mouth and nose on really windy days but the best I ever managed was to squish it up over her chip and cheeks.

I made up the pattern as I went along starting with some ribbing and the smallest ball of leftovers. I was using the same yarn and needles as I’d used for her hat so I cast on slightly fewer stitches than for the hat (80 stitches for those interested) and worked 2x2 ribbing for about an inch, changing from the Grey Green yarn to the Saffron when the Grey Green ran out. I continued in stocking stitch for about 9 cm (3¾”) and changed from Saffron to Neptune at about 8cm (3½”). I wanted the bottom of the neck warmer to fan out under Maisie coat so at 9cm I started working 5 stitches of seed stitch (p,k,p,k, etc.) on either side of my beginning of round marker. I worked five rounds like that, then divided the round and started working back and forth to form a slit that would let the neck warmer open up. Maintaining the seed stitch sections and working stocking stitch every where else, I worked another 3.5 cm (~1¼”). Finally I worked five rows of seeds stitch border across the whole neck warmer (purling two together when I reached the far border in order to make the stitches line up) and then bound off.

Maisie liked her neck warmer right away which I thought was rather nice. She has been pinched by the top of her coat zipper once or twice and she likes having something in the way to keep her neck safe. I like that she is able to put it on all by herself. She insisted that Granny stand with her for the pictures.