Living in the desert Southwest, I only have a few occasions in January and February to wear cozy warm shawls, scarves or cowls. Because larger shawls don't make much sense in hotter weather, and I find myself wearing bandanas to protect my neck from the sun, I thought a knitted kerchief would be a fun way to wear a handknitted item in the summer. So I plan to design a collection of neckerchiefs that are perfect for warmer summer months, especially knitted with cotton yarn. They could also be made with wool yarn for use in the winter as a cowl under a coat, or for wear indoors which makes them perfect for so many times of the year.
The first pattern in the collection is the Pluma Neckerchief, "pluma" means feathers in spanish. So this design features a center panel of 5 "feathers" in a garter stitch design. The neckerchief begins at the bottom center point and each feather is cast on individually as you come to it. It is a pretty quick knit because of the size, a bit challenging in the construction, with a simple garter stitch pattern all making for a nice mix to keep you interested without being overwhelmed.
I chose two yarns from Hobby Lobby to make the neckerchiefs shown. The cream colored yarn shown in the first photo above is Wrapology Hues in "Sunday Demin". Unfortunately, I think the yarn has been discontinued. However, there are sellers on Etsy and EBay that have some available. I love the yarn for this project! It is a really nice cotton with slubs of color woven in. It comes in a generous 524 yard cake and it makes a perfect summer knit. I so wish they didn't discontinue it. Grab some if you can!
The second yarn I used is Yarntopia in "Spice", shown in second photo above. This is a 100% acrylic yarn, which I don't normally choose because I don't really like how acrylic yarns feel. But this yarn is so super soft and drapes so nicely that it was a perfect fit for this project. I used exactly one ball, so you may want to consider purchasing two just to be safe. And for $4.99 a ball (less if it is on sale) it is definitely affordable. It comes in so many great colors too.
This neckerchief would look equally as beautiful in wool yarn and I plan to make one in Tosh Merino Light by Madeline Tosh as soon as I can get around to it ;-)
Even though this is a small project, it can be worn multiple ways...
As a neck warmer, tied close around the neck:
As a cowl, tied loosely around the neck:
As a shawlette, draped around the shoulders:
No matter how you choose to wear it, it will be beautiful!!
Thanks for reading my post!!
Happy knitting,
julie