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Before writing this blog, I looked for more neck warmer designs on Pinterest and to my surprise, I discovered a new word, a neck gaiter. We all know that this is a tube item to protect our necks. I am finding this word is interesting. It is a gaiter of my neck to keep me from cold or protect from a sun burn. This is what google says about a neck gaiter: ' A neck gaiter is best descried as a tube of fabric meant to protect your neck and face from the sun or from cold conditions. On warm, sunny days, they protect the user from getting sunburned without the use of sunscreen. In winter, they protect the user's neck and face from getting cold and wind burned.
There are many ways to create a neck gaiter either knitting, sewing, crochet or felting. The simplest way is to have a flat felt and ether to crochet two ends together connecting, sewing two sides together making a tube, or simply stitching a button or work around the resist.
If you have never worked with a neck warmer resist, then this blog hopefully gives you a good start.
I recommend you first to make a sample and calculate a coefficient of pattern increase. Please check my blog on coefficient of increase and percentage of shrinkage.
This was my sample. Based on this sample, I made a neck gaiter and a poncho. The reason I make samples is to look how chosen materials work well together and calculate a coefficient of a pattern increase.
I then made a neck warmer and a poncho using the same materials, colour scheme, layout and felting method. After we calculate out coefficient of pattern increase, we can build any pattern for any accessories or wearable.
Let's now talk about a neck warmer pattern.
I like the trapezium shape. This way, the top of the neck gaiter seats closer to the neck while the bottom of the neck warmer lies nicely on your shoulders.
The pattern below has dimensions of the resist based on the coefficient of a pattern increase 1.6 and finished dimensions, which are in brackets. Please take in consideration technique you use. This neck gaiter was created using a technique from the Felted Textured Asymmetrical Poncho.
The Textured Felted Asymmetrical Poncho online pre-recorded class can be found via this link.
You can use any technique to create a neck warmer and perhaps matching hat. When you try a new technique, do not forget to make a sample.
The hats and neck warmers above were made based on the following two pre-recorded online classes:
I hope you will find this blog useful and have more ideas to create your own neck warmer, neck gaiter or a neck guardian to keep warm and cosy. I am looking forward to see your creations, either in our Facebook group, Felting with Lena, Felting together or Learning art of feltmaking with Lena online, if you are my student.
Take care and Happy Felting.
My mam and her cat Leo send their best regards.
Lena