neck warmer for kids

Before Christmas I was busy making gifts and was for the lookout of practical gifts I could knit with one skein and knit fast. I remembered the typical neck warmers that we used to have when I was a kid. They would simply be a neck with a front and back panel to keep your chest and the back of your neck warm. When our coats and winter jackets were closed it looked like we were wearing a sweater with a long neck.

I knitted them for a two and four year old, but the pattern can easily be adjusted for kids of other ages or grown ups by adding 4, 8 or 12 stitches more and adjusting the length of the front and back panel.

The top to bottom knitting was inspired by JCasas Neighborly that I have made on several occasions.



Neck warmer

Sizes
Approximately 2 years and (4 years)

Needles
3.5 mm circulars (US 4) and 4 mm circulars (US 6), (both my circulars were 40 cm long (15.7 in)
Yarn: Drops Merino extra fine

Notions
Stitch marker
Stitch holder or scrap thread

Abbreviations
k – knit
p-purl

Pattern
Cast on 92 (96) stitches on 3.5 mm (US 4) needles. Join the stitches making sure not to twist and place marker to designate the row.
k 2 and p 2 to the end of row
Continue to [k2, p2] until the piece measures 6 cm (2.4 in)
k four rounds.
Switch to 4mm (US 6) needles and k four more rounds.

Bind off 7 (8) stitches after marker, k 39 (40) and place these stitches on a stitch holder or a scrap yarn. These 39 (40) stitches are for the back panel of the neck warmer.

Bind off 7 (8) stitches and k 39 (40). These are the stitches for the front panel of the neck warmer and the ones you will continue to work on now. Turn work so you are looking at the wrong side (purled row). Knit the following rows like this:

From wrong side: k3, p 33 (34), k3
From right side: k 39 (40)

Continue with this until your work measures 12 cm (4.7 in) or your desired length from the point when you divided the work in back and front. k 6 rows and bind off.

Now take the stitches that you put on the stitch holder or scrap yarn (for the back of the neck warmer) and do the same as with the front.

Happy knit!

Brooklyn tweed love

Back in October Denise asked us on her blog if we would like a simple scarf to keep us warm this winter. I signed up for the giveaway right away and loved the idea of having a scarf made by her on the other side of the Atlantic. She would pick one reader and the lucky reader could choose the colour from Brooklyn Tweed’s palette and let her know which one was our favourite.

My two favourite colours from the palette was “homemade jam” and “soot”, and since I love surprises I asked her to choose which of the two if I happened to be the lucky winner.

Well, I was! I was the lucky winner! And two weeks ago a soft envelope arrived at the post office. Inside was this beautiful soot - grey - Brooklyn Tweed - made by Denise - scarf. I have worn it since as it has the perfect length, is warn and accents my brown feather filled winter jacket.

It truly feels special that someone I only know through blogland has made this scarf for me. I love my gift. Thank you very much Denise!

Together with the scarf she had put an extra surprise for me, a cotton bag from the Kinokuniya bookstore in San Francisco! Either she was on a lucky struck (or me depending on how you see it) or she knows me better than I thought. I love the Kinokuniya bookstores. Back in 2008 when we visited San Francisco that was one of the few places that we (I) had planned to visit before we travelled. I spent three hours in the bookstore, and only left because my poor husbands patience could not be stretched an inch more and neither could my swollen pregnant feet.

I love my gifts.

amends at the mountain

Do you want to come along for a weekend at a ski resort with us? Perhaps it can make amends for my unannounced absence these last two weeks.

Mr. Yonder’s company sponsored a couple’s weekend for their employees and we enjoyed every single minute of it. It was our first grown ups only weekend since Astrid was born. We will not wait another two years before we do this again.

We enjoyed our time here so much that we have decided to go back some time soon. If you come long with us you can choose between cross country skiing, slalom or snow boarding.

If you are not into skiing you can take a dip in the pool, visit the Finnish sauna, take a day at the SPA or try climbing the wall that goes all the way from the bottom floor through the lobby and continues upward.

What about diving into these comfortable couches after a long day with activities?

And then order a steaming warm coffee or hot chocolate and perhaps a piece of this tempting apple cake with crème Brule and whipped cream? Anyone?

By the way, when was the last time you went on a ski trip or had a couple’s weekend with your hubby? I think we have to improve at that here in Yonder.