Sep 29, 20226 min read

RIBBED CROCHET NECK WARMER TUTORIAL

So…. you have your hat and your head is all snug and warm, but you still feel cold.

If you don’t want the hassle of wearing a long heavy scarf, why not whip up a neck warmer to keep those chills at bay. They are much less bulky and easy to slip into your bag if you get too warm. They don’t use much wool, work up really quick, are great for beginners and make fab gifts.

FANCY A GO, WELL GO GRAB SOME WOOL AND LET’S GET CRACKING.

The amount of yarn required depends on your tension and what hook size you use. For the plain neck warmer (teal colour), we used an 8mm hook and it took approximately 165 grams of UK DK wool using double strand. The extended neck warmer (grey) took approximately 90grams of aran weight wool and we used a 5mm hook. The great thing about these neck warmers is that you can use pretty much any wool you have laying around and don’t have to worry about tension. You decide how big you want your warmer to be.

Just be prepared to play around with the inital length, until you are happy. It is a good idea to make a note of the hook, yarn and number of stitches used, so that you can refer to it at a later date. We are sure that once you have made one, you will be hooked, and want to make them for all your friends and family.

Our finished neck warmers are fairly loose fitting. This is a personal choice. If you want yours to be more snug fitting, reduced the finished length of the neck warmer.

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO!

Abbreviations UK

st = stitch
yo = yarn over
ch = chain (yo, pull through)
sl st = slip stitch (insert hook, yo, pull through both loops)
dc = double crochet (insert hook, yo pull through, yo pull through both loops)
dc = double crochet (insert hook, yo pull through, yo pull through both loops)
htr = half treble (yo,insert hook, yo and pull through all 3 loops)

PLAIN NECK WARMER **With an 8mm hook and double strand, make a slip knot and work a loose chain. Don’t pull the chains tight as you want to have a bit of give in your work. The amount of chains needed will vary as we all work to a different tension. We worked 27 chains (26 stitches and a turning chain) and it measures approx 29cms. This is the part you need to get right so it’s worth taking your time. 29cms for us, gave us a deep neck warmer, but you may feel it’s too big and chunky. Work a couple of rows and fold it in half and place it against your neck. If you are happy, continue to the end, but if you want to change the size, unpick and start again. You do need to work a few rows so that the tension settles. Offering just the chain to your neck will give you a false gauge as the chain will be insecure until worked in.

When working in rows, the 1st stitch of the row is worked into the 2nd chain from the hook. If you work in the 1st chain, you would simply be working into the same stitch and it would unravel.

Work a dc into that 2nd chain from the hook. You have completed your first stitch. To complete the row, work back along the chain with a dc into each of the stitches in the chain. Do not work a dc into the slip knot at the beginning of the row. It has a tendency to unravel if you do. Make a note of how many stitches you worked. ( We did 26 dc’s back along our chain) This will be the number you need to work in all the following rows. When first working in rows, it is a good idea to count the stitches in each row as you do them. Once you understand how the first and last stitches are created, you should be able to continue without counting. Check every few rows that you still have the correct amount, just in case your stitch count is out.

YOU HAVE NOW COMPETED YOUR FOUNDATION ROW.

The rest of the neck warmer is worked in the back loop only. This is what creates the rib effect. To start the next and following rows you will work your first stitch into the last stitch of the previous row. To do this, work a 1 chain and turn your work. This will allow you to work into the last stitch of the previous row. Skip the 1st st that is closest to the one on your hook and dc into the 2nd stitch from the hook as in the video below.

To complete the row, continue along each stitch, working 1 dc into the back loops only until you get the last stitch. To get a clean straight edge, don’t work in the back of the last stitch loop. Locate the horizontal stitch right a the end and work in there as the video below shows.

IF YOU WORK EACH ROW IN THIS WAY USING THESE TECHNIQUES YOU CAN SEE THAT IT KEEPS THE SIDES STRAIGHT AND EVEN.

CONTINUE TO WORK 1DC IN THE BACK LOOPS ONLY ALONG THE ROWS.

Your finished neck warmer needs to measure approximately 24cms when folded in half. Keep folding and checking the size until it measures the right length.

Once you are happy with the size, fold in half so that the working yarn is on top and to the right. The starting strand will be under to the left.

Your starting row will be behind. With your hook in place, insert into the top of the 1st stitch of the starting row at the back and work a sl st to join the pieces.

THE NEATER YOU CAN WORK THIS STITCH, THE BETTER THE JOIN WILL BE.

To complete the joining row, insert your hook into the top of the next stitch on the last row worked first. Then insert the hook into the opposite stitch on the beginning row and sl st them together

Continue along the row using the same technique. (Pick up next stitch of last row worked first and then opposite stitch of first row and sl st them together)

As there are the same amount of stitches in the first and last rows, your stitches should line up. To close the row, once you have completed your last sl st, cut yarn and pull through to secure. Leave a long enough length so that you can tie and weave back into the neckwarmer. **

YOU HAVE NOW COMPLETED YOUR NECKWARMER. FOLD IN HALF TO WEAR.

For the extended neck warmer, work from ** to ** for the plain neck warmer. This one should measure approximately 27cms once folded in half and is best worked with a single strand and a 5mm hook. We started with 36 chains (35sts and a turning chain)

ONCE YOU HAVE CLOSED THE SEAM, YOU ARE READY TO ADD THE NECK EDGE.

Work a 2 chain. This will count as the 1st htr of the round.

This and the next round a made up of UK htr stitches. You have completed your 1st htr by working the 2ch. You now need to work htr’s around this edge. You will see that the rib effect rows have one raised stitch and one that looks like a V. Work a htr in both of these stitches and continue doing this all the way round until you get back to the 2 chain you worked at the beginning.

TO CLOSE THE ROUND, WORK A SL ST IN THE TOP ST OF THE 2 CHAIN.

To start this round, 2 chain (this counts as the 1st htr of the round). Work another htr into the same stitch the 2 chain was worked from (you have just worked an increase stitch) 1htr, into the next 2 stitches. Work this sequence (2htr into same st, 1htr, 1htr) all the way around the round until you get back to the 2 chain you worked at the beginning and close the round by working a sl st into the top of that 2 chain. Don’t worry if you’re left with an odd sequence at the end of the round. Just work 1 htr in there. It won’t make any difference to the look of the neck warmer.