Posted on 77 Comments

Luxurious Loom-Knit Neckwarmer

It’s been a while since we talked loom-knitting around here.  Ever since I got the hang of the needles, my knitting loom collection has been languishing in the basement.  There is one project, however, that has routinely seen me dust off the little blue knifty knitter and take it for a spin.

I’m going to give you a little back story, and then present this really great knitting loom pattern, followed by some images and descriptions that should help you to master the stitches, even if you are brand new to looming.  And finally, look for Episode 2 of the Polka Dot Cottage Video Blog at the end of the post. I’ll demonstrate the whole process and give you a few hints and tips, too.

This is a long post. Feel free to skip all of this chit-chat and just grab the pattern PDF.

The back story

See, back in the olden days of 2009, I was growing steadily more enamored with knitting, but I was entirely befuddled by needles, and only ever had any success when knitting on a loom.  I was dissatisfied with many of the patterns that were written especially for the loom – they looked cheap, un-stylish, and out-of-date – and so I began looking to traditional needle-knitting patterns for projects that were current, and ripe for “translating” to the loom.

Knifty Knitters are comparable to needle sizes #10 – #13, depending on how tightly you tend to knit.  That means they work best with bulky yarn.  You can use them to knit in the round, or you can choose not to close the circle, and make a simple flat panel.  What this means is that you can generally do any bulky-yarn needle-knit rectangular pattern on a Knifty Knitter!

There are other patterns that also translate well, and other looms you can use too, but those are for another post, another day.

If you are unfamiliar with knitting looms, or if your experience is limited to the spool-knitting of your youth, you may not realize that knitting looms are capable of multiple stitches.  The most popular stitch is of course the knit stitch, which you achieve by pulling the lower loop over the upper loop and right on over the peg.  It’s an extremely simple stitch, and you could very easily churn out hundreds of bulky knit-stitch hats and get more than your money’s worth out of your loom.  But you’d be missing out on half of the fun.

Yes, you can knit with a loom, but did you know you can also purl?  You can make cables and bobbles. You can even increase and decrease, although this poses some difficulty, in certain situations.

So, back to 2009.  I was a loom-knitter looking for a neckwarmer pattern that didn’t have that “I was knit on a loom using one boring stitch and cheap-ass yarn” aesthetic.  Ravelry lead me to Kim K’s Cashmere Neckwarmer pattern.  It was perfect:

  • It required bulky yarn
  • It was a rectangular shape with no increases or decreases to worry about
  • It was hip-looking with an interesting stitch pattern

I set to work translating the pattern for my own personal use on the loom, and since then I have made somewhere around a dozen of them in some form or another.  Even after learning to knit with needles, I still go back to the loom when I want to make one of these.

The pattern

If you knit with needles, and would like to continue to do so, check out the original pattern here, and just make it as written.  My thanks to Kim, who cheerfully gave me the ok to share my loomy take on her pattern.

The original pattern calls for a ball of cashmere yarn, but I have made all of mine in Malabrigo Chunky and they are positively wonderful.  So soft and lovely on the neck, and not as pricey as cashmere.  I do recommend using nice yarn here.  It really makes all of the difference!  I made one in an acrylic blend once and it just wasn’t the same.

Materials

  • One skein of Malabrigo Chunky (104 yards)
  • Small blue Knifty Knitter (available by itself or as part of a set) with knitting tool
  • 1 cool button, 1″ – 1.5″
  • Tapestry needle

Gauge

Not terribly important here, but 3 stitches and 3 rows is roughly 1 inch

Finished Size

25″ x 4.5″

Directions

See the directions below to learn the e-wrap cast-on, the knit stitch, the “slip 1 with yarn in front” stitch, the basic bind-off, and how to make an i-cord.

  • CO 15 stitches using the e-wrap method.
  • Row 1: K1, slip 1 wyif, repeat until end.
  • Row 2: Knit back to beginning of row.
  • Row 3: K2, *slip 1 wyif, k1 repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2.
  • Row 4: Knit back to beginning of row.
  • Repeat these four rows fifty times (200 rows total), or until you reach the desired length, roughly 25 inches.
  • I-cord buttonhole: Along the cast on edge, starting at the 5th stitch “in” place the next 3 stitches back onto pegs. Work i-cord for approximately 2.5″ and bind off.
  • Seam i-cord to cast on edge.
  • Block neckwarmer to help tame curving edges, and to give some softness and drape to the piece.
  • Sew button on in desired location.

This pattern takes me at most two nights to knit in front of the TV!
pluxurious-loom-knit-neckwarmerampt-flickr

Stitches and such

E-wrap cast-on

Make a slip knot, and put the loop over the 1st peg.

The tail should be on the inside of the loom. Run the working yarn behind the 2nd  peg, and then wrap it around the front of the peg.  Bring the yarn back behind the 2nd and 3rd pegs, and wrap it around the front of the 3rd peg.  Continue in this manner until you have wrapped 15 pegs.

Bring the working yarn in front of all of the pegs and hold it in place above the loops.  Use the knitting tool to pick up the loop on peg 15, pull it over the working yarn and completely over the peg. You will be left with one new loop on the peg.  Do the same for peg 14 and all remaining pegs.

You have now cast on fifteen stitches.

Knit stitch

This is the simplest and most common of the stitches.

With the working yarn held in the front of the peg, and above the loop, use the knitting tool to pick up the loop, and pull it over the working yarn and the peg.

Slip 1 wyif

To slip a stitch, is to leave the loop on the peg and not knit it at all.  To slip it with yarn in front (or wyif), you will need to first use the knitting tool to remove the loop from the peg, slide the working yarn behind the peg but in front of the loop on your tool, and then place the loop back on the peg.

Basic bind-off

Knit peg 1 and peg 2.

Move peg 2’s loop onto peg 1, and knit it. Move the resulting loop off of peg 1 and onto peg 2.  Knit peg 3 and repeat the process.

Continue in this manner until you have one loop remaining.  Break the yarn, slip the loop off of the last peg, thread the tail through the loop, and pull gently to close the loop.

I-cord

Place three of the stitches from the cast-on edge back on the loom and knit them until you have a long enough cord to make a button loop.  Bind off the three stitches, and sew the tail into the cast-on edge to make a loop.

The video

Did you get all that?  Need to see something demonstrated?  Want a few tips and hints?  I video blogged every step.  Happy viewing!

If you have any questions about the process, please be sure to leave them here.  I will do my best to answer!

I hope I’ve enticed some of you to give another look to looming, especially if you’ve wanted to get into needlecrafts but have been unsuccessful, or have felt intimidated.  Loom knitting is as simple as pulling a loop over a peg.  Over, and over, and over.

Add a few other simple techniques, and you can have a finished product to be proud of!

The Fiesta Hats pattern I mentioned in my P.S. can be found here.

Video soundtrack was “Ordinary Girl” from A Few Songs of the Week (Helen Austin) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

Tutorials like this represent many hours of work. Consider showing your support by purchasing one of the PDF versions. Thank you!

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Posted on 77 Comments

77 thoughts on “Luxurious Loom-Knit Neckwarmer

  1. What a great neck warmer, I’ll probably make some after I finish my hat/scarf combo. Please don’t be too hard on acrylic yarn, some of us (ME) are allergic to wool (horribly, horribly allergic, makes me look like I have the measles) and are stuck with the acrylics or cottons and there aren’t many chunky cottons 🙁 and I can’t afford something like cashmere, LOL. Thanks for the pattern and tutorial. Smiles and hugs, Sue C

    1. Good point. I hadn’t thought of that. I have used some acrylic blends for other projects and loved them, but the one particular acrylic I used for this project, just left me unhappy. Have you tried alpaca or bamboo? They are probably more expensive than cotton, but they’re also a heck of a lot softer 🙂

      1. The acrylic yarns out now are not the same as the ones 30 years ago. Even Red Heart has a new RH Soft yarn that is almost as soft as Caron Soft. KnitPicks sells a bulky cotton and a bulky acrylic. I haven’t tried their cotton and acrylic yarns but I need to so I can recommend or not.

        1. True. There are much nicer acrylics now than there used to be. I do still prefer a natural fiber, though. Or, a blend. There are a few acrylic blends I really like. Berocco Vintage, for one.

    2. Me too lol, turns me all blotchy. But I have found that there are some very nice acrylics out there if you don’t mind paying more than 3 dollars/skein. Jiffy Thick and Quick is a good one, and I have found good luck at our Hobby Lobby. I dislike Red Heart yarn as it’s scratchy, comes out of the skein with a lot of knots, and looks cheap. Hope that helps!

      1. I like berroco yarns, when I need to do something with acrylic. They’re nice and not too pricey (compared to other Local Yarn Shop yarns).

  2. Marked to read RT @lclarke522: Blogging: Luxurious Loom-Knit #Neckwarmer http://t.co/9FrSEiZA #knitting #tutorials #cashmereneckwarmer

  3. I never realized that loom knitting could be so versatile. I’m really going to need to give this a try!

    Your tutorial is so clear, thanks so much.

    1. Glad you like it! And yes, looms really don’t get much credit but they’re a great tool for surprisingly many different stitches 🙂

  4. http://t.co/2ItR6c7H Polka Dot Cottage: Luxurious Loom-Knit Neckwarmer

  5. http://t.co/AB6sxWcy Polka Dot Cottage: Luxurious Loom-Knit Neckwarmer

  6. Enjoyed your tutorial on Youtube.com. Thanks so much for sharing. You and so many others are appreciated by us newbies!

    1. I’m so glad to hear it! I hope you are able to make something pretty with it 🙂

  7. The chill is coming! Grab a nice skein of bulky wool and loom yourself a quick neckwarmer this weekend: http://t.co/t9BsF3EC #knitting 🙂

  8. Thank you SO much for this! I’ve made two already and am hoping to make at least one more for Christmas. Best of all I made them from single skeins I had NO idea what to do with! The ONLY hard part is waiting until Christmas to give them out!

    1. This is great to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pattern. Merry Christmas!

  9. Thank you so much for this tutorial! I just finished the neck warmer. I’m giving it to my mom for her birthday. Thank you so much for making the tutorial so easy to follow. This was only my fourth project but you made it so easy I decided to try and it turned out lovely.

    1. I’m so glad to hear that – I hope you mom liked it!

  10. Thank you Lisa, you8r tutorial was very very helpful. I did not have a clue as to how to use the loom. You simplified everything so nicely and easily. I appreciate your sharing.Thank you again.

    1. I am so glad to hear this! Happy looming 🙂

  11. Lisa how do I get to download these instructions?

    1. There is a “print” button in the “share the love” box at the end of the post. I may put them in .pdf format someday, but at this point, printing is your best bet.

  12. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am at the point now where I am wanting to learn to knit with my loom, but I don’t care for the cheapy looking patterns. This is a *fantastic* tutorial for something that actually looks great finished. 🙂 Thank you for the wonderful photos, descriptions and video. Perfect.

    Oh, and the little tool is called a yarn pick.

    1. Thanks for helping with the terminology 🙂 I’m glad you like the pattern! I really find that I’m happiest using the loom when I’m using a pattern that was originally written for needles. They’re just “hipper” in some way.

  13. Wonderful tutorial! One of the first I’ve seen form start to finish that actually looks really nice. I’ve been using the loom for a couple of years, and have generally only tackled scarves and hats so far, but am getting ready to attempt mittens and socks. This scarf is interesting and different enough, it is next on my list to try. Thank you ever so much for the informative write-up and the full video from start to finish, along with the view of the final product. The way you presented it was great.

    1. Thanks! I really appreciate such constructive feedback. Hope you enjoy making the neckwarmer!

      1. So, I’m finally in the process of making this scarf, and oddly enough, even though I’m following your instructions (don’t think I missed anything since I watched the video), my stitch looks very different from yours. The only difference is that I’m using a chunky variety wool-ease brand yarn (since that was the only one I had in brown and couldn’t afford anymore yarn at this time). Anyway, it looks like there are little round bumps going through it going vertical throughout the scarf. Very interesting pattern, although I’ll have to try it with a thinner yarn for my next one.

        1. I used chunky weight yarn, so you’re probably on the right track… Here’s another view of what the stitch looks like in a lighter color. Does that look better? I think when you look at a single row, it looks like two short vertical pieces followed by one long horizontal piece over and over.

          If yours doesn’t look like that, but it still looks nice to you, then maybe you’ve just invented a new stitch pattern 🙂

        2. I know your post is old but I was wondering how your finished neckwarmer came out. I made one in the wool-ease as well and mine came out with the bumps too – I love how it looks. I haven’t been able to block it, however, so it curls up like crazy *sigh*. Can’t wait to make another one as soon as I get my hands on the malabrigo wool. Thanks Lisa for the awesome free pattern!

      2. Hi, how can I get a loom? Am in nairobi Kenya. Thanks.

        1. I’m sorry, I don’t sell looms. You should be able to find a knitting loom (or a set of them) online, if you do a search. Good luck!

  14. I’m a total noob at this…can you explain what it means to “block it”?? Thanks!

    1. Sure. Blocking is essentially the act of getting it wet, arranging it how you’d like, and pinning it down until it dries. When I blog things, I usually pin them down to a towel on the carpet, and then saturate them with a spray bottle of water and leave them overnight to dry. Google could get you more information, but here is one that I found that goes into a lot of detail. Her method is more thorough than mine, but I think I may try it. Hope this helps!

      1. Apologies! Of course I posted that comment before I finished the video, where you CLEARLY said the web was a bountiful resource on the subject. I have since googled it myself.

        (btw, I totally went out and bought the Knifty Knitter circle loom set. I haven’t taken it out of the package yet, and I have never knit anything in my life, but I am SO ready to try your neckwarmer just as soon as I get myself to the yarn store!)

        1. Oh, that’s ok, since I was pretty vague about it on the video. I actually filmed and photographed my blocking process, but I cut it out, since the video was already long enough without it. Good luck on your first project!

  15. I just bought a set of looms before Christmas, knitting with needles really hurts my hands. But loom knitting!!……..I’m obsessed!!!! I have made 6 assorted hats and scarves since I purchased the loom set.

    Your neck warmer is beautiful, and I made one last night. However, did I miss in the video how you attached the little tail you made to make it a circle to fit the button in?

    Thanks!

    1. Hm, I think it’s in the video, but just in case it’s not: I just took the long tail from the i-cord, and used a tapestry needle to weave it in to the end of the scarf, a few stitches over from where I started the i-cord.

      Hope that helps! I’m glad you found a way to knit that doesn’t hurt your hands. I’ve heard that a lot!

  16. Lisa, Love this pattern! Would it be possible to use this pattern for a hat on one of the round looms? I’m totally new to knitting on a loom. Also, how do you think it would work out to extend the length of this scarf and make it into an infinity type scarf? Just enough to double it up around your neck? I’m interested in your thoughts.

    1. Sure, I think this stitch pattern could be used on all kinds of things! I haven’t tried it myself, but I’ve been tempted. I would think that you could, for the most part, follow any hat pattern or scarf pattern and substitute this stitch for the regular knit one. the only thing I’d be concerned about is the width. I think this stitch works up a little wider than plain knitting.

  17. Hi – i just wanted to say thank you for posting the directions for this neck warmer, and the step by step video! I cant wait to finish it! Thanks again!

    1. You are welcome! Glad you’re enjoying it 🙂

  18. I purchased your Fiesta Hat pattern on Amazon.com tonight! After seeing your video and how good your instructions were, I wanted to make sure that I purchased one of your patterns! Thanks!

    1. Thanks, Robert! I appreciate the support. Hope you like the hat pattern 🙂

  19. Hi Lisa,
    I see where these comments are quite old but hopefully will be able to touch base with you here. I am new to this loom knitting and ran across a pattern for “Swiffer Cover” this was from Pinterest however do not understand some of the wording. It is using the blue loom but only 15 pegs…ok, think I got that part but then it say’s *E-wrap 14-2, knit over, purl last peg. E-wrap 2-14 knit over, purl last peg* repeat…ok do know how to E-wrap and purl but didn’t understand the 14-2, or the 2-14. I cannot even find a book of instructions of this type knitting! I would so appreciate your input or to where I may find this in a book!
    Thank you for your time,
    Sincerely,
    Elaine

    1. Hi, Elaine. I am fairly sure that when they say “e-wrap 14-2,” they mean “e-wrap all pegs from peg #14 through peg #2.” If you’re looking for loom-knitting books, I listed some of my favorites here. Hope this helps!

  20. Hi Lisa! First just let me say I loved this neck warmer. I have one started that I only used the knit stitch bc I am fairly new to making scarves. I started on another scarf with just e wrap and then decided I wanted to make it into your neck warmer. I’m finished with everything except sewing on the button and sewing down the cord to hold the button. My question is, how do you decide where to place your button? I’m a little confused and wary as I have never put a button on any of my loomed projects. Thank you so much for your tutorial and I’m hoping to have enough time to make all of my aunts ( 6 of them) plus my mom one of these for Christmas!
    Talk to you soon,
    Carrie

  21. Hi, I absolutely love this pattern!

    Do you have a video (or blog post), with tips on translating conventional knitting patterns into loom patterns?

    Also, I have a wool allergy! (people find this funny, a knitter who’s allergic to wool) Therefore, I knit mainly with acrylics, which are harder to block. Do you have any suggestions on what to do at the edges (maybe an extra stitch or two?) to stop the curling?

    1. Hi, Ruth. I’m afraid I don’t have any information about translating conventional patterns into loom patterns. Basically what I do is search YouTube to see if anyone is demonstrating any stitches I don’t know. Plus, I keep in mind the fact that loom knitting is always done with the Right Side (RS) facing you. So, in flat-knit patterns, you have to take any directions for the Wrong Side (WS) and do the opposite of what they tell you to do. Now that you mention it, a post or video on this topic wouldn’t be such a bad idea…

      Maybe do the edges in garter stitch? The first two or three stitches and the last two or three stitches can be Knit on row one, Purl on row two, Knit on row three, Purl on row four and so on. With this pattern, though, I am not sure how much that will help. I notice that the curl happens throughout the entire thing – it really wants to curl into a tube. A few stitches at each end may not be enough to tame it. I hope this helps a little!

      1. Thanks for the reply.

        I would love to see a video on translating patterns.
        I have been reading articles on the subject, and I get the idea, but having someone talk through it is always so much better.

        Thanks again for a great pattern!

        Happy Holidays

        Ruth

  22. Hi Lisa,
    I’m Stephanie. I came across your site yesterday after looking for loom knitting blankets.I really like your cowl/scarf and I’m doing one for myself and others but on the knitting board. I was wondering something. I notice your i-cord is at the end. Where do you sew your button though. Do you mind taking a picture of it full length and e-mailing me it?
    Thankx. and take care!
    Stephanie

    1. Sorry neckwarmer

    2. Hi, Stephanie. Maybe this will help: Before I sew the button on, I wrap the neckwarmer around my neck in the way that I would want to wear it. I mark the spot where the button should be, based on that, and sew it on there. For me, it ends up being almost in the middle of the scarf, but it will vary for you based on fit and personal preference.

      Hope this helps!

  23. Just found your polka dot cottage i think its wonderful really enjoyed making the head band. I’m checking out some of your other patterns thank you so much for taking the time to do the video’s i find them really helpful
    Brenda

    1. I am so glad to hear that. I definitely need to carve out some more time to make more videos!

  24. I have to say I enjoy your videos and I learn so much do a person that is a new beginner to loom knitting. I really want to learn how to make the neck kowl so I can do some for the winter. I have seen others but I believe you can teach me faster. Please help.

    1. Thanks for your comment. Have you watched the video? It should show you everything you need to know. If you have a specific question, let me know – maybe I can answer it. Good luck!

      1. U have a video for a kowl?

  25. I love the neck warmer I have made one but every now and then I drop a loop but I notice it after I finish the warmer but I am going to wear it any way I am just learning. I have been looking for your hat patten to try because I am learning more from u then any of the others. If you have loom kowl I want to learn that also maybe you can do a video of that.

  26. Hi Lisa,
    Thanks for the pattern! It took me a few tries to get the slip 1 stitch but I got it. I noticed you put the yarn on the bottom of the stitch when you did the slip 1 stitch. I also noticed that every row ends with a knit stitch. So, if I forgot what row I was on-by the end of the row I would know what row I was on.

  27. Hi Lisa

    Just want to say thank you, thank you! Your video was so easy to follow and loved it!

    1. So glad to hear that! Happy knitting 🙂

  28. Hello
    This was so much fun to make. I made a smaller version for my daughter. I would love to know is there a way to make this stitch into a hat? If so could you share! Thank you for the easy video. I plan to make one for myself soon!

  29. […] If you like to follow by reading along  a pattern, here is the kink to the original neck warmer article http://lisaclarke.net/2011/11/02/luxurious-loom-knit-neckwarmer/.  […]

  30. […] If you like to follow by reading along a pattern, here is the kink to the original neck warmer with an i-cord and button closure article http://lisaclarke.net/2011/11/02/luxurious-loom-knit-neckwarmer/.  […]

  31. […] is the link  to Lisa Clarke’s full […]

  32. To keep it from rolling up can’t I use a rectangular loom and just use 15 pegs? I have found this will keep the scarf from rolling up on each side. I hate to block the scarves as they do not always stay flat.

    1. That might work, but I don’t think that the curling is due to the round loom so much as wool’s tendency to curl in on itself. It’s worth a shot, though!

  33. Lisa, Thank you very much for your clearly instructions. I speak feanch and spanish but my english is not as good as I want and your video, your instructions, yours photos are very, very clear and simple to follow and copy.

    Thank you also to give me an idea of what the equivalence between needle and Knit loom. It’s important for the choice of the wool. I have a lot of wool of my mother (unlabeled all !!!) and it’s a big problem with the knit loom to know how number of yarn I need. You say bulky yarn and it’s a good advice. Thank you again
    Thank you again

  34. lisa, I can’t get my thread from becoming too tight. Any suggestions?
    Zola McGallian Amarillo,Tx

    1. I know this may not be too helpful, but the best I can tell you is to relax your hands and keep your tension as loose as possible while you are working the stitches.

      One thought: it’s possible that the yarn you are using is too bulky for the loom. When I first started, I had the hardest time with my stitches being too tight, and the resulting project being very, very stiff. For me, the key was to use a lighter-weight yarn (bulky [5] as opposed to super bulky[6]).

      I hope this helps a little!

  35. I just finished a neck warmer, Lisa, and I gave it to my 96 year old mother. I followed your advice and used a soft chunky yarn. She loves it. She is an avid knitter herself but does it the traditional way. She is still knitting at 96! I could never follow in her advanced needle-knitting footsteps. But thanks to your video instructions and the round loom, I was finally able to give her something made by me. Now I will make one for my Dad who feels cold almost all year round. I will make it in black for him. Thank you, Lisa!

    1. Everything about this comment makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing 🙂

  36. […] Learn the e-wrap cast-on, knit stitch, slip with yarn in front stitch, bind-off, and i-cord, all on a knifty knitter. Make a luxurious wool neckwarmer. Written pattern and tutorial: http://lisaclarke.net/2011/11/02/luxurious-loom-knit-neckwarmer/ […]

  37. Hi Lisa, thanks for the pattern and all the instructions! I must be goofy, but does Row 1 end on a k1? I thought your video showed it ending on a sl1 wyif but mine ends with a k1. Maybe I just need more coffee?

    1. Hi! No you are right, it does end on a K1. In fact, all of the first and last stitches in the pattern are always knit stitches. I hope this helps! 🙂

      1. Yes it does, thanks Lisa!

  38. […] Luxurious Loom- Knit Neckwarmer from Polka Dot Cottage […]

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