Recently a friend sent me an Instagram reel of a bandana cowl and it was the answer to all my cold neck problems. My hair has gotten so long that it’s becoming a hassle to wear it down with a hat and also manage to tie a scarf around my neck. So much hair everywhere! I decided it was something I could figure out – and I knit it up in about three hours. Then I made six more for holiday gifts. Here’s my sister modeling hers:

I’m calling this a “knitted bandana” to be trendy, but really I’m naming this pattern a dickie scarf. Remember dickies? If you’re over 40 I’m sure you’ve at least heard of them or definitely owned one in the past. It’s all the style of wearing a turtleneck sweater without the bulkiness of having to cram it under another layer of clothing. A dickey scarf is similar – you have the warmth of a cozy turtleneck without having to deal with the bulk of a scarf.

This pattern is so simple and a great stashbuster project.

Knitted Bandana – or as I’m calling it: knitted dickie scarf

Sizes: Adult M (L)

Ingredients:

• 1 skein bulky yarn – I suggest Wool and the Gang Alpachino Merino
• size 10 US circular needles, 16″
• darning needle

Abbreviations:

• CO = cast on
• PM = place marker
• K2, P2 = knit 2, purl 2
• WS = wrong side
• RS = right side
• K2tog = knit 2 stitches together

Directions:

CO 60 (64) stitches; PM. Join the work being careful the stitches aren’t twisted and work in K2, P2 for 30 rounds. When you’ve reached the marker on the final round, turn your work and knit the other direction till you reach the marker again (WS). You’ll now be working back and forth in rows of garter stitch, decreasing by two stitches on each right side row.

Next row (RS): K2tog, knit to the last 2 stitches in row, K2tog.

Next row (WS): K

Repeat these two rows until you have 4 stitches remaining. Bind off and weave in ends. Ta-da – DICKIE SCARF.