How to Knit a Turtleneck Collar
Turtleneck collars are popular features on sweaters. They can also be worn as separate items to keep your neck warm. The ribbing pattern is used to create the collar and provides the elasticity needed for stretching turtlenecks over the head. Different types of yarn and needle size guarantee a unique look to your project. Even beginners can master this easy technique.
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Instructions
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Create a sample rib pattern using the project needle size and yarn. Practice by casting on five stitches. Place the needle with the cast-on stitches in your left hand and the empty needle in your right hand. Begin the knit stitch by inserting the right needle into the back of the first stitch. Wrap the yarn around the needle and pull to the front of the left needle. Slide the stitch onto the right needle to complete the knit stitch. You now have four stitches on the left needle and one stitch on the right.
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Practice the purl stitch. Move the yarn to the front in between both needles. Insert the right needle into the front of the second stitch wrapping the yarn around the front of the needle. Pull the stitch through to the back and slide it off the left needle. Two stitches are now on the right needle and three stitches on the left.
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Move the yarn to the back of your work and knit the next stitch. Continue to the end of the row by alternating between the knit and purl stitches. The entire combination for the row is knit one, purl one, knit one, purl one ending with knit one. Switch needles to opposite hands and work the next row. Repeat the stitches using the opposite pattern of purl one, knit one, purl one, knit one ending with purl one. Knit and purl a few more rows using this two-row pattern. Note how the ribbing stretches based on the knit/purl combination. Experiment with other ribbing patterns such as knitting two stitches to one purl stitch or knitting four stitches to two purl stitches.
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Create the collar using four double-pointed needles to avoid sewing ends together. Measure your neck size and decide if the turtleneck will fit loosely or tightly. Determine how many horizontal stitches equal 1 inch from your sample pattern. Calculate the number of stitches needed for the pattern. For example, if six stitches equals 1 inch and your neck measures 10 inches, 60 stitches will be needed to achieve the desired results. Cast on the correct number of stitches, dividing stitches equally onto the four needles. If you are attaching the collar to a sweater, reduce the number of stitches from the body of the sweater to the correct number needed.
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Work the pattern until the desired length is finished. Loosely cast off so stretching and flexibility is retained.
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