Could It Be Any Easier? Neck Cozy

If you'd like to keep the chill from your neck but don't want to shell out $297 -- here's a crochet version of a little item that's been getting some attention lately. It's a rectangle, it's two buttons and corresponding buttonholes, so we're not talking rocket science here. You could really go wild with yarns, stitch patterns or decorative effects, but here's my simple, no-frills version:

Could It Be Any Easier? Neck Cozy

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Materials: Elann Peruvian Collection Pure Alpaca, 2 balls (100% pure alpaca, 109 yards per 50 gr. ball)

Hooks: size 6.5 mm (K) and size 6 mm (J)

2 large buttons

Pattern Stitch: Woven Stitch, worked over an even number of stitches

Set Up Row: SC in second chain from hook, *chain 1, skip 1 chain, 1 SC in next chain, repeat from * to end. Turn.

Pattern Row: Chain 1, skip first SC, *1 SC in chain-1 space, Chain 1, skip 1 SC, repeat from *, ending by making SC in chain 1, turn.

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With double strand of yarn, and larger hook, chain 92. Change to smaller (J) hook and work Set-Up Row of pattern across chain.
Rows 2 & 3: Work Pattern Row across stitches.
Row 4: (buttonhole row) Work 4 stitches (ch 1, sc, ch 1, sc), chain 3, skip 3 stitches (these three skipped stitches are: sc, ch 1, sc) and continue in pattern to end of row.
Row 5: Work Pattern Row as established, but when you come to the chain 3 space of the previous row, work (sc, ch 1, sc) in that space.
Rows 6 - 9: Work Pattern Row as established
Row 10: Work Buttonhole Row as before
Row 11: Work Pattern Row as established, and when you come to chain 3 space of the previous row, work (sc, ch 1, sc) in that space.
Row 12: Work Pattern Row as established. End off, turn, and work a row of sc across the short end of the neck cozy.

For proper placement of buttons, fold neck cozy as it is to be worn, and mark placement of buttons. Buttons are placed side-to-side lengthwise, not across short end of cozy.

Cozy worked in this gauge measures 4 x 28 inches. For a tighter fit around neck, work over fewer stitches. Work more rows if you prefer a higher cozy (there should be enough yarn to do several more rows). You may want to change the buttonholes to different rows if you make the cozy higher.