The Knitting Fiend

Knitters on "The Knitlist" have been asking for "the best" dickey pattern. Now, I have no idea what makes "the best" dickey. Is best the easiest? The most comfortable? The cutest? The one that uses my left over yarn? Who knows?

Since I always design things to include the features I like, I think my pattern is "the best". I wrote the a generator to create directions for this dickey long ago. That pattern permits people to do a fair amount of customization. I've decided to eliminate some choices, and post a second version of the pattern here.

For this pattern, the trim will be 3/4" deep. Period. You don't get to choose. There is no back neck shaping; the front neck depth will be a value I consider reasonable for your choice of neck width. I made a choice that causes the neck shaping to end just before the shoulder shaping starts. It should be deep enough for comfort, but simple to knit.

I let you pick:

• depth of the collar. You could make it 1" deep to have a simple crew neck dickey that keeps your chest warm, or you could make it 6" deep and fold over for a real turtleneck. Mine is 3" deep.
• the shoulder width. I advise making this slightly narrower than your actual shoulder width. You don't want the shoulders drooping down into your sleeves. I choose mine by measuring a the shoulder width on a blouse, but you can also look up shoulder widths using my children's size table, adult size tables.
• the back length: You want these deep enough to stay tucked in. I made mine 8" deep.
• the front length. I like the front of my dickey to be rather long and I made the front of mine longer than the back. I wear these instead of scarves, and I like my chest to stay warm; I made mine 9" deep.
• Stitch and row gauge. You can create directions in any gauge. However, if your gauge gets much to large, the shoulders may not have any stitches. In that case, the directions won't make sense. I expect you to be smart enough to read ahead and figure this out.
• I assume you knit in stockinette.

I think this is a fairly nice pattern for advanced beginners. You can practice dividing for a neck, picking up stitches, knitting stockinette, and knitting 2 x 2 rib. I'm assuming you know how to knit all those stitches, but if you don't, then ask in comments.

Now, if you want to create your pattern, fill out the customization form, and follow the directions provided below. Turtleneck Dickey

Materials and Equipment:

A set of "larger" diameter needles to work the main portion of the dickey.

A set of smaller diameter needles to work the ribbing trim at the bottom and the edges.

A set of smaller diameter circular or double pointed needles to work the collar.

About 4 ounces of worsted weight yarn to work the dickey with the dimensions I suggest. (Or less if you work this in fingering yarn; more if you work it in chunky yarn.)

Before I can calculate your dickey pattern, you must tell me the row and stitch gauge you will achieve in stockinette using your larger diameter needles. I suggest knitting a swatch.

Gauge Table: Change to match your gauge.

Double click this button to see fill the directions with numbers:
Stitch Gauge:	st/inch.
Row Gauge:	st/inch.

Design Form: Change values to make the dickey you like.

Front Length:	inches.
Back Length:	inches.
Width:	inches.
Neck Width:	inches.
Note: The neckwidth must be at least 2" less than the total width but large enough to permit your head to pass through. Based on your current choice, the opening is approximately inches around. Knitting stretches, so if you bind off loosely, you can probably get a inch head through the hole. Head size table.
Collar Height:	inches.

Directions to knit your dickey:

Back:
With smaller diameter needles, cast on stitches. Work in 2 x 2 rib until piece measures 3/4 inch in length. Change to larger diameter needles and work in stockinette until work measures inches from cast on. Shape shoulders as follows:

• Do the following two row procedure: times: Bind off stitches, work to end of row; repeat this time binding off at the other shoulder edge.  
• Do the following times:  Bind off stitches, work to end of row; repeat this time binding off at the other shoulder edge.
• Turn, bind off remaining stitches.

Front:
Begin as for back, but when work measures inches from cast on divide to shape neck as follows: Begin right side facing.  Knit ; bind off , knit . You've reached the end of the row; turn. Purl stitches. (You should be at the neck divide.) Place stitches on left needle on a stitch holder. Turn, right side facing.  Repeat the following times: Bind off 1 stitch, knit across row. Purl back to neck edge. When you have finished stitches remain. Work even until length measures inches from cast on. (This should be only a few rows.) Shape left shoulder following the directions for one back shoulder. (Note: For this shoulder work decreases at the beginning of purl side rows only; don't shape at the neck edge.)

Shape right side: Place stitches on stitch holder on a needle. Attach yarn at neck edge and work right side to mirror left side. (To mirror, you will begin with a purl row, and work all neck decreases on purl rows; work all shoulder decreases on knit rows.)

Sew shoulder seams.

Collar:
With smaller diameter circular needles, pick up 1 stitch for every stitch on the back neck, pick up 1 stitch for ever stitch on the front neck. Count number of stitches.  While knitting round increase or decrease up to two stitches to result in a multiple of 4 stitches. (I tend to adjust at the shoulder seams as this is least conspicuous.); Begin knitting in 2 x 2 rib and continue until collar measures 2 3/4". Bind off loosely in rib.

Side trim:
With smaller diameter needles, pick up 3 stitches every 4 rows. Work in 2 x 2 ribbing until trim measures 3/4" inches. Bind off in rib.

Finish:
Weave in all loose ends, block as appropriate for your yarn.

Stumble it (and place in Knitting/crochet!)

14 Comments »

1. I never understood dickeys… people actually wear them?

   Comment by Melissa — 10/17/2005 @ 3:11 pm

2. Some do. They’re great to keep your neck warm when it’s unwise to wear a scarf. You’ll see some traffic cops, snow mobilers, construction workers, ice fishermen wear them. In these cases, they are outside a long time, and a scarf just keeps getting unwound or dragging in muck.

   On the other hand, dickeys are inconvenient if your outdoor exposure is limited to walking a few blocks to the car, driving, walking a few block to work. In that case, your neck gets to hot, and it’s hard to take off while driving, and you mess up your hair.

   They were also really popular with everyone when I was a kid– in the 60’s and 70s. (Just a fashion thing then.)

   Comment by lucia — 10/17/2005 @ 3:18 pm

3. I guess theoretically then you could leave one shoulder/neck seam open and put in buttons and buttonholes then (never seen it done, but someone has probably already done it). No messed-up hair.

   Comment by Kat — 12/15/2005 @ 11:17 pm

4. Yes. I’ve even done it on a sweater. (But not the dickey.)

   But, you might want to modify a little by knitting a small extension to create a placket so you can sew the buttons on. (You know how the front of a shirt has parts that overlap, or button bands over lap? You can just pick up and knit something to add that.)

   Comment by lucia — 12/15/2005 @ 11:59 pm

5. Hi, I made this for my dad’s friend and also for my husband. Both of them just love it. Dad’s friend said it was the first dickie he ever had that didn’t choke him. Awesome! Hubby likes it because I made it tight so that the draft cant get down his shirt, He loves it, so much in fact I am making him another . .. just a little wider he asked for! So, I guess what I am saying is, Thank you! I love your calculators! (lol it was love at first sockulator sock (was my first sock ever))
   Thanks again!

   Comment by Cindy — 1/13/2007 @ 12:02 pm

6. My sister has cancer. She lives in Minnesota, so the majority of the time, except about 3 months for summer, the temperature is rather cool. It is also very windy most of the time. She was looking for a dickey pattern, so I went to askjeeves.com and found your pattern. She has been on chemo every 3 weeks for two years…her breast cancer has spread to her lungs and brain…so she has no hair and she knits felted hats for her head. Needed something for her neck…thus the dickey. Thanks a million! Jacki Riley Paris, Arkansas

   Comment by Jacki Riley — 5/18/2007 @ 12:44 pm

7. Your blog was mentioned on the Knitlist, so I read it and saw the comment by J. Riley in Paris, Arkansas. I live in Paris, Arkansas, and would like to meet Jacki. Can you contact her and give her my email address, please? Thanks! Anne Bean in Paris, Arkansas

   Comment by Anne Bean — 11/11/2007 @ 10:38 am

8. I am excited to find a customized Dickey pattern!
   Someone asked in “do people really wear these?” My husband is a policeofficer has plenty of bulk on his torso with a bullet proof vest, but wanted something warm on his neck… and we cannot find anything in Cali, not even a turtleneck… go figure! I’ll be getting busy on this!

   Comment by Sunshine — 12/30/2007 @ 8:51 pm

9. Thank you for the idea of a side opening buttoned dickey. I’d been thinking front opening. I’d like turtleneck for scarf-warmth-without-wearing-a-scarf, button style to save the hairdo, and long enough and with armholes to keep the dickey from riding up. I remind myself of the verse from childhood, “Nobody, my dear, could call me a fussy man – I only want a little bit of butter for my bread.”
   Beth from Waukesha

   Comment by Beth Hoffmann — 1/24/2008 @ 8:46 am

10. Thanks for all you information.
    I am looking for advice on how to convert a knitting pattern to suit a yarn which is thicker than stated.
    I now want to experiment a bit, and i am having difficulty getting the right garment size. I have knit tension squares but with no luck, I’m doing something wrong but what???!!
    Thanks
    Margaret

    Comment by Margaret — 5/1/2008 @ 4:51 am

11. i am delighted to have your pattern. i am not proficient at designing a pattern. I would like to knit a dickey in four ply wool. What size needles do i need to complete your pattern?
    Thank you.
    Catherine

    Comment by Catherine — 12/4/2008 @ 12:28 pm

12. I would like to use your pattern for the dickie but would like to

    Comment by Frances Skaggs — 12/20/2008 @ 3:04 pm

13. The Dickey is looking good except I’m not sure what this part means:

    Shape left shoulder following the directions for one back shoulder.

    Can you help to clarify? Many Thanks!!

    Comment by Julie — 1/17/2009 @ 8:46 pm

14. Greetings from Australia! I’ve been hunting for a polo insert for ages. Thank you so much for the pattern. The weather here is often not cold enough for a jumper under a crew neck but you need something to keep your neck warm. Perfect.

    Comment by Lorna Arnott — 8/3/2009 @ 9:02 pm

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