Neck Warmer/Stress Reliever (tube of rice or other item to be inserted later)

You will need to determine the length you want your piece to be within rather loose limits, as you will need to felt it.  Use 100% wool for best results.  (Item will be microwaved for 1-2 minutes before use.)

Using full cylinder, cast on with scrap yarn.  As it was done on the video, leave a long tail of yarn at the start to enable finishing off the end stitches all the way around the cylinder since you will have raw to complete at the end.  An easier way would be to do the rehung two row selvege (as used for the 54 slot sock) when you first attach your working yarn, and then go into the formation of the flap and "toe."  Be sure to pull down on the side edges as the straight piece drops lower than the mesh on the other half of the cylinder.  Create a flap using half of the cylinder (like you do for the thumb of a mitten) as shown on my video #4.  I used 12 rows but you can make it longer if you think your yarn will felt too small.  You can use either the front or rear of the cylinder to make the flap.  Use the other half of the cylinder to form a "toe.  When the item is done, you will use the long tail of yarn to run loosely through the end stitches of the toe part as well as the flap if you started with a raw edge.  Once felted, they will close off nicely.  (Velcro will be sewn to the flap and toe piece to close off the end.)

When you know how long you want to make it, you will need to decide how many rows to put between the "half-heel" sections (described below*) that form the curves around the neck.  (You will want 50 or more.)  You will make a full toe to start as described above, section of knitting (X number of rows), half heel, X number of rows, half heel, X number of rows, half heel, X number of rows, final "toe".  You may need to experiment a time or two regarding length and amount of curve; perhaps add an additional section or more than X number of rows at the start and finish sections.

Kitchener the final toe closed.  Run long tail through end stitches of starting "toe" and flap. Remove all except 4 needles from your cylinder.  At the center of each "toe" hang the 4 middle stitches to begin I-cord.  Be sure to make a sufficient length to enable tieing after felting (100 rounds minimum).  Wash in washer to felt.  Shape to dry.  Sew velcro to the flap and initial "toe" to enable enclosing the insert.  These can be needle felted nicely if you put foam rubber inside of a sufficient depth so the fibers adhere only to the top surface.

Make an insert suitably-sized to your piece by creating a long tubular rectangle out of muslin or flannel.  Fill 2/3 to 3/4 full with rice or other filler that will hold heat when microwaved.  Sew end closed securely.  Insert in outer knitted cover.

*Half-heel:  raise needles as usual for forming your heel.  On a 54 slot cylinder where there are 7 on each side used to form a heel or toe, use only 4 needles on each side.  On a 60 where there are 9, use only 5.  When you reach the point where the heel would be half completed, put needles back in work one at a time the same way you would to form a heel or toe if you had gone all the way to the hash marks.