Make your own Neck Gator!

Brad and I love our neck gators. Recently when we took the kids up on the Mesa we were surprised at how windy it was and that their hats weren't going to be enough to keep them warm. So we each gave them our neck gators. Neck gators are like scarves, but better because you don't get stuck with a tail to keep track of. They're not fashionable like scarves, but functional and cozy!

On the way home I realized that I could probably make child-sized neck gators for them. So I tried it! Here are directions for adult sized neck gators. Adjust them to whatever size you need for a child. Just make sure it will be big enough to stretch over their little heads!

All you need is fleece and matching thread. I used a piece of printer paper as my pattern. Sized 8 1/2 by 11 inches.  Lay the paper on two layers of fleece, the short side along the fold. (It's hard to see, but the fold is nearest the camera in the picture.) ***Make sure that the stretch of the fabric goes the long way with your pattern, otherwise it will have a hard time getting over your head.

Cut. You should end up with a rectangle 8.5" by 22".

 Fold the rectangle over the long way and pin. (Shown below it is now 4.25" x 22".) Sew the seam, leaving both ends open.

Now stick your hand inside the tube you've created and pull one of the 8.5" edges through the tube and match it up to the other edge. Make sure the right sides are still together, and try to keep the seam lined up. Pin and sew almost all the way around the tube, but leave a couple inches unsewn to turn it inside out.

Now turn it right-side-out through the hole you left unsewn. You can hand stictch the opening but it will be on the inside of your neck gator so no one will see it anyway. I just machine stitched it and it looked identical to my store-bought gator.

 Now turn the tube so the seams are on the inside. You're finished!

 Here is Cora modeling my adult-sized neck gator. I made one adult-sized for her and it works great. The one I made for Peter I took in by an inch or two and it was a better fit.

Happy snow-fun! (Now that spring is almost here...)