EAR WARMERS FOR SOLDIERS

The object of this pattern is to produce a dense seamless circular
band of about 3" wide that stretches the long way. When folded in
half, the finished band should be between 7.5" and 9" unstretched, and
should stretch to at least 11"  without straining.

Make one and try it on your own head.  If it's comfortable and doesn't
flop down, you've got it right. Since heads come in many sizes,
precision measurement isn't important.  Fiddling with needle sizes,
gauge and cast on number is encouraged.

Worsted weight wool
     US#5 double pointed needles or one short size 5 circular needle
     Gauge - approximately 6-7 stitches per inch in twisted rib.
     Cast on approximately 126 stitches.

Other yarn weights

     Using bulky yarn on #8s I produce a good sized earwarmer if I cast on 
     anything from 94-100 stitches.  Using medium to heavy worsteds, my 
     Knitmoot group is using anything from 98-110 stitches, depending on 
     yarn thickness, whether they're using #6s, #7s, or #8s (they've 
     exhausted all likely dpn sources in our geographic area), and on how 
     tightly they knit.

Twisted rib:  *K1 through the back of the loop, p1* repeat

Cast on the correct number of stitches and distribute them among the
needles.  Knit in twisted rib until you complete about 3". Bind off.

    -Kim Salazar                       kim.salazar@em.doe.gov
    Seabrook, MD                       ksalazar@radix.net