From Tuesday 6 March 2007: ‘Based on the Helix Cap by Joan Hamer. Worked in the round as a tube, stripes are formed like magic, no joining and no ends to work in along the way. A loose gauge is important to give a soft fabric. Use odd balls from your stash, two solid colours and a contrasting variegated yarn or use a novelty yarn for the third colour to spice it up. If you don’t have a variegated yarn, make your own. Use the short lengths in your stash, tying them together on the inside of the scarf. The joins will never show.

Materials: Approx 110m each of 3 colours of yarn close to the same weight

Needles: 16 inch circular, or DPNs or 2 circulars, 2-3 sizes larger than used for a sweater - instead of a 4.5 or 5mm use a 6.5 or 7mm

Option: Use 15 US/10mm needles for a loose knit accent scarf. Use novelty or ribbon yarn instead of varigated yarn

Gauge: Approx 3.5 sts to the inch, not critical, but gauge should be loose to make a soft scarf

Finished Dimensions: Approx 5-1/2’ /1.62m long