In Madeleine L’Engle’s famous children’s book, A Wrinkle in Time, Mrs. Whatsit is one of the three supernatural sisters (the other two are Mrs. Which and Mrs. Who) who transport Meg Murry to the fifth-dimensional land of Camazotz. In the novel, Mrs. Whatsit is described as wearing many layers of clothing, including several scarves. I think she would have loved this “neckerfuffle” for its warmth, softness, and its “wrinkles”—which remind me of the “wrinkles in time” she used to travel between dimensions.

I call this a “neckerfuffle” not only because of its wrinkly, ruffly pattern, but because it is somewhere between a neckwarmer and a scarf. By sewing two buttons to the end, you can adjust the length, and the long tail tucks into your jacket to prevent the chilly gap caused by most neckwarmers. Maybe if she had worn one of these, Mrs. Whatsit wouldn’t have needed so many scarves after all.