The snood was adopted as a practical way of easily styling the hair to keep it neatly contained while working. By the late 1940s it had become a fashion statement of choice, together with the draped turban, lending an elegance and chic to glamorous evening wear beyond their association with work wear. This simple accessory can be styled equally for chic or everyday practicality, and has become associated with the style of the 1940s. Wearing a snood adds an instant touch of 1940s authenticity to any vintage outfit.

There are many patterns for creating snoods, but most of these are for crochet, and there are far fewer for knitting. This design has been adapted from a 1940s original as a knitted pattern, and uses just one 50 g (1.75 oz) ball of yarn for a standard size.

The ideal yarn to use is a fine cotton; both 4 ply and DK weights work well, simply adjusting the size as required. The weight and lack of elasticity of cotton are an advantage here, and the vast variety of colours available means that snoods can be made to match every shade of outfit.

This pattern is made of a simple rectangle, knitted in blackberry (or bramble) stitch, and can be made in just a few hours. The lower edge is threaded with an elastic thread, gathered through 3 sides, but it can be threaded with a ribbon if preferred. This is secured around the edge with a crochet stitch, but can be sewn in with a loose whip stitch instead.

Materials

• 1 x 50 g (1,75 oz) ball cotton yarn in 4 ply or DK
• 1 pair 5.5 mm/5 needles
• One 4 mm crochet hook
• Round elastic thread 23 cm (9 in) in length