Neckerchiefs
(a.k.a. Neckers, Neckies etc.)
How to
wear a necker
Fold or roll the long edge
over so that the necker is the correct size to lie smoothly at the
back with long ends left hanging down the front or tied in a friendship
(square) knot. You will find it easier to roll if you have someone
to help : get them to hold the two points of the long side apart and
tell them to keep the edge taut. You then grip the point of the necker
in your teeth and keep the whole necker taut. Reach over the necker
and grasp the long edge and roll it tightly towards you until there
is about 8" or thereabouts of the necker left unrolled (you may
need to adjust this by trial and error.) Keep a firm hold of the edge
you have rolled and ask you helper to let go of the ends they have
been holding. Shake the necker sharply and it should form two neat
rolled ands on either side of the central point. Place it around the
neck and insert the ends through the woggle and slide it up to the
point where the necker sits comfortably. If you want to tie a friendship
knot see this page.
Why
use a woggle?
The advantages
of a woggle are that in hot weather and when hiking, the necker can
be loosened around the throat, while in a cold wind or bad weather it
can be fastened up closer for warmth.
When necessary to use the necker in emergencies (see below), the woggle
can be quickly slid down and the necker can be whipped off over the
head. When a woggle is not used a knot must be tied, and as it is unlikely
to be tied twice alike nor at the same position, the necker collects
creases, giving an untidy appearance.
Examples
of some home-made woggles can be seen on the woggles
page.
Some
uses for a necker
Practically
all of the different uses of a necker are because it is triangular.
-
The
main, original use of a necker is so that different units/troops
can be distinguished. This is particularly useful on camps, trips
etc., and on trips overseas it is usual to wear the red, white and
blue International Necker.
-
Signal
flag : tied to a stick and waved in the air, a brightly-coloured
necker can be seen much more easily than just waving arms. Two neckers
can be used to send semaphore messages.
-
Blindfold
for games - fold the necker in half lengthways (point to long edge)
and then in half again and it will be long enough to tie round the
head and also opaque enough to prevent anyone seeing through it.
-
Listed
in old Scouting books is the "blindfold for a horse" -
if you need to lead a horse out of (or into) somewhere it doesn't
want to go, you will find it much easier if you blindfold it with
your necker first!
-
Telling
teams apart in games : if the players are all in the same unit and
therefore wearing the same colour neckers, tie them in different
ways : e.g. around the forehead; cowboy fashion, (with the broad
part in front of the neck); Scout fashion, (broad part at the back);
as a shoulder sash, (right or left shoulder) and on the right or
left arm between the biceps and shoulder.
- Tying anything to anything
- roll or fold the necker along the longest edge to make a strong
length of fabric.
- Folded the same way as
(6) above, a necker makes a temporary belt (useful if your trousers
are about to fall down.......)
-
Sun
hat or anti-mosquito hood : tie a knot in the broad point and tie
the long ends either under the chin or behind the head at the back
of the neck.
-
Rescue
lifeline : extend your reach for a casualty in water using a necker;
if necessary, tie neckers together point to point to make a longer
lifeline.
- Filter for muddy or oily
water - boil it (the water!) after filtering it through a necker.
-
Emergency
rope ladder : the broad parts of the neckers are looped together
and tied with a square knot so that each one is a complete circle,
making a chain (rather like a Christmas paper chain, only much stronger!)
-
First
Aid - all the standard uses for a triangular bandage e.g. sling,
head bandage (long edge to the forehead, letting the point fall
to the back of the head and using the ends crossed in the back and
tied in the front) foot/hand bandages, flat bandages (folded necker)
and for tying and padding splints, etc.
- Dust/insect cover for
open food and/or drink.
-
A bag
for carrying things (e.g. potatoes, apples, stuff collected in a
scavenger hunt....) : tie the three corners together and carry by
the knot.
-
A folded
necker can be used as padding for hand or shoulder when carrying
heavy loads.
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