Andrew Makes a Collar -- Fun Fur and a Key Chain for Winter Warmth

A few weeks ago I purchased some white “fun” (i.e. synthetic) fur.  It has come in handy in the recent Chicago cold.  As a cyclist, I frequently wear a neck gator, effectively just the collar portion of a turtle neck shirt.

I decided to make a collar from this fabric, sewing it into a tube and connecting it at one point.  Not wanting to undermine the fabric, I used a broken key chain to reinforce the connection. The key chain is a gift from a cousin, a fan of Crvena Zvezda, or Red Star, one of Serbia's premier soccer teams.

This brings up a recurring question:  What should one do with broken souvenirs?  I have a collection of small objects that no longer function as they were intended.  They end up out of sight, no longer providing the source of inspiration that a souvenir can.  In this case, I was able to incorporate it into something else of use, something fun that reminds me of my cousin and Belgrade.

The "fur", the Communist origin of the soccer club's logo, and its shape give the collar a Dr. Zhivago look.  It is a shade more feminine than I would like, but it is warm and starts conversations.