Gift Giving Friday IV

This week's Gift Giving Friday idea is scarves! Wait, don't go, there's a reason for this. First of all, when we first start knitting, many of us knit scarves for everyone we know. Easy scarves, garter stitch, stockinette, seed stitch, basic knitting that gives us a chance to really learn how to make the stitches without having to worry about gauge, fit, shaping and other things that come into play when we get past the scarves phase. How long has it been since you went through the scarf phase? I bet those you love have some ratty looking scarves and could probably use a new one. "But we're so past the scarf phase!" Yeah, I hear you whining, but this is where the plan gets genius. Why not make your loved ones scarves again this year, but instead of the easy, basic stitch patterns, you go a little crazy. Why not learn how to make lace, if you've done lace knitting, learn how to do it from a chart. Done that too? Learn cables, do something with twisted stitches, traveling stitches, learn Fair Isle (you'll need to knit this scarf twice as wide so it has a backing to cover the floats), learn intarsia, learn entrelac. Pick something you've never done and give it a whirl. Even if you hate it, you can stick with it long enough to do a scarf, then you can say you tried it and you still hate it (kind of like when your mom tried to get you to eat lima beans - you don't know you hate it until you try it). You might find a new technique that you love. You might learn something new to use in your knitting, and you'll make a gift while you're at it. The other thing that's great about scarves is they don't take much yarn. Why not splurge and get a really fabulous yarn that you could never afford to make a sweater from. A skein or two will usually do a scarf. Besides, I bet your scarves are looking a little worn around the edges too...