by Chanell Gautreaux

Created on: April 04, 2010

The great thing about knitting a scarf is that it can be done in just a short amount of time.  It is the ideal first project as you only need to cast on a dozen or so stitches (possibly less depending on needle size) and you can start actually making something immediately.  Best of all, because knitting a scarf does not require a pattern and gauge is not a factor, even a beginning knitter can create a one in a matter of hours the very first day with a little guidance.

Much like crochet, the knitting of a textile is accomplished by creating a series of loops and linking them together in rows.  Unlike crochet, knitting is done with two longish needles instead of a single short hook and the loops are held onto the needle as you go along (Tunisian crochet is the exception to this).  Because a scarf is somewhat narrow, the loops will not bunch up too much as you work and the textile won’t easily lose its shape.  (Another reason knitting scarves is appealing to the beginner.)

Normally when creating a knitted textile from a pattern a sample swatch would be created to check the gauge of the knitting.  Gauge is the number of stitches per inch and is used to help the knitter determine what needles are best for the yarn being used.  Thinner needles create a tighter “weave” and larger ones create a more loose one.  Knitting a basic scarf requires neither pattern nor gauge; only the ability to manipulate yarn on the needles.

There are two stitches used in knitting, knits and purls, but a person need master only one of them (knits) to create a scarf.  To begin to knit any type of item whether it be a garment, home décor item or toy, you begin by what is known as casting on.  A textile that is made up of all knits and no purls is basically repeating the same process used for casing on but transferring the knitting stitches back and forth from needle to needle.  It is a lot simpler than it sounds or even looks to the novice at first glance and is quite easy once you get the hang of it.

Knitting generally takes a long time to create something larger than a square for a blanket or dish towel.  This is the reason many beginning knitters often get frustrated with the process and quit before finishing that awesome sweater they thought it was going to be so great to make.  Making squares to be connected for a blanket not only takes a lot of time, it can get a little boring in the repetitiveness

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