First thing you need to know about me is I’m ridiculously indecisive.
My good friend Tim has been asking me constantly since we became friends if I’ll make him a scarf for his birthday or Christmas or… just in general. Not being a very conscious gift-giver, I decided to start early.
I asked him: what color do you like to wear? He told me gray (not surprising because it’s his last name…)
So, as I always do, I went to Loop. I picked up some machine-washable Wool/Organic Cotton blend in gray which I thought he’d really like (especially since he told me he wanted gray).
NOTE: When it comes to hand-making gifts for guys, never ask what their favorite color is- just because they like bright green, doesn’t mean they want a sweater in bright green! Either ask what colors they like to wear, or keep an eye on the colors they most wear- that way you can make both of you happy.
I then tried to find a “manly” pattern and found that the easiest thing I could probably do with one super-bulky yarn is the Garterstitch in a wider scarf. I found the “Go Go Garter Stitch” scarf in my copy of “Stitch ‘n Bitch” and figured it would work for this pattern too.
Using size 13 needles, I cast on 18 sts and continued on in my endeavor thinking this would be super soft and awesome and Tim would love me for it.
…Two hours later I ran out of yarn.
I double checked the tag that came with the hank. The hank contains approximately 60 yards of yarn… which would not be nearly enough even if I went and got another two hanks. at 14 dollars a hank, I didn’t want to go down that road.
The next day I went to Loop again, and asked one of the ladies who works there what I should do. She suggested I go away from machine-washable, since they’re expensive and they usually have less yarn in each skein. I found a beautiful and super soft organic 100% Wool in a darker gray than my Spud & Chloe yarn. I didn’t want the first yarn to go to waste, so I took my Dark gray and started making stripes. My new yarn has 165 yards, more than twice the Spud & Chloe, so I make my stripes of dark gray in varying lengths, and add the Spud & Chloe in every now and then.
I tried that and found that the Spud & Chloe yarn was thicker than the Wool, so I took it out and just started knitting through with the wool.
The other day I took it apart. I don’t like how boring it looks and it’s not the same affect I’m wanting in a scarf. I doubled the yarn and have to go buy a pair of 15s or 19s (Broomsticks, people… Broomsticks!) and I imagine changing it to the Moss stitch will allow the knit to be bigger, and just as manly as the garter stitch.
I also figure, since Tim wanted machine washable yarn and I couldn’t give it to him without spending upwards of 40 dollars, I’ll tell him whenever he needs to get it washed, he can give it to me and I’ll hand-wash it for him. I really wouldn’t want him to have a two-inch scarf because he threw it in the washer. Plus, scarves need only be washed about once a year, if that; so I think the payoff will be very good, even though I’m not giving him exactly what he wants.
