Supplies

• Buy supplies for knitting a scarf at a local yarn store or craft supply shop. Choose a chunky or bulky weight yarn for a quick knit and cozy scarf that will keep you warm in very cold weather. Try a medium or worsted weight yarn to create a scarf for moderately cold weather. Look at the yarn ball band or tag for information about the yarn. Make note of the recommended needle size to be used with the yarn. Choose from plastic, metal or bamboo needles in the recommended size. Get a tape measure for checking the size of your knit and a crochet hook in the same millimeter size as the needles for weaving in the ends of the yarn into your knit. You will also need scissors for cutting the yarn at the end. Make note of the color and dye lot printed on the yarn information and try to buy multiple balls of yarn from the same dye lot or the color may be noticeably different when you change balls. Buy about 600 yards of medium weight yarn for an 8 inch by 60 inch scarf.
  
  

Construction

• Striped Gradient Scarf
  
  Knit a swatch of your selected yarn to determine the number of stitches per inch that you knit. Everyone knits at a different tension, so your swatch may not match the estimated size printed on the yarn's label. Cast on the number of stitches from the yarn label onto the needles you bought in the recommended size. Knit until your work measures 4 inches long. If you know how to purl, alternate knit and purl rows to create what is referred to as stockinette stitch. Measure the width of your work, without stretching. If your work is not 4 inches wide, either you can start again with a larger or smaller needle until your swatch measures 4 inches, or you can determine the number of stitches per inch that you knit from the first swatch. Place your measuring tape along the center of the swatch and count the number of stitches that fit in one inch. If your swatch does equal 4 inches, divide the number of cast-on stitches by 4 to determine the stitches per inch. Multiply the number of stitches per inch by 8. Cast on this number of stitches and knit (either all knit or stockinette) until the length work reaches 60 inches for a basic scarf. Bind off all stitches and weave in the ends.