Knit or crochet?

I see you asked for knitted in your title. I have knit a basketweave one and one with a huge cable down the middle for my son. I also knit one in garter stitch with a moss stitch border. Then inside the garter I worked a stocking stitch of his initials on one end and his university's logo on the other end. He also wanted one of those college color scarves--knit block wide stripes of two alternating colors and add fringe.

I made two of these for my college-aged son and his friend. I test-drove my son's scarf before giving it to him. It's very soft and stays where it's put when you wrap it around.

It's a very simple pattern.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bernat Denim Style Scarf

And here's a link to a cabled seaman's style reversible scarf.

Here is a link that might be useful: scarf

Here's a nice pattern suitable for a man.

Here is a link that might be useful: Irish Hiking Scarf

Pat, thanks for the pattern post. I decided to use up some hunter green yarn and make the Irish hiking scarf for my son. Should I call it a St.Patrick's Day gift?!

That would make a nice St Patrick's gift!

bostonpat, I like that Irish Hiking Scarf because it will give me a chance to practice cables. I started a practice version with worsted. It looks fine, but it is 7" wide, not the 5-1/2" as stated in the pattern. I'd rather have it be 5-1/2, so I was thinking of switching down to size 7 needles. Is there any way to predict how this switch will affect the size? Do you think it will then be too small then?

I could also switch to a cable needle. Maybe I'll knit tighter on that.

Sorry I can't help with the change in needle size - I do know that others who have made this scarf added a seed stich border to widen it some.

I'd try swatching and see how it knits up.

That's what I'll do. Thanks bostonpat.

I'm making the Irish Hiking Scarf right now in chunky red Alpaca, and because I know that Alpaca relaxes and I want good definition for the cables, I'm using much smaller needles (size 4 versus size 8). Maybe you don't need to go that small for other yarns, but it works for the Alpaca, and it will relax a bit when washed. I really love the cable practice, too. My scarf is exactly 5-1/2" wide right now.

I like using a small stitch holder, rather than a cable needle, for the cables. When I go to knit the last three stitches of the pattern before going back to the stitches on the holder, I turn the holder so the stitches are bunched into the end, and that really keeps them out of the way. I started using one when I misplaced two cable needles in a row. You can attach the stitch holder to the scarf when not in use.

It really is a pretty pattern. I would also like to make the Besotted Scarf sometime.

Here is a link that might be useful: Besotted Scarf

smwvd,
I think a men's scarf made in Farrow Rib would look nice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Farrow Rib

I started the Irish Hiking Scarf on size 8 needles, but it was wider than I wanted, about 7". Started again last night on size 7's, and I like that size better. It is a nice pattern. I'm using Lion Wool Ease, I think the color is called fisherman.

I like that Besotted Scarf too, Wendy. I wonder if it is hard to do.

You'd definitely have to keep track of which row you're on. I don't think it can get as "mindless" after a while as the Hiking Scarf. I'll have to try it someday to see how it is. It might be fun to start a Besotted Scarf knitalong.

I am really enjoying making the hiking scarf. I started it last Thursday or so, and it's currently a foot long.

I latched on to the Irish Hiking Scarf pattern as soon as I saw it. My Grandson wants something hand knit & I thought this might be just the ticket. I love doing cables, but haven't done any in quite a while so this is really up my alley. I have some Lion Wool-ease in blue mist & wheat & I am going to put a couple of wheat stripes on each end & add some blue fringe. If it turns out as pretty as I think it will, I'll take a picture & post it here. Wish me luck.

Pat

Love to see the picture, Pat. Hurry up.

Pat, I'm making the hiker's scarf in Wool Ease wheat also! I think I'll put fringe on the ends also. The bottom edge looks a little unfinished. I like the look of the Wool Ease Yarn.

Well, the Irish hiking scarf in hunter green is finished. I added one more cable repeat as my son says he likes wide scarves for cold days. Just finished knitting a seaman's cap with a wide k2, p2 cuff in the same yarn. I will wash it to get the sizing out and make it softer and mail it to him this week. Hope it is now not so warm in NYC that he will not wear it this winter.

Got a picture, SheilaJoyce? I love Hunter Green.

No, sorry. I do not have such a fancy camera.

My boyfriend presented me with a challenge: Since I am
addicted to Fun Fur and all that resembles it ...
he's challenged me to make him a scarf out of "fur-like"
yarn ... without it looking like something Liberace would
have worn. Or Elvis. :) He would wear it out in the
evening (Boston area) when we go to the symphony or
ballroom dancing ... so it can be dressy.

I've picked up some black Bernat Boa and Paton's ChaCha (since it was on sale this week and I have NO will power when this stuff goes on sale) ... thinking a shorter hair
would more likely resemble a piece of real fur ...

Any one have any ideas? I'd prefer to knit, but I also
crochet.

BTW, LOVE that besotted scarf pattern! We're always
ending emails with ""xoxoxo" so maybe if I make him
that, he'll forget about the fur challenge. Doubt it though! Thanks!!!!

That is QUITE a challenge. Especially since I can't imagine a gentleman wearing such a thing. The Fun fur and other eyelash type yarns just strike me as so feminine. There is one, though, that actually looks a bit more like fur. But for the life of me, I can't remember which one it is. My mind is telling me it is a Lion Brand yarn, but I can't find it on their site. I saw a skein of it at Wal-Mart and the sample they had hanging looked very much like a teddy bear's fur. If you could find that in black it might work. I'd really like to see what you come up with.

These patterns also look fairly manly:

http://www.theanticraft.com/archive/samhain05/ripewithindecision.htm#mere

http://www.ballostringdesigns.com/free/knit/melissa.html

http://www.magknits.com/Jan06/patterns/matilda.htm

http://theknittinggarden.com/gallery-sept/sept-art-6.htm

http://boogaj.typepad.com/photos/knitting/misti_bulky_scarf.html

http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/plainmaf/e-vstripe2.html

Use different colors on this one:
http://www.craftychickonline.com/Knit%20Star%20Scarf.htm

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/slideshow/slideShow.jhtml?slideid=/templatedata/bhg/slideshow/data/1134656091624.xml&catref=cat840013

http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/PATTexchequered.html

http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTmarleysghost.html

http://knitandplenty.typepad.com/photos/free_patterns/baby_alpaca_checkerboard.html

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/1134142106024.xml&catref=cat840013

http://www.yarnmarket.com/yarn/Yarnmarket_Free-Big_Wool_Ribbed_Scarf_Free-1388.html

http://oceanwindknits.ca/sectionpage2.asp?blog=free%20patterns&id=18&cmts=yes

http://www.magknits.com/Aug05/cof.htm

http://magknits.com/May06/patterns/rosalind.htm

http://dabne.net/carolina/geekknit/linuxscarf-en.htm

http://www.darnyarn.net/large_images/diagonalribwhite.htm

http://www.spunmag.com/article/tammy_and_evan.html

http://www.doctorwhoscarf.com/

REVERSIBLE CABLES:
1) http://briarfiber.com/blog/2005/06/reversible-cable-scarf.html

2) PDF --

http://www.cu-needleworks.com/Patterns/Scarves/DoctorScarf/doctorscarf.pdf

3) http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/50368.html

PDF pattern:

http://www.helloyarn.com/irishhikingscarf.pdf

Thank you all so very much for these links and pattern ideas. I totally forgot about asking this question, and here I am a year later with the same question. I have two scarves to knit for two young men and now I think I have the patterns to use. I started one already (cable pattern) the pattern was wrong in the book I purchased - it only called for one skein. It was totally wrong, now I am half way through it and cannot find the yarn anywhere. Just teaches me not to believe a pattern