(2 Questions) What materials, # of Cast ons

How-to Questions
1

I want to make a scarf for the winter and I am a beginner at knitting. I am probably going to go to the local knitting store today. May I please have some suggestions. The first thing I am making is a scarf. I want it to be very nice looking and comfortable. (Cheap if possible)

  1. What needle(s) sizes should I buy?
  2. What kind of yarn should I buy?
  3. What color should I buy?
  4. How many times do I need to cast on?

Thanks beforehand for your help! =]

2

Buy a color you like in a yarn you like, but it shouldn’t be too dark a color; you can see the stitches easier in a lighter color. If it’s a regular weight yarn, I suggest size 10 needles; if it’s bulky then size 11s. How many stitiches to cast on depends on how wide you want it and how many stitches per inch it knits up; multiply the sts per inch times the width and that will give you a cast on number.

3

Also, just enjoy the learning process. I knit my first scarves only in with the knit stitch and I just cast on as many stitches as I wanted the scarf to be wide. It was warm and cozy. I added fringe to the ends when I was done to make it look a little more finished and like there was more than “just the knit stitch”. I was glad to do that because it was only one stitch, no pattern to follow and I could just concentrate on getting the feeling of making the stitch more automatic. :slight_smile: Enjoy!

4

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I am going to the nearest Joann and buying my things today. THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN!

5

If you’re going to JoAnn’s, and you want a nice warm scarf, take a look at the Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarns. They’re a wool/acrylic blend, they’re nice to work with, and they’re machine washable. I’d buy 1 size up from whatever the label recommends (I like scarves that aren’t too stiff). Whether you get the worsted, jiffy, or super quick, you’ll have a nice, pretty affordable yarn.

As for how many stitches to cast on - that depends on your yarn, your needles, and your pattern. For example, I knit 2 scarves in Wool-Ease Super Bulky - one was a rib pattern, and one was garter stitch. I cast on about 11-13 for the garter stitch one, and closer to 16-18 for the rib stitch one. Both scarves ended up about the same width and length in the end. I also like wide scarves. :smiley: