could anyone please give me any suggestions about a graduation gift to make for a young man off to college? And yes, I’m late in getting this to him :rollseyes:
i once saw a knitted book cover that looked great (online) but the directions weren’t well suited for someone like me - an advanced beginner 
I would appreciate any help!
maybe a big pillow for the bed to lean on and do homework on? There are some easy book covers too… or a nice roomy (simple) raglan sweater? or a great big “market” type bag to put laundry in?
Where is he going to school?
If somewhere cold, then a hat and scarf or mittens would be nice. Or they make those coffee cup holders http://www.magknits.com/warm04/patterns/java.htm . Those would have to be in les girly colors.
I think a hat is really the way to go however, if they are going anywhere that has a real winter. It’s still “manly” in a way that a lot of things might be considered “manly” and the first year is the year you make a lot of friends and are self conscious about how you appear to others in college.
Thanks very much for your suggestions!
Where would I find a pattern for an easy book cover? I know that this fella is a bookworm
I think all the suggestions so far are good. Hand-knit hats/scarves/gloves are always super nice and extremely useful for colege students, as are the coffee cup holders, etc. I also liked the idea of the huge pillow and stuff to lay on, because we can always use extra seating and stuff like that in a dorm room.
And, since a lot of guys are knitting these days, and it’s actually getting more common on college campuses, you could get him some needles, yarn, and a couple free lessons
I also had bought a couple simple patterns from e-patternscentral.com but I can’t seem to find them right now… one was striped, one was cabled and one had a pocket for glasses. basically rectangles, folded over and sewn at the edges…
Hmmm, well I didn’t know anyone in college (and I just graduated last year) that used book covers. So IMHO that might not be the best way to go. Plus I’m not sure how willing a boy would be to put a knitted cover on his book.:shrug: If I were you I’d go for a hat or scarf of some type. Just my opinion.
I vote for a beanie too. I can’t think of very many guys that hate beanies. Unless he’s going to like, Arizona or something, hahah.
Ummm… good point about the book cover. See how out of it I am ???
So since I haven’t knitted a hat yet, what would be the simplest way to go? I CAN knit a scarf :cheering:
Thanks so much for everyone’s help!
I vote for the hat and beanie, too. Like Kaydee, I’ve never seen anyone use a book cover (except those book socks, and even then people only used them because you HAD to cover your textbooks in grade school/high school). Scarves and hats are easy and functional, and most people use them, if they live in the right climate. 
(Scarf Pro: Doesn’t have to fit. Scarf Con: takes longer to knit. Hat Pro: Fast knit Hat Con: has to fit.)
I would knit an oversized sweater, machine washable. Or, a hat/scarf/mitten set.
Ribbed hats are a great way to make sure that the hat will fit without measuring the person, because they are so stretchy!
You can just make it to the standard male head size or thereabouts and it should stretch to fit the person’s head.
I wear a “beanie” every day.:roflhard:
http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/PATTsatchel.html
http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/PATTmanlymitts.html
http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/PATTtychus.html
http://www.morehousefarm.com/Original/Pattern/duJour/17/
http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTleo.html
Knitwit88 posted a link for the knitty satchel. That was going to be my suggestion too. I think that would be a great laptop case if he has one.
I know you haven’t mentioned colors, but I think it would be cool if you knit his scarf or hat or whatever you end up knitting in his school colors.
Yes, I think using the school colors would be the best way to go! Blue & gold here I come!!