12.5.2006 - Knit-along #1- Garter Ridge Scarf- part 1
Calling all knitters! And those that are ready to learn...
I know there are quite a few avid knitters among us. But I am also aware that there are a number of you who just haven’t found the time to learn to knit. In an effort to get knitters- new and old- doing what knitters should be doing, knitting, I was thinking that an easy knit-along would be fun. December is upon us, and this would be a great time for the perfect beginner project- a garter ridge scarf. Many of us reside in the arctic north and will be needing at least one scarf (per family member) any day now- like yesterday. For those of you living in warmer climates, well you probably have someone up north on your gift list, or you can go the “scarf-for-fashion” rather than “for survival” route. Either way you slice it, the garter ridge scarf is just the ideal beginner project. (And something to do with your hands during “It’s a Wonderful Life” even if you’re not a beginner.) First things first- you’ll need a set of needles and a skein/hank/ball of yarn. I’ll be working mine on a lovely new set of Lantern Moon needles, size 13 (thanks Linda N! One of my favorite baby gifts! he, he, he...); and with a lovely skein of Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes in Green. Second things second- casting on. Newbies can watch helpful videos free on-line at knittinghelp.com. The videos on this sight are great (especially the fact that they’re free!) and are almost as good as having a teacher sitting right next to you. Well, they’re definitely a step above the line drawing diagrams found in most books. Here are my cast on sts, ready and waiting for me to start knitting. 
Depending on the yarn and needle size you choose- the thicker the yarn, the larger the needle size, and the faster the knitting- you’ll want to cast on about 12-20 sts (that’s knitting for stitches.) I’ll be casting on 14 sts for my scarf. (I'm shooting for somewhere in between "for fashion" and "for survival"- nothing big and bulky, but a warm, substantial yarn.)
Third things third- start knitting! Again, newbies can get a free lesson (any time, at your leisure…) at knittinghelp.com, really, ever since I found that sight I send all aspiring knitters there. Don’t worry about purling. If you’re too new to know what purling is (sounds like that crazy winter sport with the big weight-thingy and the broom-thingies, but it’s not related- at all…) don’t worry about it. All you need to know for this project is the basic knit stitch- just knit every row. If you divide what’s left of December into about 4 weeks, think about how long you’d like your finished scarf to be, divide by 4, and figure out an approximate length you’ll need to knit each week to finish this by the end of the month. Divide by 3 weeks if you want it done in time for gift-giving. Check in periodically to watch my scarf grow- I have so many projects on the needles that I promise not to finish in a week leaving you newbies in the dust and feeling discouraged (in fact, many of you will probably finish before me!) Have fun with this- knitting is supposed to be relaxing! ali
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