Knitting: Easy Basket Weave Scarf

I love to knit as long as I can be done by the end of the evening or at least be half way done in one night. I have an instant gratification problem. Because of this I tend to be a scarf maker. Everyone I know has received the gift of a scarf for some occasion. I have done heavy winter ones out of Alpaca and open weave eyelash and confetti mixes on large needles for the spring and summer.

While on a recent shopping excursion to a local closeout store I found some fantastic yarns in jewel tones for half the price I would have paid anywhere else so I bought some of every color even though I had no idea what I was going to do with them. The Christmas rush over and the quiet solitude of my living room returning I decided last night to get out my four sizes of needles and play around with the yarn a bit. This is the first pattern I came up with.

The yarn I purchased happens to be Lion Suede. This scarf uses two balls (olive) on size 13 needles.

Using two strands together (hence two balls) cast on 12 stitches.

Row 1: knit 4, purl 4, knit4

Row 2: purl 4, knit 4, purl 4

Row 3: knit 4, purl 4, knit 4

Row 4: purl 4, knit 4, purl 4

Row 5: purl 4, knit 4, purl 4

Row 6: knit 4, purl 4, knit4

Row 7: purl 4, knit 4, purl 4

Row 8: knit 4, purl 4, knit 4

Repeat rows 1-8 until scarf is desired length.

To end on a completed square you must complete a row 4 or a row 8 then knit all the way through one extra row while binding off (knit two and slip the first over the second and off the needle). I added tassels to the corners because I had yarn left over when it was the length I wanted it. I still have yarn left over.

Time: 5 hours (I'm not very fast)

For easy beginner patterns and step-by-step instruction on how to do basic techniques check out the Lion Brand website.