My first FO

In my benighted youth, I started a few projects and did a lot of sampler-type knitting, both for practice and for the fun and relaxation of it. The first knitted item I definitely remember finishing was an ENORMOUS scarf made out of (I think) Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick.

I designed the scarf myself (not that there was much design to it). I usually wear a scarf wrapped over my head instead of a hat -- it's easier than wearing a hat and scarf, and warmer than a hat alone -- and I wanted a scarf that would be wide enough to cover the back of my head when I wore it that way. I also wanted the scarf to be soft and squishy, but reversible and reasonably sophisticated. As I was thinking about this, I noticed that the t-shirt I was wearing was made of knit material, reversible, squishy, but very smooth. After examining it closely, I decided it was K1P1 ribbing. So I took the needles I already had (size 10's) and cast on enough stitches to make a nice wide scarf (this probably took a couple of tries).

I kept knitting until I'd used up most of three skeins, which took me about half a summer's worth of occasional knitting. The scarf was plenty wide and plenty long! Unfortunately, it was also extremely stiff -- I had no idea, then, that changing needle size could change the texture of the finished fabric. At first, I told myself that this undrapeable scarf was lovely; it just wasn't very feminine. For a while, I planned to give it to my dad for Christmas. I did see the light eventually, though. The scarf wasn't bad at all for a first design, but it wasn't really wearable either. Rolled up and tied with a bit of its own yarn, it makes a nice objet d'art for my closet shelf.