With the holidays bearing down, at the moment I am gobbling up a supply of single balls of novelty yarn - you know, those impulse purchases of "just one skein." I thought I would share a favorite simple pattern for a neck-accessory scarf. These are popular gifts on my Xmas list. This works especially well with drapey non-wool novelty yarns like eyelash, silk, slubbed yarn, etc. It's all garter stitch, or seed stitch if you prefer.
Choose a needle a size or two larger than recommended on the yarn label.
Cast on 3 stitches, increase one stitch at the beginning of each row, and continue until you have a piece about 3 to 4 inches wide. For very fluffy yarns like LONG eyelash, make it about 3 inches wide (not counting the fluff). For smoother yarn, like a slubby silk, make it 4 inches wide.
Then simply knit mindlessly back and forth until you have about 8 yards of yarn left, then decrease one stitch at the beginning of each row until 3 stitches remain. Bind off, and attach a tassel in matching or coordinating yarn ... or a couple of large, crazy buttons ... or some other decorative thingy, to the point on each end. These look smashing worn with a simple turtleneck and wrapped around the neck once or twice, with ends dangling fore and aft.
I did not invent these, probably didn't even un-vent them, but if you are stuck for an Xmas idea, these knit up in a big hurry, and if you work them back and forth on 16" circs, you can stuff the whole project in a ziploc sandwich bag and toss it in your purse.
These will take one skein of many novelty yarns, and no more than two of even those yarns with the skimpiest yardage.