At least for those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, this is the time of the year to go crazy about scarves. Who wants to face the upcoming winter without at least one warm and beautiful scarf? Not me. I want plenty of them.

There are a lot of nice scarf patterns to be found, and there is no reason you shouldn’t use one of those. But there is also no reason you shouldn’t just design your own.

A scarf is the perfect first designer project. It is nothing more than a rectangular piece of fabric. You make a chain, pick a stitch pattern, work until you’re happy with the length, and fasten off. No increasing or decreasing. It's easy as pie!

So, why write an article about that? Because I think there are a few things to think about before you start, to make sure you will be a happy scarf-maker.

Choose your yarn

It doesn’t take much yarn to make a scarf. Two or three balls, maybe four if you want to go for a big, shawl-like scarf. So this might be the right moment to splurge on that lucious, far-too-expensive designer yarn you’ve been yearning for for ages. It might also be the moment to use up all your scrap yarns, making a colourful scarf at virtually no cost at all.

Whatever your decision, the most important thing to take into account is THE ITCH FACTOR.

Itchy scarves don’t get worn. That’s the sad truth.

You might not understand the importance of this if you are one of the lucky ones who can wear prickly mohair or coarse wool next to the tender skin on your neck, with no problems. But if you’re planning to make a scarf to give away, you definitely need to take The Itch Factor into account.

Many people have sensitive skin (I’m one of them), and have to be very careful when they choose the fibre they intend to put around their tender little neck.

The first step is, of course, to check the yarn before buying it by holding a skein against your neck (preferably on a day or in a place where you don’t risk rubbing off too much make-up on it). But in order to be really sure with yarn you already own, I know of only one fool-proof method: The Bra Test. Make a swatch, tuck it into your bra (or inside your waistband, if you don’t wear a bra) and leave it there. If you forget about it, that’s great. If you can’t wait to remove it, you might want to save this yarn for another project and start looking for something softer for your scarf.

Stitch, gauge, dimensions

This is where you can really go wild and do anything that pleases you. Intricate stitch patterns, plain old double crochet, anything goes as long as you like the result. Just try to produce a reasonably flexible fabric: a scarf with nice drape both looks better and is more comfortable to wear. If you’re absolutely in love with a specific stitch pattern and find it produces a rather stiff fabric – use a larger hook. "Holes" in the fabric (produced by a lace pattern or a large hook) are generally not a problem in terms of warmth, since you’re likely to wrap your scarf at least once around your neck. The "holes" will overlap, and your scarf will be warm anyway.

The dimensions of a scarf are generally the result of two factors: availability of yarn and personal taste. You can measure a nice, functional scarf you already own. If you want to try something new, and feel unsure about it, you can cut out a piece of scrap fabric in the dimensions of your choice, and try it on. An old sheet is very likely to be thinner than the crocheted fabric you will produce, but at least this will give you a hint about whether you’re on the right track or not.

If you want to make a scarf with a limited amount of yarn, you have to make sure it will be long enough. I believe that length, in this case, is more important than width. Recently I made a scarf from one skein of beautiful, but expensive, Colinette Cotton Chenille. Having worked about half the length I aimed for, I had a hard look at what I had left to work with: A smallish ball of yarn. Would it be enough? I put the scarf on the kitchen scales, leaving the yarn ball on the side, and realised that I had used more than two thirds of the skein to make half a scarf. The solution? Take a deep breath and rip. I started all over again, with fewer stitches, and ended up with a perfectly functional and beautiful scarf.

On the edge

Sometimes when you fasten off, your scarf is completely finished. The edges are straight, the yarn and stitch pattern provide plenty of interest. Nothing needs to be added.

But many times, your scarf will need some finishing. The edges might be a bit wobbly. Or something more may be needed to turn this nice-looking scarf into a breathtaking one.

Wobbly edges can easily be hidden under an edging. This might be a simple row of single crochet worked all around. But patterns for crocheted edgings that can provide more visual interest are easy to find. Most of them were originally intended for handkerchiefs or towels, to be worked in thin cotton thread -– but nothing says that they won’t look gorgeous worked in yarn around your scarf.

You may want to make a fringe. Or replace an ordinary fringe with small corkscrews, by making a chain and working, say, three stitches of your choice in every chain stitch. Or attach small motifs that can dangle in the wind from the ends of your scarf –- flowers, mini-granny squares, triangles...

Anything goes. You’re the designer. Make your choices, stitch away – and be proud of your creation!