Now is around the time of year that Do-It-Yourself-er in all of us is getting super ambitious about making all of our own Christmas presents. I know I am. But the closer and closer the parties and subsequent big day get that ambition seems to dwindle and we find ourselves at starbucks or target shopping for gift cards and random tchotchkes. So much for those half finished scarves and hats we were making. They’ll just sit in a corner until next year.

But you know what you guys? You can still make really awesome hand made scarves that don’t take forever to knit. Let me introduce you to the knitting loom. The answer to all of your scarf making woes. So sit down, kick up your feet, turn on netflix and let’s make a loom knit scarf!

Time: 2 episodes of Gilmore Girls  (or 2 hours)
Cost: $15 or less
Skill level: Beginner/Easy

Infinity Loom Knit Scarf

Knitting loom with at least 24 pins
Loom Hook
Yarn Needle
Gilmore Girls 
Yarn
– 2 skeins Red Heart Super Saver OR
– 1 skein Lion Brand Homespun Yarn
– 1-2 skeins any kind of chunky yarn
Crochet Hook (optional)
Paper Straws

Here’s the thing with yarn you guys. Use what you like. The chunkier the yarn, the faster it is going to knit up. I used 2 coordinating skeins of Red Heart super saver yarn, but that didn’t knit up as fast as some other yarns I’ve used. Find something you like and go with it. Experiment. You’re making something hand made, it’s not going to be perfect!

First things first. Start your yarn. Let me let you in on a little secret… pull from the middle. Find the end of the yarn in there and pull out. This is going to keep your yarn from pulling away from you (which sucks)

To create a “yarn pen”, cut a paper straw in half and carefully thread your yarn down the tube. I used a shishkabob stick to get it all the way down. This will help you to have nice even stitches across the scarf and save your fingers from too much twisty turning.

With the yarn pen pushed down toward the yarn balls, start with a slip knot with about 4-5 inches of tail. Secure the slip knot to the very end prong of the loom. Got it? Good.

Now, depending on the size you want your scarf, I’d suggest using 12 on each side, so 24 total. Whatever you are most comfortable with.

Let’s number the prongs. All the prongs closest to you on the bottom are the odd numbers and the top row are the even numbers.

Grab the non-tail end of the yarn and put it between prongs 1 and 3. Wrap it clockwise around prong 1 and take it up in between prongs 2 and 4.

Wrap the yarn counter clockwise around prong 2 and bring it down in between prongs 2 and 4. Repeat the figure 8 pattern until you get to the desired width of the scarf. I had a 24 prong loom so I did the whole length of the loom.

Once you get to the last prong, weave your yarn (and yarn pen) back up though the last prongs you used on the opposite side. Repeat the figure 8 pattern back the way you came. When you get to the end, pull the yarn between two pegs on the other side and hold it with your finger.

Once you’re double wrapped grab the loom hook. It’s time to get to the fun part of your loom knit scarf.

With the loom hook working from left to right, take the bottom loop and bring it up and over the top one then lifing the bottom loop completely off the prong.

Continue this process all the way around except for the last loop since it will only have one loop on it.

Once you’ve got it all done, the loops on the prongs down so they’re on the bottom or the pegs.

Repeat the wrapping/hooking process for a lot of rows. Like a lot of them. Don’t forget you’re always going to end up with a single loop on then end. Don’t worry about it. Seriously, it’s part of the pattern.

After about 4 rows, remove the slip knot. Don’t pull or anything, just simply take it off the prong.

As you get more comfortable with wrapping and looping you’ll get super fast and you can get a scarf done in just an hour or two. Perfect for those with only a few hours a night and a lot of projects to do.

So yeah, keep going until your scarf is the desired length (about 5-6 feet). Then it’s time to cast off. It’s ridiculously easy if you use a crochet needle. I’m just going to send you to this video link because these guys explain it better than I ever could.

Once you’ve casted off, grab your yarn needle and attach the ends of the loom knit scarf with a flat seam.

Guess what! You just made a loom knit scarf all by yourself! Now take what you’ve learned and whip up a bunch more and no one will have to know that you spent under 2 hours a piece on them!