A Male Scarf

Don't worry. This blog isn't turning into a knitting one. I'm just so happy with how this turned out, especially after how much it 'cost'…

(Starting with the difficult question – what to knit? Seeing as once a year I knit a little something for someone, that just happens to be of the male gender, and I never know what he'll like and how he'll react;
through – is it just me, or do 5.5 mm knitting needles always break? I somehow keep ending up with a needle and a half. Hence the search, the consequent walking, the mistake – 6 mm knitting needles are NOT the same as 5.5! Which led to further, longer, walking, and the sigh of relief when amongst the others, the ones I needed hid;
ending up with – oops! Suddenly the yarn was about to end. That's because I wasn't thinking 'scarf' but 'cap', until my mom said a word, and, of course – only after I already bought the yarn. So even more walking was involved. But that is not so terrible. When mood and weather combine just right, I rather like walking. Especially when along the one way I encountered a surreal sign, and along another I met with a mythic tree, which produced two more posts.
But… where was I? Ah, yes…)

As I mentioned – I'm so thrilled with the result (after all the bother, besides all the work) that I couldn't not bring it to my blog. Though the non-knitter may feel free to skip this post, and read you next time.

For those who knit: it seems such a simple pattern, that I'm surprised I haven't seen it before.
CO a number of stitches that divides to 6, plus three more (for the symmetry) and work K3 P3 as if ribbing 3X3 for 5 rows.
(Reservations to follow).
Row 6 (or the first of the next quintet) change K to P and P to K. Meaning – if the first row started with K stitches, so will the fifth. And we start the sixth K too, despite the stitches arranged for P. And go on as if ribbing for the next four rows.
Row 11 – same as 6, change K to P and P to K.

In short – each 5 rows worked as rib of 3X3, while each first row of the next 5 switch P to K.

Rep to the end and you get squares, that don't role as when stockinette, and don't contract laterally as when ribbing, and look the same from both sides (hence no front or back to worry about when wearing).

(Reservations:
The first – it all, of course, depends on thickness of yarn/needle. To get relatively square squares, and not oblong, you have to try a sample of the chosen yarn and simply see how it comes out. You might need more or less rib stitches/rows, which will affect the CO.
The second – a warning: not every yarn fits this pattern.
The third – obviously this is not necessarily a Male scarf. If I hadn't destined it for someone else, though a woman, I'd gladly wrap it around myself. But this combination of color and pattern seems to me that no one will reject when given as a gift, even the average male).

L