Dad's Cozy Gator

As you know by now if you follow this blog on anything like a regular basis, I make lots of gifts.  Lots.  Well, my Dad's birthday was this past Monday, and so, surprise surprise, I made him...a gift!

My Dad is always hard to shop for.  He doesn't really have a keen appreciation for the arts, doesn't particularly enjoy unique items of clothing, and really only will use something if it fits directly into his current routine or optimizes his life somehow.  Last year, I got away with Double Helix Socks, which he seemed to like, but socks again?  That was out of the question.

But, lucky for me, he does have a few hobbies, and most of them are outdoors.  A Miami boy transplanted to Boston, he's learned to love the cold without impinging his outdoor passion.  This means November through March, you can find him winter camping, skiing (cross-country and downhill), snowshoeing, or mountain biking in the snow.  It's certainly an invigorating set of activities!

When I moved to San Francisco, a place where 45 degrees is a chilly day, I found a plethora of people who used this newfangled item called a "gator."  As someone who always wore down coats and scarves, I hadn't ever considered this an item one would use, but upon further investigation, I saw its use.  It can be just that little extra warmth you need on a day between the seasons.  It can line your scarf-coat area where the wind sneaks through on a particularly blustery day.  And it can be pulled up to catch the bottom of your ears that never quite get covered by the hat.

You guessed it: I made my father a gator.

I followed a pattern I found on Ravelry, but used Bulky weight yarn, bigger needles,and fewer stitches.  It actually ended up being less stretchy because of that, which was somewhat sad, but it worked anyway.  Next time, I would make it longer by at least a few inches.

Ravelry Pattern | Ravelry Project