Among the nearly 1.1 million patterns inventoried on Ravelry, Martina Behm’s Hitchhiker is the most popular and it is one of my favorites as well. Since casting on my first version of this asymmetrical scarf / shawlette in June 2016, I’ve completed 21 projects – the most recent just off my needles. I’ve kept and wear only one, all the others have been shared as gifts or fundraising donations.
Hitchhiker is the perfect design to showcase a single skein of fingering weight yarn and can be easily adapted by adding intermittent lace rows or bead embellishments. The knitter begins by casting on just three stitches, increasing one stitch each row, decreasing five stitches every eight rows to create the zigzag steps and simply knitting until all (or nearly all) the yarn is used. The yarn’s textures and colors take center stage, although the saw-tooth border along one edge offers a unique sculptural effect.
With the perfect yardage, Hitchhiker will deliver 42 points on the saw-tooth edge, Martina’s homage to The Hitchhiker‘s Guide to the Galaxy in which the reader learns that the answer to the “Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything” is simply 42. But not to worry, should the yarn run out before reaching the mythical number, the end result will still be perfect.
Knit+ Librarian 
I know so many who have knit this pattern. Many of them have knit numerous versions. The pattern is in my library so one day, I will be part of that project page count.
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It’s such a great versatile pattern!
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I have made at least 3 Hitchhikers. My preference is someone’s adaptation where they’ve added the eyelets and someone elses where you do teeth on the final edge as well. Perhaps I’ll knit a 4th or will it be 5th :).
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This is my next cast on. I have been eyeing it for years.
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