Scarfing it up

I guess the mere act of writing yesterday's entry helped decide what I'll be working on next. I'm going to make a scarf for the Red Scarf Project. I bought two skeins of Cascade 220 in a nice, rich red after comparing several shades at the LYS. I'm fond of this wool, especially in the hats I made last winter, and some of this purchase might end up turning into a hat for me if there's enough left over.

I haven't picked a scarf pattern yet. I might knit the Scrunchable Scarf, although the pattern is so simple I ought to be ashamed for even considering it. Then again, I'm not one to turn down mindless knitting.

I was considering making Henry, but now that I've looked more closely at the pattern, I'm going to have to pass. The yarn I've bought is too big for it. Of greater concern to me is that it calls for being knitted on US 2s and 3s. I don't mind using smaller needles but probably not on something as long as a scarf, especially one being knitted lengthwise. Mercy. I like how it looks, but with the kind of time commitment it calls for, I think I'd have to be selfish and keep the scarf for myself.

I've not chosen against knitting Clapotis. Rather, I need to decide on yarn and may go the Knit Picks route since this project appears to require a lot of it. I briefly--very briefly--flirted with the idea of trying Noro for the first time, but a check on price put the kibosh on that idea right away. With as much yarn as I'll need, it would cost more than I'm willing to drop.

This raises a question of knitting etiquette. Since the cost to make Clapotis is likely to be more than most of what I've knitted, would it be wise to ask my mom what color she would specifically want it to be in? I think I know what she likes and would prefer to surprise her, but on the other hand, the sane route would be to get a definitive answer from the recipient than deciding myself.