Cables?

You can do something like this cable washcloth! There are a bunch of similar patterns of various cable sizes.

I did my first cables on the Northward Hat from Tin Can Knits. Free pattern, super simple, knits up fast, and you get to give someone a fancy hat!

I learned with this:

CABLE Cast on 36 stitches. Row 1: Purl 13 stitches, knit next 2 stitches, purl next 6, knit 2, and purl remaining 13 stitches. Row 2: Knit 13 stitches, purl 2, knit 6, purl 2, and knit 13. Row 3: Repeat Row 1. Row 4: Knit 13 stitches, purl 2. Slip next 3 stitches onto cable needle, hold in back of work. Knit next 3 stitches, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle. Purl 2 and knit the remaining 13. Row 5: Repeat Row 1. Row 6: Repeat Row 2. Row 7: Repeat Row 1. Row 8: Repeat Row 2. Repeat these 8 rows until the piece measures 9". Bind off in pattern.

courtesy of https://warmupamerica.org/make/patterns-yarns/