Scarf wool suggestions to WoW daughter please.

Why not try looking at some of the Bamboo yarn?
Would that do? It is so soft

If you ro not feel confident about knitting ask a prolific knitter to do it for you. A garment knit by someone with uneven tension does look very amateurish.
Even with a scarf I would buy a pattern and use good quality wool, buy an extra ball of wool because if you run out the colour may not be an exact match.
When my younger sister was at school she had to knit a scarf for her needlewok class, she was never going to get it finished in the time allowed so I used to do some when I visited.
Needlework teacher marked her down because it was obvious that an experienced knitter had done large parts of it

Yes, bamboo or Debbie Bliss? cashmere would be soft.
Both would be expensive though - can you buy one and pass it off as your own as you're not an experienced knitter and five weeks is a tight schedule particularly in the summer months.

harrigran did your sister ever wear it?

Try Ravelry or Allfreeknitting for some ideas, sorry, I cannot get a connection to do a link.
Or one of the online yarn companies.
Do you have a local yarn shop where you can ask for advice?

Do you think she means a pashmina? My sister gave me a lovely pink one, but I've lost it in our last house move .

How about suggesting that she (or both of you) go to a wool shop and pick out the wool. Then you know you have the right colour and the right "texture", and can get advice from the shop re needle size etc.

Keep the pattern simple - garter stitch would be fine and it is just like knitting a longggggg square.

Have a look online for free patterns. I found one on the Hobbycraft site (sorry can't do a link), that uses 12mm needles and a basic garter stitch, that would knit up in no time at all. Only problem the recommended wool is Acrylic, but I'm sure you could find some super chunky real wool. Ebay is great for that....I've bought several batches of 10/12 balls, for a fraction of the shop price.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice, I'll work my way through the suggestions. You're such a helpful lot

Callistemon, my sister had to wear the scarf it was part of the school uniform and had to be knitted in the first term at Grammar school. At our school we had to make cookery aprons , gym slips and gingham skirts, I would have much preferred to knit a jumper.
We started knitting at six and I knit baby clothes for the birth of my sister when I was ten.

I didn't learn anything practical at school.

I've just taught myself to crochet! Perhaps I'll tackle a scarf next.