Savvy Knit Scarves

These scarves are all knit. There is no purling. There are no fancy stitches. There is nothing but plain knitting. The reason these might be of interest to accomplished knitters is the yarn that is used for knitting some of them. It’s gorgeous. And the reason these might be of interest to beginning knitters is that they are so easy that even you can make something useful and pretty.

In some cases I mention the needle size and yarn used. In others, I did not. My choices are all arbitrary. Knit up some sample swatches with different needle sizes to decide what look you prefer (figure A).

You will need various yarns, knitting needles and scissors.

This was the gold colored scarf that I wore. It was a relatively short scarf, but it was so soft it could be worn in several different ways: just straight across the back of the neck and hanging down each side on the front...one side hanging straight down and the rest wrapped around the neck and hanging in back...wrapped around the neck with both ends hanging in the back...folded in half crossways, placed around neck then pull the loose ends thru the folded loop. this is the "in" way these days for both long and short scarves.

yarn: Pezuche from Suss Designs - 100% rayon
needles: size #6 or #7

Cast on 20 to 25 stitches and knit to end of skein of yarn. Finished scarf measured 3-1/4" x 47".

yarn: Prisma by Filatura DiCrosa Italy (2 skeins, 82 yds. each)
needles: #15

Cast on 10 sts. and knit to desired length. Our scarf measured 5" x 78".

yarn: one skein of Chameleon by Online*
needles: #17
*This was a BIG skein because the yarn was so fat and fluffy.

Cast on 10 stitches. Knit to end of skein saving just enough for fringe if desired. The fringe was made by cutting twenty 20-inch lengths. Fold a length in half and pull the folded end through one of the stitches at the end of the scarf. Pull the two ends through the loop and pull to tighten the loop. Repeat across the row.

yarn: two balls of Eskimo by Filatura DiCrosa of Italy
needles: #11

Cast on 15 sts. Scarf is approximately 45 inches long and 6 inches wide.

yarn: two balls of Gala yarn from Suss Designs
needles: #8

Cast on 25 sts. Knit.

yarn: one skein of Hiphop by Borrocco
one ball of Zap by Borroco (multicolored eyelash type yarn)
needles: size #8

Cast on 16 sts. with the fuzzy yarn and knit for approximately 16 rows or 4-1/2 inches. Add the non-fuzzy yarn. Knitting with both yarns, continue across the row decreasing 4 sts. by knitting two sts. together four times at equally spaced intervals. Drop the fuzzy yarn and continue knitting with the heavier yarn on the remaining 12 sts. until scarf is approximately 73 inches long, including the fuzzy end. Pick up the fuzzy yarn and knit with the two yarns across the row adding 4 evenly spaced stitches as you go. Drop the variegated yarn and continue knitting on the 16 sts. for another 4 inches. Cast off.

yarn: "Explosion" by Plymouth (2 balls)
needles: #15
stitches: 15

Completed scarf measures 5" x 38".

SCARF #9
This yarn was a combination of light and dark brown twisted together then wrapped with a thread of black. I added a strand of black eyelash yarn and knit this scarf lengthwise.

needles: #11
stitches: 100

The completed scarf measures 3" x 43". As mentioned on the show, I was unhappy over the fact that the completed scarf curved slightly so that it did not hang straight down each side when placed around my neck. Some liked the look and thought I had done it intentionally. I didn’t. I had obviously cast on tighter than I knit the rest of my work. Jan Isherwood, the lady who owns my local yarn shop, suggested I should simply use a size larger needle for casting on. In this case I should have used a #13 needle for casting on and returned to the #11 for the remainder of the scarf. A great suggestion.

I unwound several inches and discovered that it is not only three strands of yarn placed side by side, but two of the strands were already a combination of two strands twisted together. So, in total, there were actually five strands, one of which contained a touch of metallic sliver that gave a bit of sparkle to the completed scarf. One strand was a fine mohair, which gave a look of airiness. I loved it!

yarn: Show Stopper by Ironstone
needles: #17
stitches: 100

P.S. The company that makes this wonderful yarn now has it available in a cotton version. I've not yet tried it but I'm guessing that it does not have quite the airy look that the version with mohair has, but on the other hand it probably would not shed as the mohair is inclined to do.