Simple knitted scarves, beautiful results
30 tutorials published
US seed stitch swaps knits and purls on every row; US moss stitch swaps them every second row. UK patterns use "moss stitch" for the first one. Here is how to tell them apart and choose.
A seed stitch scarf worked over 31 stitches, so every row is the same: k1, then p1, k1 to the end. Includes how to read your stitches, move the yarn and keep the tension even.
A scarf shows both faces of the fabric and has free-hanging edges, so the stitch matters. Here are the traditional stitches that lie flat, with the stitch count each one needs.
A mistake rib scarf on 35 stitches: one row, repeated on both sides, gives a thick, reversible fabric with deep ridges. Includes the stitch-count rule and quick checks for slips.
A basketweave scarf made from 4-stitch, 4-row blocks of knit and purl on 36 stitches, with all 8 rows written out and tips for keeping your place.
A three-color striped garter scarf on 32 stitches, with clear steps for changing color on a right-side row and deciding when to carry the yarn up the side or cut it.
A 2x2 ribbed scarf on 42 stitches of worsted-weight yarn, with a stitch count that makes both edges match and a bind-off that keeps the ends stretchy.
Stockinette stitch rolls at the edges because of how the stitch is built. Here is why it happens and the fixes that work: flat stitches, borders, tubes and the limits of blocking.
How to plan a scarf around a single skein: read the yardage, pick a width that leaves a wearable length, knit until the yarn is nearly gone and keep enough to bind off.
The six mistakes that spoil most first scarves, from extra stitches at the row start to binding off too early, each with its cause and a practical fix.
Loose side edges come from the first stitch of each row. A slipped-stitch selvedge, steadier tension on the first two stitches and garter borders keep a scarf's sides straight.
Typical yardage for a knitted scarf by yarn weight, why ribbed and textured stitches need more, and how to weigh a swatch for a closer estimate.
