As I was knitting a recent post about beginner brioche knitting, I came across some pretty textured scarves to knit. All five scarves listed are FREE patterns and all are from Purl Soho.
If you are unfamiliar with Purl Soho, they are an online yarn company, but offer much more than yarn. To learn all about this company read their about page. I have purchased some of their wool yarn in the past.
All patterns listed on this page are linked to either Ravelry or Purl Soho. (I am not affiliated with Purl Soho). At Ravelry there will be a link to get to the pattern page where you can also see which yarn types are suggested for each project. Purl Soho wants you to buy their yarn to knit these patterns, and honestly they often have some pretty nice sales. Free US shipping begins at $95.00.
Do You Have it In You to Knit a Scarf?
Personally, I began knitting by making scarves. Some of them were crazy looking, and some were soothing repeats that kept me happy while sitting in front of the television. A scarf can be a great project for anyone, but it is really perfect for those who are just starting out.
You will need to commit to finishing something that needs to be long enough to wrap around the neck and hang down. In general, a scarf will take at least three, to four skeins of yarn. This will depend on the yarn chosen, the yardage, and the scarf width and length. This will get you ready for other long projects, like finishing the body and sleeves on a sweater. Knitting can take time, but the end result is so worth it!
Would you rather knit a smaller scarf called a shawlette? This link will take you to my other post about knitting the smaller wraps that tie around the neck.
Long scarves for winter are easy projects because we usually have control over width and length. We can make changes to the pattern and it will still “fit”. On the downside, they can be monotonous, as the same stitches are knit over and over. On the other hand, they make great projects for travel knitting!
Scarves also make great gifts, which are unique and special!
Five Scarves With Textured Patterns
Some of the patterns listed here are easier than others. I knit up little swatches (see my gallery of photos below) using the patterns below. I didn’t finish (or like) the Rick Rack Scarf, and never got around to doing the Herringbone.
- Brioche Scarf in Worsted Twist – Purl Soho, FREE pattern. Check out my post about knitting simple, flat brioche. This scarf should be easy to accomplish in a squishy rib. Also, no purling – all knits and slips. *Honestly I love this pattern. I kept knitting on this scarf even though it was just a sample!
- Easy Mistake Stitch Scarf – Purl Soho, FREE pattern. Super bulky, size 11 needle. Most knitters rate this as very easy. It will be a quick knit using thick yarn on big needles.
- Two-Tone Mistake Rib Scarf – Purl Soho, FREE pattern. Knit with two different colors of light worsted / DK weight yarn. The knitting is made up of knits and purls but the pattern calls for either turning, or sliding, the work. *Use a circular needle for this in order to slide your work.
- Rick Rack Scarf – Purl Soho, FREE pattern. Bulky yarn, using size 8 needles. *I’ll be honest here, I tried to knit a swatch and did not like this stitch pattern. It ends up very pretty, but I suggest you check out the finished projects and do a trial run of the repeat before committing to this scarf. Purl Soho has a video tutorial to follow.
- Men’s Mini Herringbone Scarf – Purl Soho, FREE pattern (unisex, not only for men). Aran weight yarn, 10US needle.
I knit up a three little swatches of the scarves listed above. I did not cast on the correct amount of stitches, but used fewer to simply complete the look. I suggest you determine how wide you’d like your scarf to be.
Left to right: Brioche Scarf pattern I love! Easy to complete and beautiful fabric. Mistake Stitch – super easy. Same stitches are knit for every row, but makes a nice flattened ribbing in bulky yarn. Two-tone Mistake Rib is a 4-row repeat combining colors. Pretty easy also, but keep track of rows.
Also, the yarns I used came from my stash, so they are really not what I would choose if I was really knitting these scarves. Each link above will take you to better images of the finished items.
Yarn Ideas For Scarves
Personally I like wool for a scarf, but any type of yarn can be used for scarf knitting. If this scarf is purely practice, or you make it in a child size, using an affordable, washable yarn is fine.
Remember that solid color yarns will show off a texture better. The two-tone mistake rib scarf might be pretty with alternating solid and multicolor yarns.
Don’t be afraid to spend money on nice yarn to create your keepsake scarf. My most favorite knitwear items are made from the best yarn. Each Purl Soho scarf pattern suggests a Purl Soho yarn to use, so you could use their suggestions.
Figuring the Scarf Width
Remember when you choose a favorite scarf pattern that the width is easy to change. I find that most of Purl Soho’s scarves seem very wide. They are trying to sell yarn, so making a wide scarf means more yarn is needed. If you prefer a more narrow scarf, follow the directions for casting on fewer stitches (example: even / odd number of stitches).
As an example: The Brioche Scarf cast on in the pattern is 40 stitches for the smaller size and 60 for large. My sample uses only 24. (This would be perfect for a child by the way.) If I were to knit this for myself, I might choose to cast on 40, but that would be plenty wide. *The orange yarn is from Hedgehog Fibers and is a fantastic, soft and squishy merino wool. I used it to knit a hat for my daughter and this was leftover. This yarn is very special, and if you can afford it, I highly recommend it. The colors are so unique and lovely too.
Which Scarf Pattern Did You Choose?
I don’t live in a place where scarves are worn. I used to have many, but we simply don’t need them in Florida. I love the look and feel of a warm and cozy scarf worn in winter. I’m thinking of knitting one even though I won’t be able to wear it!
I’d love to hear all about your favorite scarf pattern, whether one of these or something else.
