Five Cozy Scarf Knitting Projects For Fall

Five cozy scarf patterns to begin knitting this Fall. Keep for yourself or give to friends and family. The selection has small and long scarves, with many free patterns included.

When I began knitting, I knit long, quite ugly, mistake riddled scarves. I didn’t care because it was great practice. I used the incorrect type of yarn (sock yarn) and simply knit row after row of stitches in crazy combinations. I wanted to see what the different types of stitches would do.

There is a better way. Use the correct yarn for the project (soft yet warm) and follow a good pattern. That way the end result is wearable and possibly giftable as well. On this page I am listing small and large scarf styles – many are Free patterns. Most of them work for men and women.

Fall is the Time For Knitting

I’m betting that more knitters pick up the needles in fall than in any other season. Cool weather gets people thinking about some wardrobe additions. New mittens, hats and of course scarves are on the list.

Today we are talking about cozy scarves. I live in Florida and miss (very much) being able to wear a nice scarf. I knit sweaters often, and do wear them a few times, but a scarf is simply too out of place in the Sunshine State.

*Scarves can be great travel projects

Will You Keep It or Give it Away?

Christmas is coming. Fall is the time when we begin to feel the pressure of giving gifts to EVERYONE! I have good news for you – a cute little scarf makes an awesome gift. It works for co-workers, the boss, a sweet neighbor, young people, old people, men and women alike.

#1. The Sophie Scarf by Petite Knit – View her pattern page for a list of suggested yarns. Simple little one skein scarf patterns may get your attention. One skein sounds doable, right? Cheap and quick. The Sophie Scarf has been very popular. I knit a few of them, but I used more than a skein. I decided to use a cashmere blend, which comes in small balls. But, you can easily knit The Sophie Scarf using a larger skein. It will tie right against the neck, so choose a soft yarn.

Sophie scarf cashmere yarn
Sophie Scarf
Sophie Scarf knit in army green color
Sophie Scarf
knitting the Sophie Scarf in white yarn
Sophie Scarf

#2. The Sophie Hood – larger Sophie, with a hood. If you have more time to spend, knit the Sophie Hood pattern and include a head cover built into the scarf. It will take more yarn, but it seems very simple. I have not knit this one.

#3. Wheat Field Scarf – This one is longer, and has some simple cables and creates a texture. Show off your skills and impress the recipient. This pattern is currently FREE! There is no information about type of yarn or length – but a normal scarf usually takes around 3 normal size skeins of yarn. It looks like a good, all around style that works for everyone.

*FYI – if you knit a scarf with a texture, it’s best to use a solid color yarn to show off the stitches.

*Be Aware – Some cable knit patterns are charted only. If you can’t read a chart, this could be a problem.

#4. Braided Rib Scarf – by Purl Soho – A simple looking, unisex design with suggested yarn and measurements. This is currently a FREE PATTERN. The scarf is a long, wrap around the neck style with ribs.

#5. Close Cable Scarf – by Purl Soho – a shorter scarf that hooks through itself by creating openings on one end. This one is perfect for wearing under a coat to cover the neck / chest area. It is another beautiful FREE PATTERN.

Advanced Knitters Can Make Their Own Pattern

A scarf is a simple thing. Begin on one end and finish at the other. An experienced knitter will know how to create stitches that go together to make a pretty repeating pattern. It could be as simple at making a rib of knits and purls, or create an eyelet with yarn overs. Even cable “how to’s” are easy to find online.

Whichever way you decide to go, there are some things to consider. Will the person receiving this scarf gift be willing to hand wash it? Or, do you need to make it easy care with washable yarn?

If I was knitting one of these scarves for myself, I would spend a little money and use some nice, soft yarn. After all, it could be a once a year new accessory for the winter wardrobe that will last a lifetime.

Lots of Changes This Year

Writing a blog, sharing photos, and doing research and making links takes time. Lately I don’t think the time spent doing all that is worth enough to continue.

I have stopped writing my gardening blog, and downgraded my seashells/ boating / camping blog. I’ve been spread too thin for too long. The past 18 years have been spent working for an online POD store only to find that they have made unreasonable changes lately that I find hard to live with.

I am not young, but I must keep working so now I need to spend time building a new stream of income. When I weigh writing and blogging against time I can spend trying to earn an income, I realize I can’t do it all.

I will continue to knit, garden, and do all the things I enjoy. But writing takes way too much time away from other things.

I hope this knitting blog has been helpful to some readers. I honestly don’t know because there isn’t a lot of feedback. I will update occasionally, but not as often.

If you are a knitter, keep at it and have fun! I’m not done knitting. It is a lot of fun, but I may be updating this blog a lot less now.

Knitters and Our Many Projects

How many projects do you have on your needles? It is not uncommon to find that fellow knitters have many things going at once.

Why is it that knitters usually have many projects going at once?

Well, we love yarn, first of all. Seeing a pretty yarn, or a nice sale, makes us sure that we can find a project to match it. Awesome patterns run a close second. Pattern designers know how to push our buttons. With beautiful images, and affordable pricing, how can we say no?

Biting off more than we can chew is a typical habit of crafty people. Somewhere between the high of receiving a new bundle of yarn in the mail, to the stress over finding a place to keep it all, we have been casting on much more often than binding off. We can’t keep up. Who could?

Buying yarn is a quick process. Creating a handmade item takes time. We know this, yet we can’t seem to stop getting ahead of ourselves.

The Big Reason: New Yarn and / or New Patterns

Browsing Ravelry or Instagram, or your favorite social place will often bring up something beautiful. This leads me down the path to checking on the pattern, and yarn used, reviews and comments. It can be a rabbit hole. I think that “this is the pattern I should be knitting instead of that sweater I really don’t like”. Or, “what a great way to use up that yarn in my stash”. I need to start this project right away. Everything else can wait!

Or, I get a newsletter e-mail. I’ve completely removed all but one yarn seller from my e-mail list. Pascuali is the only one I get, because I love the company and the yarn. Their newsletters are interesting, and for me, that one is enough. When I would get all kinds of notices of yarn sales, I would feel obligated to buy because of the discount. That is how I ended up with loads of yarn I would never use. I donated it.

Another way to become bombarded by yarn is the offer of free shipping. If you spend this much, shipping is free! Okay, I can find a few more skeins that I will use one day…. blah blah…bad idea.

Time of Day Knitting Projects

I believe it is actually a good thing to have more than one knitting project going at a time. Often the projects I knit will range in difficulty, and are appropriate for various knitting opportunities.

Being a morning person, tougher projects get attention early in the day. Whenever the yarn is hard to see, I must knit in daylight. I sit by the window and enjoy the natural light. When nighttime rolls around, and I’m watching a show or movie, I need something mindless and simple.

The Knus Light top is a morning project. The dark rust yarn makes the stitches a bit hard to see and the fingering weight means the stitches are small.

On the other hand, the Dual Loops Beanie is a simple rib – until the crown, which gets finicky. The roundness of the camel hair yarn makes the stitches easy to see even though the color is darker. That project is great for nighttime.

Knitting a top in cotton yarn using a dark color
Knus Light: Morning knitting
Dual loops beanie knitting project in camel yarn
Dual Loops Beanie: Evening knitting

Projects for Travel

Then, we may have the projects that are easy to accomplish while traveling. I personally like stockinette or ribbing. Smaller projects that pack easily include little scarves, dishcloths, and hats. Also, sweater projects where the body is ready with lots of stockinette.

Simple Stripes sweater
Simple Stripes, my version
Colorwork knitting project using Lettlopi wool
SkiBum seating pad

It’s no wonder we knitters have more than one project lying around the house. The availability of needles stops me from having more!

Organizing Our Knitting

I’m in the process of organizing my knitting room. After reducing my yarn stash, and removing yarn I know I will never use, I feel much better. I want an easier way to store and find my yarn, instead of using bins and bags. My plan is to buy shelves and use baskets.

knitting projects in the works, on the needles
Knitting projects in the works
stash yarn
Part of my stash

As I am cleaning and downsizing, I’ve come across more unfinished projects. These are projects begun years ago…Do you have those? They aren’t bad, just uninteresting. And because I live where it is seldom cold, the cowl and mitten projects won’t be something I’ll use anyway!

I’m not alone in having many projects going at once. But, sometimes I have to say, time to catch up.

What have you been knitting that fits into these categories? Do you have a favorite take-along item? And of course, how many projects are on your needles! Be honest, we don’t want to feel alone.

Thanks for reading. Here are more posts you might like.

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Happy New Year 2026 and Time to Cast On

A new year means a brand new knitting project to begin. What will you be making?

Believe it or not, this unfinished post has been sitting around for a year! I had to change the title for 2026. Talk about being behind!

Last January

We went camping the beginning of January 2025 (pics below) and I wore my Calliope 2 sweater. It does get cold in Florida and it is a damp, nasty cold. Sometimes we even have ice! The hand knits that sit in my closet and under the bed for months and months, finally come out and get some use. We had fun camping last January, even though we had to bring our cats!

In the photos below we are camping in north Florida at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch campground. I love this area for the hills and trails. Bike riding is a challenge (for this old gal), but lots of fun. The campground is expansive, with lakes and three separate areas for RV and tent camping.

wearing the Calliope sweater in gold
Winter camping, sweater weather- yay!
Campsite at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch state campground in north Florida.
Our campsite – January

Plans for This January

We are not camping. The past two years of camping in winter made me re-think it. In Florida it can be nice in January, and it can be downright cold. This year we are skipping the January camping trip. That means it will probably be a beautiful and temperate month…LOL.

I will stay home and knit instead. We do have some fun planned, which I may share – we’ll see how it goes.

January 2026 and a New Cast On

I like to begin the new year with a special knitting project. I’ve been thinking about knitting a cable cardigan for a while. Cables are time-consuming to accomplish, and I knew the project would require the best yarn combined with an awesome pattern.

After much thought and lots of searching, I hope to be casting on for the ….. Book Club Cardigan.

Sari Nordlund is the designer and I see her knits on Instagram all the time. Usually I feel like they are too difficult for me to manage. But, she assures us (right on the product page) that this cardigan is easier to knit than it may appear. It is seamless – meaning there are no pieces to sew together. Often a cabled cardigan is knit in pieces and then the pieces have to be attached. This pattern is not like that. I’m looking forward to it.

I just need to buy some yarn.

After completing the Simple Stripes sweater and a beanie, time got away from me. Already it is New Year’s Eve! And I don’t have the worsted weight yarn for the cable cardigan.

Do your New Year plans include a new knitting project? I ‘d love to hear about it. Thanks for reading!

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