Variegated Plus Knitted Scarf Pattern

 

Variegated Plus Scarf

By Laughing Zebra Studios

How often have we picked up a skein of variegated yarn and just loved the combination of colors just calling us to come play? But when we work up the yarn, the constant repeated mishmash of colors is just not as attractive as we had originally hoped. Or you may have great admiration for the mixture of colors that Norwegian designs incorporate and found that keeping track of that many small balls of yarn crossing and recrossing (knotting and re-knotting!) and the headache of getting the tension on the floats just right was not for you. The question is how to create attractive projects with quickness and ease and avoid these problems.

With careful placement of the blocks of solid and variegated colors you can create a project that has the best of both worlds without having to carry floats or keep track of rows worked. The following project is easy and flexible. You can add easily add extra stitches if you would like it wider or longer. It is worked in knit 2, purl 2 so the edges don't curl and it has just a bit of texture to give it added interest.

When working through the design I tried to balance the sections of colors so the scarf had some continuity. It is somewhat random, but the sections repeat and have a (vague!) rhythm to them. The scarf is pretty long, measuring out at approximately 88 inches without the fringe. It easily wraps around the neck and hangs nicely.

Yarn used: Worsted weight. 1 skein cream, 1 skein khaki, 2 skeins variegated. I used inexpensive acyclic yarn so it wouldn't itch. There are more expensive acrylic yarns out there and also non-itchy wools.

Needles: I use straight single pointed needles in size 5, but you could sub in circular needles and just work back and forth.

Gauge across rib: approximately 4 stitches per inch across the ribbing.

Directions:

Cast on 46 stitches in cream colored yarn. I use long tail cast on, but any method would work. I begin and end the project with the same color yarn and with matching fringe. If you choose to add additional width to the scarf, make sure you begin and end with a knit row so it is symmetrical. That means you need a multiple of 4 plus an extra 2 stitches for the total width of the scarf. To add 2 inches the total stitch count would be 54 stitches, for 3 inches the total would be 58 stitches.

Knit 2, purl 2 for entire scarf.

All color changes are at the edges of the scarf and are woven in afterward.

Stripe Pattern is given in both rows and inches. In some places it is easier to count rows, in others, just keep your ruler handy. The exact row count is not critical.

Cream 11 rows 2 inches

Variegated 5 rows 1 inch

Khaki 3 rows .5 inch plus or minus

Variegated 5 rows 1 inch

Cream 11 rows 2 inches

Variegated Section

This block of variegated yarn actually has two narrow sections of solid khaki mixed in so you have variegated/khaki/variegated/khaki/variegated. The solid in the middle helps to break up the section and connect it visually to the rest of the scarf. I have other long sections of variegated yarn where I didn't do this and it doesn't seem to make a big difference.

Variegated 20 rows 4 inches

Khaki 3 or 4 rows .5 inches

Variegated 10 rows 2 inches

Khaki 3 or 4 rows .5 inches

Variegated 18 rows 3.5 inches

Long blocks of colors. This is fun and easy to knit. Again the inch count is not critical.

Cream 15 rows 3 inches

Khaki 28 rows 5.5 inches

Variegated 90 rows 18 inches

Khaki 30 rows 6 inches

Cream 18 inches 3.5 inches

Variegated 75 rows 15 inches

Cream 8 rows 1.5 inches

Variegated 8 rows 1.5 inches

Khaki 10 rows 1.75 inches (you could just do 8 rows here instead)

Variegated 8 rows 1.5 inches

Cream 8 rows 1.5 inches

Variegated 45 rows 9 inches (to add additional length, try adding a block of khaki in the middle of this section.)

Cream 13 rows 2 inches

Bind off.

Add fringe. I used doubled strands of cream so there are 4 strands hanging down together. I spaced them every inch on sections of knit ribbing.

If you use acrylic yarn there is no need to block the project.

Happy knitting!