Saturday 30 August 2014

Reversible Colourful Shaggy Garter Stitch Scarf


Shaggy side of scarf.

Reverse side of scarf.

This stashbusting scarf can be made using those oddments of yarns that build up over the years. A basic pattern for acrylic double knitting yarn is given here but the pattern can be adapted for different yarn thicknesses and for different widths - using the ball band stitch tension as a guide for calculating the number of stitches to cast on for the required width.

The scarf can be worn with the shaggy ends to the outside or to the inside. 

An advantage of this shaggy scarf is that you don't have to sew in all the ends!


CHANGING COLOURS/YARNS
The scarf is worked in garter stitch (knit every stitch in every row) throughout.

Changing colours can be as often or as infrequently as you like, either after a regular number of rows or when the ball runs out.

To change colour on the shaggy side
Using the old colour, knit to the colour change leaving a long tail.
Lay the starting tail of the new colour between the needles at the front of the work (the side facing you).



Using the remaining tail of the old colour yarn and the main yarn from the ball of the new colour TOGETHER knit seven (7) stitches.



Bring the tail of the old colour between the needles to the front of the work (the side facing you).



Continue knitting to the end of the row with the main yarn from the ball of the new colour.



Knit the next row with the new colour. When working the seven stitches worked on the previous row with the old yarn and the new yarn together, knit both strands of each stitch TOGETHER as a single stitch. There will be the same number of stitches at the end of this row as were cast on. 





Continue with the new colour until the next colour change. 

To change colour on the non-shaggy side
Using the old colour, knit to the colour change leaving a long tail.
Lay the starting tail of the new colour between the needles at the back of the work (the side facing away from you).



Using the remaining tail of the old colour yarn and the main yarn from the ball of the new colour TOGETHER knit seven (7) stitches.



Leave the tail of the old colour at the back of the work (the side facing away you) and continue knitting to the end of the row with the main yarn from the ball of the new colour.



Knit the next row with the new colour. When working the seven stitches worked on the previous row with the old yarn and the new yarn together, knit both strands of each stitch TOGETHER as a single stitch. There will be the same number of stitches at the end of this row as were cast on. 






Continue with the new colour until the next colour change.

All the colour change tails should be on the same side of the scarf.
The seven stitches in the rows where both yarns were knitted together adds an interesting texture to the scarf, especially when worn with the shaggy tails on the inside.

As an alternative (1) ...
... When joining a new colour, the new colour yarn tail could be on one side of the scarf while the old colour yarn tail could be on the other side of the scarf. This will make the scarf shaggy on both sides. This would probably work best when the colour changes are frequent. 

As an alternative (2) ...
... Lengths of yarn can be joined with a SECURE knot with long tails and these lengths wound into a ball and knitted. Keeping the knots and their tails all on the same side of the knitted fabric produces a shaggy effect. The yarn tails can be trimmed to the same length or to different lengths.


Part of a shaggy bag made using lengths of yarn knotted together.

MATERIALS
About 70g acrylic double knitting (DK) yarn. Even though all your yarns will be described as double knitting, different brands will be different thicknesses. The same length of two different brands may not weigh the same. The amount of yarn required also depends on how long you leave your cast on and cast off tails and how long you leave your colour change tails.
More yarn will be needed for a wider or longer scarf and vice versa
Yarn quantities are based on average requirements and are therefore approximate.

Pair 4mm needles.
Tape measure.
Scissors.

MEASUREMENTS
Width 14.5cm/5½ inches approx (adjustable)
Length 82cm/32 inches approx (adjustable)

TENSION
20.5 stitches = 10cm measured over garter stitch using double knitting yarn on 4mm needles.
A slight variation in tension is not critical. 

SHAGGY SCARF
The scarf is worked in garter stitch (knit every stitch in every row) throughout.

Using a single strand of double knitting yarn and 4mm needles cast on 30 stitches.
Depending on the cast on method, the cast on tail will be at the beginning or at the end of the first row.

If the cast on tail is at the beginning of the first row
Knit the first seven stitches of the first row using the cast on tail and the main yarn together. Then using the main yarn only, knit to the end of the first row. The remainder of the cast on tail can be trimmed or left hanging on the shaggy side of the scarf. 

If the cast on tail is at the end of the first row
Knit the first row using the main yarn only.
Using the cast on tail and the main yarn together, knit the first seven stitches of the second row. Then using the main yarn only, knit to the end of the second row. The remainder of the cast on tail can be trimmed or left hanging on the shaggy side of the scarf.

Now continue in garter stitch changing colours as required until the scarf measures 82cm/32 inches or the desired length.

Cast off.

ASSEMBLY
Ensure shaggy tails are secure then trim to desired length.
Sew in cast off tail.

Copyright © Pauline Hornsby 2014