How to Knit a Kids Scarf for Beginners
One of the easiest and most popular knitting projects for beginners is the scarf because of its simplicity and utility. The simplest scarves are made using only a single type of stitch -- in this case a knit stitch -- which can help you perfect your technique before moving on to more challenging projects.
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Instructions
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Place the skein of yarn on your left with the free end coming off the ball toward you.
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Pull off a length of yarn and make a loop five or six inches from the end. Pass the tail of the yarn behind the loop so that it sticks out on the right side.
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Insert a needle in front of the top strand of yarn -- the one making the loop -- and under the bottom strand, or tail. Pull the end of the yarn so that the loop tightens to form a slip knot around the needle.
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Hold the needle in your left hand and insert the second needle through the loop and behind the left needle.
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Pass the yarn under the right needle from right to left, then wrap it around the top once. Keep the yarn taut, using the fingers of your right hand.
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Slide the right needle toward yourself, pulling the yarn wrapped around it through the loop on the left needle. The right needle should now be on top.
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Transfer the loop on the right needle onto the tip of the left needle. This is your first cast-on stitch.
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Cast on 20 stitches in this manner, then measure the width of the knitted chain. Divide the width by 20 stitches to determine your gauge, or the number of stitches per inch. Multiply this number by the desired width of your scarf, then cast on additional stitches to reach that number.
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9
Insert the right needle under the left needle. Perform the same motions as you did when casting on the stitches, except do not slide the loop from the right needle onto the left. Instead, pull this loop and the loop from the left needle that is attached to it off the left needle and onto the right. This creates a knit stitch.
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10
Continue knitting until you have transferred all the stitches from the left needle to the right. Then, transfer the needles to your opposite hand and continue knitting.
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Repeat this process until your scarf is the length you want it.
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Tips & Warnings
Look on the yarn's wrapper for an icon that looks like a skein of yarn with a number on it. A "4" indicates medium, or worsted weight yarn. A "5" indicates chunky weight.
Use the gauge of needle recommended on the skein for best results.
References
Resources
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