How to Finish Knitting a Scarf

How you finish your scarf is limited only by your imagination.

Scarves are fast, easy and offer a variety of knitting challenges depending on your mood. Scarves can be strictly utilitarian -- heavyweight and long enough to mummify the wearer for early morning snow-blowing -- or decorative, using beaded enhancements and silky threads. Whatever kind of scarf you are knitting, once the length is right, you need to finish off your project. There are a couple of options to get that scarf off your needles and around your neck.

Things You'll Need

• Scarf project on the needles
• Yarn
• Beads
• Tapestry needle
• DVD case
• Scissors
• Crochet hook

Instructions

Casting Off

1. Cast off. Before you can finish off your scarf, you have to get it off the needles. Look at your pattern and begin to cast off.

2. Knit two stitches onto your second needle.

3. Lift the first stitch over the second stitch and off the needle.

4. Knit another stitch onto the second needle and repeat. You will always have two stitches on your needle until you get to the end.

5. Cut your yarn when you have one stitch left, leaving a tail a few inches long. Pull the tail through the last stitch and remove from the needle. Pull tight to knot the end and cut off the tail.

6. Work the tail of your yarn into the scarf with a tapestry needle after casting off for a neat look.

Make a Tasseled Edge

1. Make an easy tassel. For a woman's scarf, a tasseled edge is attractive and easy. For the average-width scarf, do three or four tassels, evenly spaced to end your scarf.

2. Wrap some of your scarf yarn or a complementary color yarn around a DVD case about 10 times. Cut the end.

3. Take a length of yarn about 5 inches long and slide under one edge of the DVD case under the yarn. Tie in a knot around the yarn to gather it into a bunch.

4. Slide scissors under the ends of the yarn at the other side of the DVD case. Cut the ends to free the tassel from the case.

5. Take another length of yarn and give your tassel a "head" by knotting it about an inch under the top of the tassel.

6. Repeat this process to create three or four tassels.

7. Space evenly across the bottom of the scarf and using the tail from your top knot on the tassel, take your crochet hook and insert the loose end through a stitch in the bottom of your scarf. Tie a knot to attach the tassel to the edge and cut away excess yarn.

Add a Fringe

1. Add a fringe for a fancier scarf. Determine a length for the fringe. If you want it to be even all the way across, decide on the measurement. For example, for an even fringe on a scarf, it can be about 4 inches long.

2. Double that number and cut lengths of your fringe yarn into 8-inch pieces. You'll need plenty so you may want to make a cardboard template to wrap your yarn around and cut a bunch at one time. Take a piece of 4-inch cardboard and wrap the yarn around it. Cut it off at one end to get 8-inch pieces.

3. Pull open a stitch on the last row of your project with a crochet hook.

4. Fold your 8-inch piece of yarn in half and pull through the open stitch. Leave a loop on the other side of your project.

5. Pull the loose ends through the loop to create a slip knot to attach your fringe to the edge of the scarf. Repeat across the entire bottom of the project.

Tips & Warnings

• For a fancier, lightweight scarf, make the fringe uneven and attach some glass beads on the end to dress it up a bit.

• If you don't like your fringe, don't pull it out. Simply gather the fringe into two or three sections and tie together as you would a tassel for a neat new look.

• Don't cut your yarn off next to the knot after casting off, or it may come unraveled. Take the extra time to work the excess yarn back into the scarf with a tapestry needle.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish