How to Knit a Winter Scarf

Knitting a winter scarf is a good way to both keep warm and keep occupied. A simple stitch can be used to create a thick yet stylish fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn
• Knitting needles
• Knowledge to cast on, knit and purl

Instructions

Selecting Materials

1. Choose a yarn that will be warm but comfortable to wear. Stores like Michael's and JoAnn's offer many types of yarn in a low-to-mid-price range. The best fiber content for a warm, insulating fabric will be something that is all or part animal fiber like alpaca or wool. For this example, Bernat Alpaca Natural Blends will be used.

2. Choose the correct-size needles for your project. If the needles are too small, the yarn will be difficult to work with and the finished fabric will be very stiff. If the needles are too big, the finished fabric will be very loose and possibly have holes. For this example, size-8 needles will be used.

3. Choose a pattern that is relevant to your skill level. If you are a beginning knitter, choose something with simple stitches in it rather than something combining many techniques at once. For this example, the moss stitch will be used, which only combines the knit stitch and the purl stitch, but creates a thick, soft fabric.

The Process

1. Cast on an odd number of stitches. The number of stitches can vary depending on how wide you want the finished scarf to be.

2. Knit the first stitch, then purl the next. Alternate until you reach the end. You should be knitting each odd stitch and purling each even stitch, ending the row with a knit stitch.

3. Repeat this row until the scarf reaches the desired length. A general rule for scarf length is to make the scarf as long as the wearer is tall. This allows enough length that the scarf can be wrapped, but not so much that it will drag on the floor.

4. Bind off the edges once the scarf reaches the desired length. You can use an all-knit or all-purl bind off to match the other end, depending on what side of the fabric you end on, or you can use a knit-purl bind off to follow the stitch pattern.

5. Weave in the ends and wear the scarf.

Tips & Warnings

• Feel the yarn before you buy it. If there are knitted swatches of the yarn available in the store, rub them lightly on the back of your hand to see if the yarn will be itchy. Look at the weight of your yarn. A bulky yarn will require fewer yards to finish a project than a sport weight yarn. If you plan to make a very wide scarf, buy a circular needle. This allows the bulk of the scarf to be on the cable of the needle instead of bunching up along the needle.

• Weave in your ends securely or they will work their way out of the fabric. Look at the care instructions for your yarn before washing your scarf. Some yarns cannot be put in the washer and/or dryer.