How to Knit an Entrelac Scarf

An entrelac scarf can incorporate many colors of yarn.

Entrelac is a style of knitting that resembles woven fabric. Knitting designer Carol Wyche describes it as "a series of building blocks, one row leaning right and one leaning left." Though entrelac may take some getting used to, it requires only basic to intermediate knitting skills, allowing even knitting novices to create a complicated-looking scarf. You can use contrasting yarn colors, variegated or color-changing yarn, or one yarn color to create different effects.

Things You'll Need

• Set US 7, or 4.5 mm, straight knitting needles
• 200 to 300 yards Aran-weight (10-ply) yarn
• Scissors
• Crochet hook or yarn needle

Instructions

Scarf Base

1. Cast on 24 stitches. The entrelac scarf will be worked back and forth, knitting on the right side and purling on the reverse.

2. Knit two stitches. Turn your work. Slip one stitch purlwise and purl one. Turn back to the right side. Knit three stitches. Turn back to the purl side. Slip one stitch purlwise, and purl two. Continue in this fashion, knitting one more stitch each time, and slipping the first stitch of the purl row, until you have worked six stitches, ending with a complete knit row of six stitches.

3. Repeat with the remaining 18 stitches. You should have three triangles, linked together at the peaks.

First Row

1. Turn your work to the purl side. Purl into the front and back of the first stitch. To purl into the front and back (pfb), begin a purl stitch, but do not slide the stitch off the left-hand needle. Slide the right-hand needle under the left-hand needle and insert the point into the back of the loop from left to right, back to front. Wrap the yarn around the needle and finish as you would for a purl stitch.

   Purl the next two stitches together. To purl two together (p2tog), insert the needle into two stitches, purlwise, at a time. Wrap the yarn around and finish as you would for a purl stitch. Turn your work and knit three. Turn back to the purl side. Purl into the front and back of the first stitch; purl one; and p2tog. Continue in this fashion, increasing the number of regular purl stitches between the pfb and the p2tog, until the first six stitches have been worked. This creates a left-hand triangle.

2. Pick up and purl six stitches. To pick up a stitch, slip the right-hand needle from back to front into the two raised loops that form a "V" shape along the edge of the triangle. Continue as you would a regular purl stitch. Repeat along all six stitches that form the edge of the triangle. Slip the last stitch purlwise onto the left-hand needle. Purl two stitches (the stitch you just slipped, and the next one on the left needle) together.

3. Turn to the knit side. Knit six stitches. Turn and purl five. Purl two stitches together. Repeat, knitting on the right side and purling on the reverse. Purl together the last two stitches of each purl row, until all six stitches of that triangle have been worked, ending on a purl row. This creates a slanting square bridging the space between two triangles. Continue knitting in the same manner to bridge the gaps between the next two triangles, ending with a purl row.

4. Pick up and purl five stitches along the edge of the square you just worked. Turn your work and knit five stitches. Turn back to the reverse side. Purl four stitches. Purl two stitches together. Turn and knit four stitches. Turn back to the reverse side. Purl three stitches. Purl two stitches together. Continue until two stitches remain. Purl them together. Turn your work. This forms a right-hand triangle.

Scarf Rows

1. Pick up and knit four stitches along the edge of the right-hand triangle. To pick up and knit stitches, insert the left-hand needle knitwise through both parts of the V-shaped stitch along the edge of the triangle. Knit the working yarn into this stitch as you would a normal knit stitch.

   Slip two stitches onto the right-hand needle, and knit them together by inserting the left-hand needle into the front of both stitches (ssk). Wrap and work the yarn as you would for a knit stitch. You will have six stitches on the right-hand needle.

2. Turn your work and purl six stitches. Turn back, knit five and ssk. Repeat until you have fully bridged the end triangle and the block to the left. End with a knit row. Do not turn your work. Repeat the process, picking up stitches from blocks rather than triangles, as you work across the scarf. End the row with a left-hand triangle.

3. Continue knitting in this fashion. Each row will begin and end with a triangle, with square/rectangular blocks forming the body of each row.

Finishing

1. Knit to your desired scarf length, ending with a right-side triangle. Pick up and knit four stitches. Slip two stitches and knit them together. Turn your work and purl six stitches. Turn back to the knit side. Knit two stitches together. Knit three stitches. Slip two stitches and knit together. Turn your work and purl five stitches.

2. Continue decreasing, knitting one fewer stitch between the k2tog and the ssk each time. End on the ssk. Repeat this decreasing triangle with all remaining stitches, forming flat triangles.

3. When you have one stitch remaining, cut the yarn, leaving a 4-inch tail. Loosen the yarn loop and pull the tail through it into a knot.

4. With your crochet hook or yarn needle, weave the ends of the yarn tails into the scarf.

Tips & Warnings

• Using two contrasting colors--one for each row--creates a checkerboard-like pattern.

• Take care to not twist the yarn in the same direction when turning your work back and forth.

• Do not wring or twist natural fiber yarns when wet.

References

• Knitty: Danica Scarf
• Carol Wyche: Untangling Entrelac
• The Yarnpath: All Aboard the Entrelac Express!

Resources

• YouTube: Entrelac on Straight Needles
• Knitty: Techniques with Theresa: Picking Up Stitches