This easy-to-knit traditional Shetland stitch pattern is given a modern look by being worked in really thick, stranded cotton-mix yarn. There are only four rows to the pattern, and two of those are just knit! And on the lace row, each of the stitches made with a yarnover has a corresponding decrease, so the stitch count remains the same.
ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE
The scarf took 19 hours to knit.
ABOUT THIS YARN
Spree is a lightweight but chunky, 60% cotton, 40% acrylic yarn with 150 yds. (137 m) to a 100 g (approx. 3½ oz.) ball. It’s available in random-dyed colors, as well as naturals and blues.
SIZE
Width: 12¼ in. (31 cm); length: 75 in. (190 cm).
YOU WILL NEED
• 3 x 100 g balls (approx. 10½ oz.) of Sirdar Spree in White, shade 050 (A)
• 3 x 100 g balls (approx. 10½ oz.) of same in Faded Denim, shade 089 (B)
• pair of size US 10 (6 mm) knitting needles
GAUGE
20 sts and 20 rows to 4 in. (10 cm) over Old Shale patt on size US 10 (6 mm) needles. Change needle size, if necessary, to obtain this gauge.
ABBREVIATIONS
beg = beginning; cont = continue; k = knit; patt = pattern; p = purl; RS = right side; skpo = slip 1, k1, pass slipped st over; st(s) = stitch(es); tog = together; yo = take yarn over needle to make a st; [ ] = work instructions in square brackets as directed.
NOTE
• To avoid having lots of ends to darn in, see TIPS for how to change colors 3 stitches in from edge.
SCARF
Using A, cast on 61 sts.
Rows 1, 2, and 3 K.
Row 4 K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 5 (RS) K4, * [yo, k1] twice, yo, [skpo] 3 times, k1, [k2tog] 3 times, [yo, k1] 3 times, rep from * two more times, k3.
Row 6 K.
Rows 3–6 form the Old Shale patt. Cont in patt, work 4 rows B, 4 rows A until scarf measures 75 in. (190 cm), ending with Row 6 in A. Cont in A, k 1 row. Bind off knitwise.
TIPS
• If your row gauge is correct, you’ll have 95 wavy stripes, but in a scarf as big as this, it won’t matter if you have a few stripes more or fewer, as long as you end with A to match the first stripe.
• When changing yarn colors, you’ll get neater edges (and avoid having to darn in dozens of yarn ends) if you change color away from the edge and carry the unused color up the work until needed again. On the first color-change row, knit the 3 edge sts using B, weaving in the color A yarn, then continue using B only. On the following color-change rows, carry the yarn loosely across the 3 edge sts, then knit in the strand with the new color.
• To make a yarnover between two knit stitches, bring the yarn between the needles to the front of the work, then take it over the needle to knit the next stitch.
• If you want to make the scarf all in one color, you’ll need only 5 x 100 g (approx. 10½ oz.) balls of Spree.
This generous scarf is a gentle take on a nautical theme.
