Knit a Simple Scarf with Knits and Purls

The other day I was talking about how much I love knitting because you can do so much with a few basic techniques, and how it can be used to make things dramatically detailed or basic but ever so useful.

This one falls in that second category. The Yarrow Scarf from Mirella Moments is made with just knits and purls, so it’s a great project for a newer knitter. But the simple switch up from solid garter stitch makes this project look interesting and can hold the attention of more experienced knitters looking for a fast and easy project.

The scarf is worked with DK weight yarn (though you could also use worsted and either cast on fewer stitches or just make a wider scarf; you’ll need multiples of four plus one stitches if you want to change the stitch count) and has a two row repeat.

Because the scarf is still mostly knit, it won’t curl up on the edges and should keep you nice and warm, whatever weight of yarn you want to use.

This stitch pattern is so simple I don’t think there’s even a name for it (at least not in the first volume of Barbara G. Walker’s A Treasury of Knitting Patterns), but it does serve as a good reminder that there are a lot of different simple stitch patterns than can be done with just knits and purls, whether that’s ribbing or moss and seed stitch (do you know the difference?), broken rib or simple chevron designs to name just a few.

Do you have a favorite simple combination of knit and purl stitches? I’d love to hear about it! I think my favorite might be seed stitch, but if you ask me again tomorrow I’ll probably give you a different answer!

[Photo: Mirella Moments]

There’s a lot to like about the Eloise Bandana from Katryn Seeburger. This cute little colorwork triangle can be worked as a bandana or kerchief size or a bigger shawlette.

It’s worked in two colors of fingering weight yarn so you can use whatever yarn you have in your stash and just make it as big as you can (since it is worked from the bottom up).

You can see the two sizes from the photo, and also two colorwork options: strawberries and lily of the valley.

But that’s not all the choices you have. In fact, there are 34 different charts you can choose from to knit onto your project. Some of the options include happy faces, a lobster, a pumpkin, a snail and a butterfly. There are cherries, peaches, tomatoes and radishes.

There’s even a blank square you can use to draw your own little design if you want to use something else. Or keep it blank and make it a plain checkerboard design.

And while both of these shawls use the same icons throughout, you could also use different designs throughout if you want. Say a fall version with a bat, pumpkin, leaf and acorn, or a summer beach theme with sailboat, fish, lobster and a bird? I keep suggesting four different icons because the larger size has four rows of squares, but the smaller has three, so you could do stripes of the same icon or alternate a couple of different ones, whatever you like.

Look through the finished projects on the Ravelry project page to see lots of different options, from rows to individual icons. There are also some projects that are smaller than the suggested size to make a smaller bandana. You could also keep going a make a bigger shawl working increases in the same way as you have been going.

Check out all the details and grab a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Katryn Seeburger]

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