Fake Spring Scarf

Remember this scarf?

An outtake from our previous photo shoot.

Well, it seems like the end of February is the perfect time to write it up. Technically, I suppose, I knit this up at the beginning of January, when I decided I needed a better wool scarf (the first two I knit – back when I was just learning to knit – were both cowls, the first way too long and the second too short to wrap twice but two long to just wrap once). Anyway, I decided I wanted to start the New Year by knitting something easy, but still pretty.

I have accumulated a lot of Cascade Eco+ (it is gorgeous to knit with) so I picked three colours and set to work thinking about how best to knit them up.

Main colour – in real life, it's much more green.

Contrasting colour 1.

Contrasting colour 2.

I wanted something quick, so colour work was out, but I also wanted the scarf to have a main colour (and some symmetry), so any stripes would need to be fairly far apart, but not so far that the scarf with hang out the bottom of my coat (I hate that). And thus, the Fake Spring Scarf was born.

Right side – showing off the reversed middle stripes.

Comparing the right side to the wrong side.

I’m not always the biggest fan of straight-up garter stitch and  I worried a lot that the colours would be too garish to wear with my bright red winter coat. Luckily, I ignored my initial misgivings, because this scarf is both warm and soft, and has garnered me many a compliment. I actually quite like that this looks”homemade” because, of course, it is. There’s something a little rustic about it, and although the wool is both thick and a little hairy, it is surprisingly soft around your neck while still feeling sturdy.

I kind of like knitting that has a right and a wrong side (it looks cleaner somehow), so I made sure to start all my stripes on the same side. That also means all the weaving is in the same area, which makes things a little tidier.

So stripy.

Fake Spring Scarf – so named because a) It’s in bright, springtimey colours, and b) It’s a nice quick knit, so when you’re hit with March snow you’ll have time to knit it up before it all blows out for the season.
Pattern: by me!
Needles: 6 mm
Yarn: Cascade Eco+ in colourways 2452 (green), 9454 (purple), and 9451 (blue-green)
Finished length: 61 inches
Gauge: 14 sts/24 rows = 3 inches in garter stitch

Cast on 30 stitches in main colour and knit in garter stitch for 7 inches.
Switch to cc1 and knit four rows.
Knit 2 rows in mc.
Knit 4 rows in cc2.
Knit 2 rows in mc.
Knit 4 rows in cc1.
Repeat five times, but on third rep, switch the order of the contrasting colours. Finish with 7 inches in mc.
For the stripes, I cut the contrasting colours between stripes (leaving about a four-inch tail to weave in), but wove the main colour along the top. It’s a bit neater this way.
And voila! A lovely scarf that will keep you warm and is still fun and colourful enough to make the transition to lighter jackets when real spring rolls around.

Update: Now also on Ravelry