On vacation in Europe, I admired the lacy, crocheted scarves popular with young women in Amsterdam, which they wore bundled up under their coats. I bought some pink wool in a yarn shop there and decided to improvise a similar version in knit. Stuck on a train, with no patterns or internet access, I used trial and error to come up with this simple lace pattern. It’s easy to memorize and great for traveling.
A Danish translation of this pattern is now available (thanks, Marianne!).
Finished Measurements: 43 inches by 19 inches (not including fringe)
Gauge: 14 st per 4 inches (gauge is not crucial for this pattern)
Yarn: DK weight yarn; sample knit with Rowan Pure Wool DK Yarn (025) Tea Rose By The Each
Needle Size: 8 US / 5 mm
Notes
As this is knit from the point out, it’s easily adaptable to any weight yarn.
Abbreviations
K = knit
st = stitch
YO = yarn over (increase)
K3tog tbl = knit three stitches together through the back loops (decrease)
(alternatively, you can work this decrease: slip one knitwise, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over)
Pattern
Cast on 5 stitches.
Row 1: K1, YO, knit to last st, YO, K1
Row 2: K2, purl to last 2 st, K2
Row 3: K1, YO, *K1, YO, K3tog tbl, YO, repeat from * to last two st, K1, YO, K1
Row 4: K2, purl to last 2 st, K2
Repeat these 4 rows until scarf is desired size, ending with a row 2.
Bind off knitwise.
Wash and block.
Fringe may be added if desired.
Love this pattern! Will go to town today to buy more yarn to knit this! Thanks. M.a.
I am not a beginner knitter however this pattern is kind of getting me stumped. Did you use 2 balls of 272 yds each or a total of 272 yds. I am not using the same wool but my gauge is the same and there is no way I will get 19 and 43 inches as the finished size. I now have 18′”but only 24″. Too short. Could you pls tell me what may have gone wrong? Thank you.
It was 272 yards total. If you’ve worked 18 inches from the beginning and it’s only 24 inches wide, you must be missing increases. You should be adding a stitch on each end on every right-side row (that’s the standard triangle scarf/shawl increase rate). Since this pattern is lacy, it’ll tend to open up and stretch a little wider once it’s blocked, but you should be getting a whole lot more width than 24 inches by this point. My guess is that you’re only adding stitches on every other right-side row.
This is a fun pattern to knit!
I made a wrap/shawl from this pattern using Bernat Softee Baby yarn. As I am quite tall, I made it so that it comes down over my bum and drapes nicely over the shoulders & upper arms (about 4 ft long by 6ft wide. I didn’t take the actual measurements, just “eyeballing it). It is so soft & cozy–a nice light weight knit to throw over your shoulders or on your lap.