Easy Garter Stitch Scarf Pattern for Absolute Beginners
Knit your first scarf with only the knit stitch. This pattern gives the yarn, needle size and stitch count, with notes on casting on, keeping edges straight, joining a new ball and binding off.
Tutorial at a glance
Materials
- About 200-220 yd worsted-weight yarn
- US 8 (5 mm) knitting needles
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Tape measure
This easy garter stitch scarf pattern uses one stitch, one yarn and one pair of needles. If you can cast on, knit and bind off, you can finish it. If you cannot do those yet, this is a friendly project to learn them on.
The scarf is a plain rectangle knit from one short end to the other. There is no shaping, no purling and no right or wrong side to keep track of, which leaves you free to concentrate on making even stitches.
Finished size and materials
The finished scarf is about 6 inches (15 cm) wide and 60 inches (152 cm) long, enough to wrap once around an adult’s neck with both ends hanging down.
- Yarn: worsted weight (medium, #4), about 200 to 220 yards. A smooth, light-colored wool, wool blend or acrylic is easiest to see and handle.
- Needles: US 8 (5 mm). Straight needles 9 to 10 inches long work well, or a circular needle used flat. Wood or bamboo grips the yarn better than metal.
- Notions: tapestry needle, scissors, tape measure.
If you have not bought yarn yet, the guide to the best yarn for beginner knitters explains what to look for on the label.
Gauge
Gauge means the number of stitches per inch. This scarf works out to roughly 18 to 19 stitches per 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch. It does not need to match exactly. A scarf that comes out half an inch wider or narrower still fits.
Abbreviations
- CO: cast on
- k: knit
- st(s): stitch(es)
- BO: bind off
The pattern
- CO 28 sts.
- Knit every row until the scarf measures about 60 inches (152 cm) from the cast-on edge.
- BO all sts loosely.
- Cut the yarn, leaving a tail of about 6 inches, and pull it through the last loop. Weave in the ends.
That is the whole pattern. The notes below walk through each part.
Step-by-step notes
Casting on
Use the long-tail cast-on. Allow roughly 1 inch of tail per stitch plus about 6 inches extra, so pull out about 34 inches of yarn before you make the slipknot. The slipknot counts as your first stitch. Keep the stitches loose enough to slide along the needle.
Knitting the rows
Every row is the same. With the working yarn in back, work the knit stitch into each of the 28 stitches: In, Around, Through, Off. At the end of the row, swap the needles between your hands so the full needle is in your left hand, and begin again.
Knitting every row makes garter stitch, a stretchy fabric of horizontal ridges that lies flat and looks the same on both sides. Two rows make one ridge, so counting ridges and doubling the number tells you how many rows you have knit.
Keeping your stitch count at 28
Count your stitches every few rows. Straight edges come from a steady count more than from anything else.
- More than 28? The usual cause is the first stitch of the row. If the yarn is pulled up and over the needle before you begin, the first stitch shows two legs that look like two stitches. Let the yarn hang straight down, then take it to the back under the needle.
- Fewer than 28? A stitch has probably slipped off. Look for a loose loop with a ladder above it and pick it back up.
- Loose loops at the edges? Give the yarn a gentle tug after the second stitch of each row, not the first.
Tip
Finish the row before you put your knitting down. When you pick it up again, the needle with all the stitches goes in your left hand and the yarn hangs from the first stitch.
Joining the second ball
Most worsted-weight balls hold less than 200 yards, so you will probably start a new one partway through. Join it at the beginning of a row. Leave a 6-inch tail of the old yarn, begin knitting with the new yarn, and leave a 6-inch tail of that too.
A row of this scarf uses roughly 18 to 24 inches of yarn. If what remains on the old ball is shorter than about four times the scarf’s width, stop and join there.
Binding off and finishing
When the scarf reaches about 60 inches, lay it flat without stretching it and measure from the cast-on edge to the needle. Then bind off.
- Knit 2 stitches.
- With the left needle tip, lift the first stitch over the second and off the right needle.
- Knit 1 more stitch and lift the previous stitch over it.
- Repeat step 3 to the end of the row, then cut the yarn and pull the tail through the last loop.
Bind off loosely so the end of the scarf does not pull in. A needle one or two sizes larger in your right hand makes this easier.
Finally, thread each tail onto the tapestry needle and weave in the ends for about 2 inches along the ridges, changing direction once. Trim them after the scarf has been washed and dried flat, following the care instructions on the yarn label.
Watch out
Garter stitch stretches lengthwise when it hangs. Always measure the scarf lying flat on a table, never dangling from the needle.
Ways to change the scarf
- Wider: cast on more stitches. About 9 extra stitches adds roughly 2 inches of width. A wider scarf uses more yarn, so buy an extra ball.
- Shorter: for a child, stop at about 45 to 50 inches (114 to 127 cm).
- Striped: change colors at the start of a row, always with the same side of the scarf facing you. The color changes then look crisp on one face, and the broken two-color ridges stay on the other.
- Fringed: set aside a few yards of yarn before you start, and knot short lengths through each end when the scarf is done.
Frequently asked questions
How many stitches should I cast on for a beginner scarf?
For this scarf, cast on 28 stitches in worsted-weight yarn on US 8 (5 mm) needles, which gives a width of about 6 inches. For a wider scarf, add stitches in any number you like, since garter stitch has no repeat to keep track of, and allow for extra yarn.
Why are the edges of my garter stitch scarf uneven?
Wavy edges nearly always come from a changing stitch count or a loose first stitch. Count your stitches every few rows to make sure you still have 28, start each row with the yarn hanging down and taken to the back under the needle, and snug the yarn after the second stitch.
How long does it take to knit a scarf as a beginner?
It depends on how often you knit and how quickly your hands settle in. As a rough guide, expect a few weeks of knitting for a while on most evenings. A 60-inch scarf has several hundred rows, and the rows speed up noticeably as the stitch becomes familiar.
