by Jessica Gore of The Sweater Collective
The Retta Scarf is the perfect everyday accessory; warm, stylish, and surprisingly easy to knit. A central nine-stitch cable is bordered by twisted stitches and garter stitch, creating a classic design that looks good however you want to wear it.
The DK weight yarn is held doubled throughout knitting this scarf, creating a chunky weight that works up quickly.
Sample scarf was knit using 2 x 200g skeins of Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic yarn. Please note that you will need to adjust how many skeins of yarn you use if substituting yarns. This scarf can be easily customised for your yardage and scarf length preferences – just work as many cable repeats as you like.
FINISHED DIMENSIONS
Approximately 224cm (88 ¼”) long ( not including fringe) and 16cm (6 ¼”) wide, relaxed after blocking.
YARN
Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic 8ply (100% Wool; 399m [436yd]/200g) in Tea Rose colourway, 2 balls, or approximately 400g of DK weight yarn.
Note: You will be using the yarn held doubled for this scarf.
NEEDLES & NOTIONS
8mm (US 11) needles
Cable needle
Scissors
Optional for fringe
Large crochet hook, e.g. 9mm (M/13)
GAUGE
13 stitches x 22 rows = 10cm (4″) in garter stitch on 8mm needles, relaxed after blocking.
Garter stitch = knit every row
STITCH HELP
The stitch pattern in this scarf features cables that are performed without needing a cable needle (RT and LT). However, if you are struggling to work them, you may find a cable needle helpful to use.
RT: Right Twist – with right hand needle in front, knit the second stitch on the left hand needle, then knit the first stitch on the left hand needle.
With a cable needle: slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold at back of work, knit next stitch on left hand needle, then knit stitch on cable needle.
LT: Left Twist – with right hand needle behind, knit the second stitch on the left hand needle through the back loop, then knit the first stitch on the left hand needle through the front loop.
With a cable needle: slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold at front of work, knit next stitch on left hand needle through the back loop, then knit stitch on cable needle.
For video tutorials on how to work these stitches, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frXEFXVs4qw
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTNxNHex5LM
ABBREVIATIONS
C6B: cable 6 behind (slip next 3 stitches to cable needle and hold at back of work, knit next 3 stitches then knit stitches on cable needle)
C6F: cable 6 forward (slip next 3 stitches to cable needle and hold at front of work, knit next 3 stitches then knit stitches on cable needle)
k: knit
LT: left twist
p: purl
rep: repeat
RT: right twist
sts: stitches
DIRECTIONS
With 8mm needles and two strands of yarn held doubled, cast on 27 sts.
Set Up Row 1 (RS): k6, p3, k9, p3, k6.
Set Up Row 2 (WS): k4, p2, k3, p9, k3, p2, k4.
BEGIN CHART
Row 1 (RS): k4, LT p3, C6B, k3, p3, RT, k4.
Row 2 and all even-numbered rows (WS): k4, p2, k3, p9, k3, p2, k4.
Row 3 (RS): k4, LT, p3, k9, p3, RT, k4.
Row 5 (RS): k4, LT, p3, k3, C6F, p3, RT, k4.
Row 7 (RS): k4, LT, p3, k9, p3, RT, k4.
Rep Rows 1 to 8 44 more times (360 rows total).
FINISHING
Bind off all sts and wet block scarf gently.
Optional: with remaining yarn, attach fringing to each short edge of scarf. Use a crochet hook to pull several strands of yarn doubled over through the edging and knot it around itself at even intervals along edge. For sample, 5 strands of yarn measuring approximately 32cm each were doubled over for a fringe, with 13 fringes made along each edge.
CHART
Work chart from right to left for a RS row, and from left to right for a WS row. Chart is worked from bottom to top.
THE SWEATER COLLECTIVE 