Diagonal Striped Scarf Knitting Pattern

Diagonal Striped Scarf in Plymouth Yarn Cleo

What Is Being Made

This is a knitted scarf featuring a distinctive diagonal striped design. The finished scarf measures approximately 60 inches along its longest side and 25 inches along its tallest side after blocking, creating a triangular or shawlette silhouette. The diagonal construction is achieved through strategic increases and decreases that build the garment's characteristic slanted shape.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting project suitable for beginners. The scarf employs a color-work striping technique where multiple yarn colors are introduced sequentially throughout the pattern. The construction method involves carrying unused yarn colors loosely up the side of the work during color changes, with yarn being cut when larger color sections are complete. This approach minimizes bulk while maintaining the integrity of the striped design.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches appropriate for beginner crafters:

• Garter stitch as the primary pattern stitch, created by knitting every row to produce a textured, reversible fabric
• Knit front and back (kf&b) for increases that gradually expand the scarf's width
• Knit two together (k2tog) for decreases that shape the diagonal edges
• Cast on and bind off techniques to begin and finish the piece

Pattern Stitch Details

The two-row repeat pattern alternates between right-side and wrong-side rows. Row 1 (right side) begins with a knit stitch, followed by a kf&b increase, knitting across to the final three stitches, then performing a k2tog decrease before finishing with a knit stitch. Row 2 (wrong side) knits across the row until the last two stitches, where a kf&b increase is worked before the final knit stitch. This creates the diagonal shaping while maintaining a balanced increase-decrease ratio that produces the scarf's geometric form.

Materials

The scarf is crafted using Plymouth Yarn Cleo, a yarn available in multiple colorways. The pattern calls for five 50-gram hanks in the following colors: Color A in shade 137 (Tutu), Color B in shade 106 (Lemon), Color C in shade 155 (Turquoise), Color D in shade 100 (White), and Color E in shade 138 (Pigtail). Knitting needles in US size 5 (3.75mm) are required, available in either 16-inch or 24-inch lengths depending on preference. The recommended gauge is 21 stitches over 4 inches in garter stitch after blocking, though exact gauge is noted as not crucial since variations will affect the finished scarf's dimensions and yarn consumption.

Construction Notes

The pattern provides a specific striping sequence, though crafters are encouraged to experiment with their own color arrangements. The scarf begins with a small cast-on of 5 stitches and gradually increases to approximately 93 stitches through the two-row repeat pattern, with stitch counts specified at each color transition. Blocking after completion is recommended to achieve the stated finished measurements and to even out the garter stitch texture.