Rowan Smiling Diamonds Lace Scarf Knitting Pattern

Rowan Smiling Diamonds Lace Scarf

What is Being Made

The Rowan Smiling Diamonds Lace Scarf is a delicate knitted accessory designed by Heather Dixon. This finished scarf measures 18 cm (7 inches) wide by 168 cm (66 inches) long, making it an elegant and versatile piece suitable for layering or draping.

Construction Method

This scarf is constructed using a bottom-up, seamless, worked-flat approach. The design is created in two separate sections that are later joined together. Each section is worked individually to a length of 84 cm before the pieces are grafted together using the Kitchener Stitch, a seamless joining technique that creates an invisible seam and maintains the continuity of the lace pattern.

Lace Techniques and Stitches

The Smiling Diamonds Lace Scarf features an intricate lace pattern that forms the signature diamond motifs. The pattern is built using fundamental lace stitches that create openwork throughout the fabric:

• Yarn overs (yfwd) – these create the deliberate holes and decorative eyelets characteristic of lace knitting
• Decreases – including K2tog (knit two together) and sl 1, K1, psso (slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over), which balance the yarn overs and shape the diamond formations
• Double decreases – sl 1, K2tog, psso (slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over) creates sharper points within the lace design
• Garter stitch edging – the first and last 4 stitches of each row are worked in garter stitch (knit every row), creating a stable, non-curling border that frames the delicate lace center

The lace pattern repeats over 20 rows, creating a rhythmic, geometric design. The pattern alternates between right-side rows featuring the lace motifs and wrong-side rows that use purl stitches in the center section to maintain pattern clarity and fabric structure.

Materials

This pattern calls for Rowan Alpaca yarn, with a total yardage requirement of 3 x 50gm balls. The yarn shown in the pattern photography is in the colorway Jade 146. Alpaca fiber provides a soft, lightweight, and lustrous quality to the finished scarf, making it drape beautifully while maintaining the delicate lace definition.

The scarf is worked on 3¾mm (US 5) needles, which are appropriately sized for the yarn weight and lace work. The recommended tension is 24 stitches and 29 rows to 10 cm (4 inches) measured over the main lace pattern using these needles.

Pattern Structure

The scarf begins with a cast-on of 45 stitches and opens with 4 rows of garter stitch to establish a firm foundation. The main lace pattern then begins and is worked continuously until each section reaches 84 cm in length. The 20-row lace repeat creates the characteristic Smiling Diamonds motif, with rows 1 and 2 forming the foundation of the repeating pattern sequence. After completing the required length, stitches are left on a spare needle rather than bound off, allowing them to be grafted seamlessly to the corresponding stitches from the second section.