Valley Yarns Toffee Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Toffee Knitted Scarf

Project Overview

The Valley Yarns Toffee is a long knitted scarf designed by Julie Turjoman, offering an excellent opportunity for adventurous beginners to explore multiple stitch textures in a single project. This accessory features a combination of Gansey and Aran stitch patterns, making it both visually interesting and educational for developing knitting skills.

What Is Being Made

A rectangular scarf measuring 12 inches wide by 72 inches long, worked as a single continuous piece. The finished scarf showcases three distinct stitch pattern sections that progress from textured diamond patterns to cable work to a seeded rib finish, creating visual variety along the length of the accessory.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The scarf is worked from one end to the other, allowing you to try on and adjust length as needed
• Seamless, worked flat: Created on a single circular needle using flat knitting (working back and forth in rows rather than in the round), eliminating the need for seaming
• Cable work: Incorporates right and left cable crosses (2/1 RPC, 2/1 LPC, 2/2 RC, 2/2 LC) that create dimensional twisted stitches typical of Aran knitting
• Multiple stitch pattern integration: Combines Moss Diamond, Lozenge stitch, Seeded Rib, and Cable stitch patterns within a single project

Stitches Used

This pattern employs a variety of fundamental and intermediate stitches essential to traditional knitting:

• Moss Diamond and Lozenge stitch: A textured stitch combining knit and purl stitches to create geometric diamond-shaped motifs
• Cable stitches: Including 2/1 Right Purl Cross (2/1 RPC), 2/1 Left Purl Cross (2/1 LPC), 2/2 Right Cross (2/2 RC), and 2/2 Left Cross (2/2 LC), all worked with a cable needle to create twisted rope-like textures
• Seeded Rib stitch: A textured variation combining knit and purl stitches in a regular pattern
• Basic stitches: Knit, purl, make 1 increases, decreases, bind off, and stitch marker placement

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: Valley Yarns Worthington, a luxurious blend of 50% wool, 25% alpaca, and 25% viscose. The project requires 4 balls (50g each, 174 yards per ball) in color 02-Cashew, providing approximately 696 yards of yarn total for the completed scarf.

Needles and Tools: US 5 (3.75mm) circular needle, 24 inches long, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. Additional materials include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats, a cable needle for managing cable stitches, and a tapestry needle for finishing.

Gauge: 21 stitches and 28 rows equal 4 inches when measured in Moss Diamond and Lozenge stitch or Seeded Rib stitch, after blocking. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished dimensions.

Skill Level and Suitability

Rated as a beginner project, the Toffee scarf is designed for knitters who are ready to expand beyond basic stockinette stitch but may be new to cable work and complex stitch patterns. The extended length and repetitive nature of the pattern sections provide ample practice opportunities, making it an ideal learning project for developing proficiency with cables, texture stitches, and pattern reading.