Valley Yarns Ruffled Scarf Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Ruffled Scarf in the Round

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Ruffled Scarf in the Round is a seamless knitted scarf designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This finished garment measures approximately 80 inches long by 10 inches wide, creating a dramatic, elongated accessory. The scarf features a distinctive ruffled edge that adds texture and visual interest to the piece.

Techniques Used

This scarf is worked entirely in the round using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming along the length of the garment. The seamless construction creates a continuous tube that is later shaped and finished in a unique way. The scarf is knitted as a very long rectangle in the round, with strategic increases placed at corners to shape the fabric. After the main body is complete, the cast-on edge is sewn shut in the center, and the short sides are pulled apart to create the final rectangular form. This innovative construction method combines circular knitting with a finishing technique that requires minimal seaming.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches suitable for beginners. Stockinette stitch (abbreviated St st) forms the base fabric and is achieved by knitting all stitches on right-side rounds and purling on wrong-side rounds (or knitting on the wrong side when the work is flipped). Yarn overs (yo) are used extensively throughout both the body and ruffle sections to create decorative increases and lacy texture. Knit stitches (k) and purl stitches form the foundation of the work. The ruffle section incorporates knit two together (k2tog) and slip, slip, knit (ssk) decreases to shape the ruffled edge and create a more refined finish. Slip marker instructions help track pattern repeats and shaping points throughout the rounds.

Materials

The scarf requires 12 skeins of Valley Yarns Deerfield yarn in the Burgundy colorway. Deerfield is a luxury blend composed of 80% baby alpaca and 20% silk, with each skein weighing 50 grams and containing 109 yards of yardage. The pattern calls for US size 6 circular needles measuring 40 inches in length or longer to accommodate the large cast-on of 500 stitches. Stitch markers are essential for tracking the pattern repeats and corner increases throughout the project. The recommended gauge is approximately 5 stitches and 7 rows per inch when working in stockinette stitch.

Pattern Structure and Difficulty

Rated as a beginner-level project, this scarf introduces knitters to working in the round with circular needles while using basic increases and decreases. The pattern is organized into clear sections: an initial setup round, a body section with corner shaping worked over multiple rounds, and a ruffle section that progressively increases in complexity. The ruffle features expanding yarn-over sequences followed by strategic decreases to create the characteristic ruffled texture. The pattern notes that a provisional cast-on is preferable for this project, though not strictly necessary, as the cast-on edge will eventually be grafted or sewn shut. The weight of the luxury alpaca-silk blend yarn may cause the finished scarf to stretch to its full dramatic length, and the pattern includes guidance for creating a shorter version if desired.