Shortcut Scarf Knitting Pattern

Finding the perfect Gradient Knitting Pattern

Buy in my store Buy on Ravelry

Time to launch my Shortcut Scarf knitting pattern! For this one, I wanted to work a gradient that wasn’t so smooth. There are plenty of knitting patterns and charts that already do perfectly smooth gradients moving from one colour to another. I was looking for a gradient flow that had a bit more character. Something that was slightly different as you looked down the length as well as across the width. It reminded me of looking out of a train window. When you are going at speed, the landscape may be roughly the same for miles but the details are different every second of the journey. That was effect I was after.

What was the inspiration for the Shortcut Scarf?

When I first designed Lucid Dreams from the Vivacious Vest series I ordered my wool online during the Covid lockdowns and couldn’t view the yarn in person before ordering. I fell in love with a Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball but, I found that the solid colour from West Yorkshire Spinners I’d ordered was not at all like what I saw on my computer screen. This is the risk when buying online. The colours will appear different on each computer screen. I was worried they would not work out but decided to go ahead and see what happened. As I worked through the chart I’d made for that vest, to my surprise, I found the effect was delightful! It looked like a Monet impressionist painting. I wanted to explore that a bit further so, this Shortcut Scarf was the result.

Testing the knitting pattern

For the first sampler, I used yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills. They’d just released a new “Copper” colour in Luxury 4ply which was divine and I found it matched very subtly with their sock yarn shade “Dusky Skies”. Unfortunately, the overall effect was just too subtle and, from a distance, there was very little gradient left to appreciate. The eyelet border worked well and, at the edges, I added a single cable which I thought would keep the fringe under control. On finishing the fringe I found that, yes, it did contain it well but the stocking stitch base of the cable knitting stitch had a taller gauge than the moss used for the main body of the scarf. This created a flare at the ends.

Listening for Feedback

I exhibited both samplers at the state Knitters Guild NSW conference this month (August 2024). Feedback was that some knitters really liked the single cable edge and didn’t mind the flare. It does look pretty if you can see it clearly enough in this image on the left.

So, if you prefer to alter the scarf knitting pattern to have the single cable, replace the edge moss stitch in the pattern with 2 purls plus 2 sts for a cable (3 more sts at each end). It can lean to the left at the beginning and lean to the right at the end. (I will post this sampler as a project on Ravelry attached to the pattern just for reference.)

For the second sampler, I went all out with a high contrast between two colours. I kept the Copper – which still was and still is divine – and paired it with Aqua from Nundle Woollen Mills. I’d used this Aqua in a shawl knitting design which I hope to release in the next weeks that worked out really well. Subscribe if you’d like to see my new patterns as they are released.

 

Grading the Knit Pattern Design Sizes

Another fun twist in the designing process was that the gauge for the moss was very different from the original swatch and the finished product. The sheer weight of the scarf stretched out resulting in a much lower gauge and a Dr. Who length scarf you could wrap around and around. Ha! For me, I love that it is oversized. It’s fun! However, you may prefer a more manageable length so I’ve included in the pattern 4 different lengths and you can find exactly what you are looking for.

These gauges are, of course, based on the yarns used in the samplers. If you choose to use different yarns and different brands, be sure to do quite a big swatch, wash it and block it hard so you have a good idea of which size will suit best and how many sts to cast on.

You can buy and download the pattern on Ravelry or here on my online store. Once you get started you will find it flows beautifully and is an easy knit.

Feel free to ask any questions if you need help with the pattern.

Buy in my store Buy on Ravelry

 

Take a look at the long 120-150cm circular cable needles available at Bendigo Woollen Mills. Their prices are awesome. https://www.bendigowoollenmills.com.au/wood-circular-knitting-needles