Rick Rack Scarf | Purl Soho

I recently unearthed the first project I ever knit, a moth-eaten stockinette scarf. I made it over twenty years ago while I was spending a school year in rural France. My French “mother” was the town librarian and an amazing knitter. She opened her stash basket to me and walked me through every step of that crazy scarf.

Since then I’ve made dozens of scarves, and I wonder sometimes if I’ve run out of fresh ideas for the next one. After all, the criteria for a scarf pattern are rather stringent: something that lies flat, that looks good on both sides and that has a soft and beautiful drape. I was so happy to discover this Rick Rack Rib; it meets all of those standards and also happens to evoke one of my all time favorite things, rick rack! Thanks, Barbara Walker!

Rick Rack Scarf | Purl Soho

With the holiday season upon us, I made sure to use a super special yarn for the super special people on your list, including scarf-o-phobe men! Jade Sapphire’s softer-than-soft 8 Ply Mongolian Cashmere amazes everyone with its cloud-like loft and downy touch. This is definitely a far cry from that first wonky scarf! -Whitney

Update: New Yarn

February 2017
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We knit up a new version of our Rick Rack Scarf in our very own 100% merino Worsted Twist. Still totally soft and beautiful, Worsted Twist makes a classic Rick Rack Scarf, and in the color Copper Penny, it also makes a rich and complex statement.

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoRickRackScarf. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Rick Rack Scarf | Purl Soho

  • 4 (5) skeins of Jade Sapphire’s 8 Ply Cashmere, 100% Mongolian Cashmere. Each skein is 100 yards/ 55 grams; approximately 400 (500) yards required.
    This color is Sterling. Four skeins will make a 53-inch long scarf and five skeins will make one 66 inches long.
  •  US 8 (5 mm) straight or circular needles

Gauge

26  stitches = 4 inch in Rick Rack Rib stitch

Size

Finished dimensions: 7 inches wide and 53 (66) inches long

Notes

How to Work Rick Rack Rib

Here is a video that shows how to work the Rick Rack Rib, followed by how-to photos explaining the same thing…

Row 1

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To “knit into back loop of second stitch” bring the right needle to the back of the work and insert it into the back of the second stitch on the left needle and knit.

Then, leaving that stitch on the left needle, go on with “knit into front of first stitch” by bringing the right needle around to the front of the work and knitting the first stitch through the front loop, just like you normally would.

Take both stitches off the left needle, bring the yarn to the front of the work and purl 1 stitch.

Row 2

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To “purl into second stitch” bring the yarn to the front of the work and purl into the second stitch on the left needle, just like a normal purl stitch.

Then, leaving that stitch on the left needle, go on with “purl into first stitch” by purling the first stitch through the front loop, like you normally would.

Take both stitches off the left needle, bring the yarn to the back of the work and knit 1 stitch.

Pattern

NOTE: The Rick Rack Rib works over any multiple of 3 + 1 stitches. For example, 15 x 3 = 45, plus 1 = 46, cast on 46 stitches.

Cast on 46 stitches.

Row 1 (right side): P1, *knit into back loop of second stitch (leaving stitch on left needle), knit into front of first stitch (removing both stitches from left needle), p1, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): K1, *purl into second stitch (leaving stitch on left needle), purl into first stitch (removing both stitches from left needle), k1, repeat from * to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 53 or 66 inches long (depending on how many skeins you’re using), ending with Row 2.

Bind off on a right side row in a p1, k2 pattern.

Weave in your ends and gently block!