Men’s Mini Herringbone Scarf | Purl Soho

I have accumulated quite a bit of neckwear over the years. Some bright, some bulky, some sleek, lots ecru, but hands-down, what earns me the most compliments is my Big Herringbone Cowl, scooped off these pages of the Purl Bee!

It is undeniably wonderful. After making one for myself, I was hooked on herringbone. It creates a flat, woven-like fabric on one side while remaining quite lofty and full on the other. It has a fascinating texture with a hypnotizing rhythm, and its drape is just  beautiful. Considering this unique combination of characteristics, I had to have more herringbone!

Men’s Mini Herringbone Scarf | Purl Soho

My scarf counterpart to Whitney’s cowl showcases a mini-herringbone pattern, bordered by slip stitch rib edges. To highlight the timelessness of herringbone, I knit this scarf with Swan’s Island Worsted, a sumptuously soft organic wool inspired by the rugged traditions of coastal knitting. I hope you find this pattern as classic and handsome as Whitney’s cowl is modern and chic!

Update: New Yarn

October 27, 2017
  • Post Image
  • Post Image

A little bit bigger than our original version, this one also gets a yarn update. We knit it up in our unspeakably soft Understory, a baby alpaca, baby yak and silk blend, here in the rich and juicy color Ripe Plum. It also has new selvage stitches, as well as an accompanying all-new Mini Herringbone video tutorial that shows you how it’s done!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.

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

Materials

Men’s Mini Herringbone Scarf | Purl Soho
  • 2 skeins of Swan’s Island’s Worsted. Each skein is 250 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 500 yards required. I used the color Oatmeal. (NOTE: We no longer offer Swan’s Island’s Worsted, but choose from one of our other worsted weight yarns.)
  • US 10 (6 mm), straight or circular needles

Gauge

30 stitches = 4 inches in stitch pattern

Size

Finished Dimensions: 7½ inches wide x 62 inches long

Notes

Slipped Stitches

All slipped stitches are to be slipped purl-wise.

Mini Herringbone Stitch

For more help with this stitch pattern, check out our video tutorial, above!

Pattern

Cast on 55 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1 wyif (with yarn in front), p1, k1, * p2tog and leave stitches on needle, purl the first stitch again and drop both stitches together from left-hand needle, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, p1, k1, p2.

Row 2: Slip 1 wyib (with yarn in back), k1, p1, * slip 1 with yarn in back, k1, then with left-hand needle raise up the slipped stitch as if to bind off but before dropping off right-hand needle, knit it and then drop from needle, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k1, p1, k2.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 row until scarf measures approximately 61 1/2 inches or until desired length. Repeat Row 1 once more.Bind off in pattern with RS facing. To do that… once you have bound off the three selvage stitches and are working the Mini-Herringbone stitch pattern, instead of knitting the slipped stitch as you slip it up and off the right-hand needle, as you have done previously, just drop the slipped stitch of the right-hand needle without knitting it.

Here is a video that goes through the bind off step by step…

Weave in your ends and block if desired.

Men’s Mini Herringbone Scarf | Purl Soho