No-Purl Ribbed Scarf
It’s a purl-less rib! Yes, that’s right, a rib created without a single purl. It can’t be done, you say? Well, with a series of smartly placed slip stitches, indeed it can! I present to you a classic stitch pattern: the Cartridge Belt Rib.
Lots of knitters count the Cartridge Belt Rib among their favorite stitch patterns, and you can officially lump me in. This robust rib stitch produces prominent columns of elongated knit stitches separated by broad valleys of dense texture. The juxtaposition is not only fascinating; it’s beautiful too.
I knit up this quick and easy No-Purl Ribbed Scarf in Purl Soho’s gorgeous Alpaca Pure. Outrageously cozy, nothing feels better on cold day! -Laura
Update: Now a Blanket Pattern!
September 14, 2018
With a simple 2-row repeat of knit and slip stitches, the No-Purl Ribbed Blanket pattern is made for momentum. We knit up our blanket in Season Alpaca, 100% baby alpaca classically plied into a sportweight. So, if lofty ribs are your cup of tea but purling isn’t, take it easy with this No-Purl Ribbed Scarf and our No-Purl Ribbed Blanket!
Update: Now also a Wrap!
March 27, 2019
Our beautiful No-Purl Ribbed Wrap uses four skeins of our gorgeous Line Weight yarn, a pure and simple single-ply merino wool lightweight enough to serve all three scarf seasons and cozy enough to feel good anytime!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoNoPurlRibbedScarf. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 4 (5) skeins of Purl Soho’s Alpaca Pure, 100% alpaca. Each skein is 109 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 436 (545) yards required. We used the color Steel Blue. (NOTE: We no longer offer Alpaca Pure, but choose from one of our other worsted weight yarns.)
- US 8 (5 mm) straight or circular needles
Gauge
22 stitches = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
8½ inches wide x 64 (80) inches long
Notes
Slip all slipped stitches purlwise.
This stitch pattern is worked over a multiple of 4 + 3 stitches.
Pattern
Cast on 47 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1: K3, *slip 1 wyif (with yarn in front), k3, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 2: K1, *slip 1 wyif, k3, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1 wyif, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 64 (80) inches from cast on edge or until desired length, ending with Row 2.
Bind off in a k3, p1 rib. Here’s how… K2, slip the first stitch over, k1, slip the first stitch over, *p1, slip the first stitch over, [k1, slip the first stitch over] 3 times, repeat from * to end of row.
Weave in ends and block as desired.
I love this stitch! And this pattern, thank you for sharing it. I can see a lot of making things using this stitch in the future.
Hello,
I am a beginner knitter, I think this pattern is absolutely beautiful however when I knitted a small sample as practice it had no ridges in it at all. My sample is completely flat as if I have just done a square of simple knit stitch, I can clearly see the difference in the stitches and see where the ridges should be but they remain flat and don’t have the deep groves that it is supposed to.
I can’t for the life of me work out why its not the same as I even followed a video tutorial and its still flat as a pancake!!
Does anyone know what I am doing wrong and how I can fix it?
Hi Lizy,
I’m so sorry to hear you’re having trouble with the stitch pattern! Is it possible that you are slipping the stitches with the yarn in back instead of with the yarn in front? You will need to bring your yarn to the front as if to purl before slipping stitches, and then return your yarn to the back of the work to knit. If that doesn’t solve your problem, please feel free to send us a picture of your work at customerservice@purlsoho.com so we can take a look!
Best,
Julianna
Hello,
Thank you for the amazing pattern.
I am at the beginning of my scarf but I think that I am experiencing the same problem as Lizy. I have it all flat 🙁 Has there been any solution found to this? I am slipping yarn over and I also can’t understand what I’m doing wrong. (I’m also a beginner)
Thank you so much for your advice!
Best,
Hanane
Hi Hanane,
Thanks for reaching out! I am sorry to hear that you are having the same problem! I believe the problem for Lizy was that they were not slipping the stitches with the yarn in front causing the pattern to become flat! I would be extra sure that when you slip the stitch the yarn is in the front of the work and you bring it around the slipped stitch before knitting the next stitch. If this doesn’t help please email us a photo of your work to our email customerservice@purlsoho.com and we can trouble shoot further from there!
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Gianna
I’m encountering the exact same thing. I’m definitely slipping the stitches wyif, but it just looks like three stitches of garter, with a stockinette stitch, all laying more or less flat.
Maybe an issue with tension?
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for reaching out! That is a great question! It could be that your tension is not quite tight enough and so your knitting is coming out flat. If you would like, you can send in a clear picture of your and the information above to our customer service team at customerservice@purlsoho.com and they can check out your work from there!
Warmly,
Gianna
I believe the problem is the slip stitch.. you should slip the stitch as if you were going to knit it. It twists it slightly and makes a difference believe it or not. I hope it helps
I had a similar issue with the pattern being flat but I discovered that it started to create ridges after a dozen or so rows. Since I used a different worsted weight yarn, I also went down a needle size which gave my stitches a denser texture and allowed the ridges to pop out more.
Absolutely amazing pattern and SUPER easy. I made this for my friend in a dark grey yarn and she loved it. Cannot express enough how much I enjoyed doing this scarf.
Absolutely love this site !
Hey – I’m trying to figure out how the color looks like two colors? You only used steel blue, but it kind of looks like there’s dark and light alternating
Hello Zissie,
Thank you for reaching out! You are correct, we knit scarf up with one color. I think what you might be seeing is just the shadow created by the stitch pattern.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Does the actual scarf have that shadowing, or just the pictures?
Hello,
Thank you for this question! Because this is a ribbed stitch it has ridges and valleys which will create shadow, as any textured stitch will. You will get a variation in the look of the shadow depending on the light.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Did you block the scarf? I’m using a yarn with the same gauge on 6s, and cast on 59 stitches, but it’s only measuring about 6.5 inches wide.
Hi and thanks for writing in! Although we did block the scarf, we didn’t stretch it very much, so I suspect that adding 12 stitches did not quite compensate for going down two needle sizes. Based on your gauge of 59 stitches to 6.5 inches, you should cast on 79 stitches for an eight and a half inch wide scarf.
Best,
Julianna
The bottom picture looks like more than one color, but the yarn doesn’t appear to be variegated. Is that a trick of the light?
Hi Heather,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, this is just an illusion from the shadows of the textured ridges in the scarf! We did use a solid colored yarn for our samples.
Best,
Julianna
How can I reduce the number of cast on stitches to make it more narrow. Pattern is a repeat of 4+3
Hello Lauren,
Thank you for reaching out! This will depend on how thin you would like your scarf to be. For example if you wanted to knit a scarf that is half the width you would cast on 23 stitches because 5 x 4 + 3 = 23.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Why multiply by 5? If I want it 2” less wide how do I calculate the stitches for cast on and keep the 4+3 pattern? Would cast on 31? Thanks for your quick reply
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for reaching out! If you already know the width you would like to make your scarf, you can multiply that measurement in inches by our gauge of 5.5 stitches per inch and then round to the nearest multiple of 4 plus 3. For your example of a 6.5 inch wide scarf, 6.5 by 5.5 equals 35.75. The next lowest multiple of 4 is 32, plus 3 is 35, so you will need to cast on 35 stitches.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Thank you!
Hello!
I am a beginner knitter and I am struggling to finish this scarf because I am not sure what the instructions mean..
Binding off is clear to me, so I won’t be adding the ‘slip the first stitch over’ part.
Am I supposed to k3, p1, k3, p1 and so on or k3, p1, k1 and then repeat the ‘p1 k1’ part three times … Brackets confused me hahah
I’d be really happy to get a quick reply because I can’t wait to finish this scarf!
Hello Irena,
Thank you for reaching out! For this portion you will be purling one and knitting three, because you are repeating what is inside the brackets three time and then repeating from the *.
I hope this clears things up for you and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hello,
I’m making the No Purl Ribbed scarf and my daughter would like an infinity scarf, if possible. I’m a beginner knitter and have already started the scarf. Is it possible to finish this scarf in such a way that I can make it infinity for her? If so, do you have any suggestions?
I love this pattern and am also planning to make it in a wrap and blanket sizes 🙂
Thank you!
Hello Julia,
Thank you for reaching out- I’m so happy to hear that you are enjoying knitting this up! Once you have finished your scarf you can simply seam the two ends together to create an infinity scarf.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
This is what confuses me. I get the slip one purl wise, wyif, but do you THEN put the yarn in back to knit 3? I know that sounds crazy but that’s how I’d do it. Is that correct?
Hi Jana,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, that sounds like you have it! By slipping the first stitch with the yarn in front and then immediately moving the yarn in back for the knit stitches, it keeps the slipped selvage stitch very uniform along the edge of the scarf.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Can you tell me if this scarf pattern rolls on the sides?
Hi Chris,
Great question! This lovely stitch pattern lays perfectly flat, so your scarf will not roll up.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I love this stitch! Has anyone come up with a hat pattern to match?
Hi Lena,
Thanks for reaching out! We don’t have a hat in the No-Purl Rib pattern, but our Essential Hat is also written for the same weight yarn and would make a cozy accompaniment to the scarf. I will be sure to pass your request for a matching hat along to the design team!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I will second the request for a matching hat. Please!
Hi Ivan,
Thanks for reaching out! I will be sure to pass your interest along to the rest of the team!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi this is a really great pattern as I often suffer from massive slowdowns when patterns require frequent switching between knits and purls since I have small hand and haven’t mastered the right hand positions for doing so quickly. I was wondering how the pattern might change if one were trying to do this in the round? Cast on some amount of stitches divisible by 4 and just keep doing the row 1 pattern? I feel like ending a round on a slip stitch might be strange though…
Hi Megan,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately we do not have instructions for working this stitch in the round, but it couldn’t be done without purling. Since the same side of the work is always facing you while knitting in the round, you would have to purl some stitches every other row to get the same look. Although you don’t want to purl, our Mistake Rib Cowl has a very similar texture and is worked in the round.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Half way thru project and set aside for quite some time. Now ready to finish, but I cannot tell if I’m on row one or row two. Any advice?
Hi Betsy,
Thanks for writing in! The best way to determine which row you left on is by the last few stitches of the row. If you ended on row 1 the last 3 stitches should be knit. If you ended on row 2 then the last 2 stitches should b a slip 1 wyif, k1!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Thank you! I’ve got it now!
Do you still carry Alpaca Pure. If not what substitution would you suggest.
Thank you
Hi Michele,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately Alpaca Pure has been discontinued – I am so sorry about that! A good alternate yarn would be Worsted Twist or Cashmere Tend.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
How many skeins of Worsted Twist do I need for this pattern? Is it still size 8 needles?
Hi Borami,
Great questions! Worsted Twist has more yardage than the original yarn we used for this scarf, so you will need 3 (4) skeins. It is the same weight as Alpaca Pure, so you can use the same needle size and follow all the other pattern directions without making any changes!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Ok, wow! This is a substantial (and very lovely) scarf!
I’m knitting this for someone who is tiny, about 5’2″ and thin. I’m afraid the full 75″ may swamp her. For a smaller someone do you recommend the full length? Or something shorter?
thanks,
Susan
Hi Susan,
Thanks so much for the kind words! A good rule of thumb for choosing a scarf length is to make the scarf about equal to or a little longer than their height, which would be about 62 inches in this case. That should result in a scarf that’s long enough for a few wraps without trailing on the ground!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I’m thinking of knitting this in a sport weight yarn that has a suggested needle size of 3-5. Should I knit my gauge with a #8 or try one of the suggested sizes? I’m trying to figure out the number of cast on stitches using a different weight yarn. Thank you for your help!
Hi Anne,
Thanks for reaching out! This stitch pattern looks best when knit at a relatively tight gauge, so I would suggest choosing a needle that is on the smaller end of what is recommended for your yarn. After knitting a gauge swatch in pattern on a US 3 or 4 needle, you can then multiply your stitches per inch by 8.5 inches and round to the nearest multiple of 4 plus 3 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Thank you for your help! I had to take a break and now have time on my hands to get back to this! I’ve done a gauge sample in pattern but I’m really struggling to count stitches. Any hints?
Hi Anne,
It can indeed be quite tricky to measure your gauge in a textured pattern like this! If you have one, I would recommend using a hard ruler instead of a measuring tape, and keep in mind that if you get it correctly aligned parallel to a single row, the stitches immediately above the ruler should be groups of k2, p2. You can then count those groups of k2, p2 to see how many stitches you have in four inches.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Thank you so much!
Thank you for this! It is a wonderful stitch! I am a relative beginner but want to keep expanding the base of stitches I use. I’ve been stuck on the Mistake Rib for a while, so this is just perfect. It’s a beautiful texture and makes for quick knitting.
Love it.
I can’t wait to swing by your shop the next time I’m in the city!
Many thanks again!
Your No-Purl Ribbed Scarf pattern is beautiful! I’m not sure how to convert the pattern to knitting it in the round. Any possibility that you’ll offer this beautiful stitch some day as a cowl pattern? Thank you!
Hi Lynda,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately we do not have instructions for working this stitch in the round, but our Mistake Rib Cowl has a very similar texture and is worked in the round. I will certainly pass your request along to the design team!
I hope that helps!
Rather late to the party, but beautiful scarf. How many yards of a similar weight yarn is needed? Thanks.
Hi Jan,
Thank you so much for the kind words! We used 545 yards of yarn for our scarf.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello!!
Beautiful pattern, I am in the process of knitting one up!!
Was wondering if you have a matching hat pattern for it or if you could suggest one.
Thanks!!
Tasha
Hi Tasha,
Thank you so much for the kind words and for reaching out! We don’t have a hat in the No-Purl Rib pattern, but our Essential Hat is also written for the same weight yarn and would make a cozy accompaniment to the scarf. I will be sure to pass your request for a matching hat along to the design team!
Best,
Julianna
I would also like to request a pattern for the matching no-purl hat please 🙂
Thanks for such a lovely pattern, it’s perfect for a beginner knitter like myself. I have made it for my husband and was just wondering if you could recommend a particular method to weave in the ends of the yarn. Apologies if this has been asked previously, I’ve checked the other comments but may have missed one or two. Many thanks, Stephanie.
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you so much for the kind words! We don’t have a particular method we recommend for this scarf, but I would try weaving in the “purl” columns using the Vertical method from our Weaving In Your Ends tutorial. The Duplicate Stitch method would also work well, but might be tricky to adapt to the no-purl-rib stitch pattern, so I would try the vertical method first!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Thanks so much Julianna! That’s perfect.
Hi, I would love to try this but would like to add stripes of different colours. How can I do this neatly? Would I do a full row of knitting like with 2×2 ribbing to prevent the purl bumps?
Thanks
Hi Freya,
Thanks for writing in! You can certainly stripe this pattern, however it will have a distinct “front/right” side with a much clearer and more solid stripe than the back. To work stripes simply follow the pattern as above, switching colors after Row 2 (you can work stripes of 2, 4, 6, etc. rows). If you want to give it a try, I suggest working a small swatch first to see if you like it- Row 1 is your right side row, Row 2 is your wrong side!
I hope this helps, and happy knitting!
Gaby
Very good pattern thank you.
Hi there! I’ve just come across this pattern and love it but have already ordered 12ply yarn that I really want to use. I’m relatively new to knitting so am not sure how this is going to alter this pattern for me and would love if you could give me some advice 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Cian,
That’s a great question! I would recommend that you do a gauge swatch with your yarn to see how many stitches per inch you are getting. Then you will take this number and multiply it by the width you want your scarf. The original pattern is 8 1/2 inches wide. This will give you your cast on number, which you will need to adjust to be a multiple of 4 + 3 stitches.
I hope this helps!
Happy Knitting
Jessica
I am thinking about knitting this with a bulky yarn like misty alpaca. Is there a problem with that?
Thanks!
Hi Eden,
Thanks for writing in! You can easily modify this pattern to work with any weight of yarn! I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch in pattern using the needle size recommended on your yarn label. You can then multiply your stitches per inch by 8.5 inches and round to the nearest multiple of 4 plus 3 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
This pattern is fantastic! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I love the stitch, how it looks, how easy it is and so easy to memorize and read the knitting… plus no purling. what more could a knitter ask for?
Dear P. Soho, thank you for your lovely patterns and beautiful website – I regularly dip into it, such a wonderful diversion and so beautiful!
I love the no-ribbed purl and would love to knit it in the round do you have any advice on how to achieve – i have tried a couple of times, doubling the number of stitches but have not been successful – i would love to hear your tips?!
Hi Gabrielle,
Thank you so much for the kind words! Unfortunately, we do not have instructions for working this stitch in the round, and it would no longer be a no-purl stitch pattern. Since the same side of the work is always facing you while knitting in the round, you would have to purl some stitches every other row to get the same look. You may want to consider our Mistake Rib Cowl, which has a very similar texture and is worked in the round!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
This is beautiful! Could you help me modify this for your Mulberry Merino yarn? I think that’s more of a sport weight.
I’d appreciate suggestions for number of cast-on stitches and needle size?
Thank you!
Hi Camilla,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I think this scarf would look lovely in the Mulberry Merino! Since it is a sport weight you will need to adjust the gauge and cast on more stitches than recommended, making sure you still keep the stitch pattern working over a multiple of 4 + 3 stitches. Our All About Gauge Tutorial is a great resource to use. As for needle size, we recommend a US 4 – 6 (3.5 – 4.25 mm) for Mulberry Merino.
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
I’ve started this a few times and notice each time that once I get a few inches into the pattern, some of my slip stitches don’t make their ‘rib’ … I’m thinking I must be ‘spacing out’ and accidentally purling / fully knitting the stitch, rather than slipping… posting a comment in case anyone else had this happen or knows what I am doing wrong- thanks!
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for reaching out! What is likely happening is that when you slip the stitches you are not slipping them with the yarn in front but rather in the back which causes the stitch to not have a “purl”! Be extra sure that when you slip the stitch, the yarn is in front of the work and you wrap it around the front of the stitch before knitting the nest stitch!
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Gianna
Ahhhh thank you, Gianna!!!
I apologize if this has been covered. I want to add another color vertically. It seems like you did this in a pattern above. Would love any input on this…Thank you!!!
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! It may take a bit of trial and error to add another color in vertically since we don’t have written instructions for this technique, but I think you could certainly do it!
Please let us know how this turns out!
Warmly,
Gianna
What a beautiful and relaxing knit! I made this in Linen Quill and was initially worried it would be too stiff, but it worked up perfectly and has just the right drape. I’ve been wearing my new scarf daily and have since ordered some Line Weight to make the wrap version next. Thanks for the lovely pattern!
Hi Colleen,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this pattern and Linen Quill! It is such a beautiful yarn and works great for scarfs and wraps. I am sure you will also love Line Weight, it is scrumptious!
Please let us know how your wrap turns out!
Warmly,
Gianna
I’m a beginner knitter. Do you have a video tutorial for this scarf? Also, my needles are EU so 5mm. Thanks
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for reaching out! We do not have a tutorial for this scarf in particular, but you can find our full list of tutorials here: Tutorials!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi!
3 years ago this was my very first project as a scarf and it turned out great. I’m much more experienced now and am making sweaters for my kids and myself. Now I thought I’d use this pattern to make my husband a sweater but I’m struggling with the sleeves. How to keep up with the amount of stitches if I’m adding two stitches every 8 rows for example. I’ve been thinking hard the whole day. Do you have any suggestions on how to do this?
Hi Jess,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately this stitch pattern only works over a multiple of 4 + 3 stitches, so when increasing you will only be able to maintain the stitch if you are increasing within that multiple.
Warmly,
Gianna
I have a light worsted yarn that calls for a US 6-7 needle. I want to make this scarf for a tall man. I know he likes his scarves wide. Because of the texture of this scarf, even though I would use a smaller needle than the US8 in the pattern, if I make this wider than the 8.5″ will it be too bulky? He will probably fold it in half length wise and wrap it around his neck and pull the tails through. What is the widest you would suggest I go?
Hi Sloyka,
Thanks for reaching out! I think you could easily make this scarf wider than 8.5″ but I wouldn’t suggest going bigger than 10-12″ judging by the style he would likely wear the scarf! I would also recommend checking your gauge prior to beginning to ensure you are consistent with the pattern.
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
I don’t know if this helps anyone, but I just made this out of the new Partridge yarn. I used size 9 needles and cast on 39 stitches. Using 3 entire skeins of Partridge, it ended up being about 8” wide and 62” long. Partridge is super soft with not a hint of itchiness.
Hi Kathleen,
Thanks for writing in and sharing your suggestion! I am sure others will find this information very helpful. Partridge is such a lovely yarn, and I am happy to hear that it worked out for this pattern!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
I have been following the instructions but for some reason I do not see the pattern. With 47 stitches cast on:
So I knit 3; *slip1 with yarn in front, purlwise. Then knit 3
slip 1 with yarn in front, purlwise, Then knit 3 to end
On row 2. I knit 1, slip 1 (as above) knit 3. Until last 2 stitches where I slip 1wyif..knit 1
No pattern formed or lined up.
Am I misreading something? I have 12 rows completed.
Thank you very much ,
Jean
Hi Jean,
Thanks for reaching out. I sounds like you might be repeating the entire line of Row 2, instead of just the instructions within the asterisks! On Row 2, after you knit the first stitch, you’ll repeat just the following steps (slip 1 wyif, k3) until the final two stitches. Then, you’ll slip 1 wyif and then knit the final stitch.
If you’re still having trouble, I’d recommend sending a photo of your work to us at customerservice@purlsoho.com. That way we can visualize better what’s going on!
All the best,
Lili
I would like to use Super Bulky (6) yarn to make this scarf? What size needles should I use and how many stitches to cast on?
Hi Bea,
Thanks for reaching out with your question! Depending on what super bulky yarn you want to use, the recommended needle size is usually between a US 11- 17.
I’d recommend experimenting by knitting a few swatches on different needles to decide on the fabric density you like best. Once you decide on a needle, you can measure how many stitches per inch you are getting in that swatch. We have a tutorial here, All About Gauge, that might be helpful for your project!
You can then multiply your stitches per inch by the width you’d like the scarf to turn out in inches (our sample is 8.5″). The stitch pattern is worked over a multiple of 4 + 3 stitches, so you can round your number to the nearest multiple of 4, then add 3 to get your cast-on number.
I hope this helps, and please feel free to send any other questions our way!
All the best,
Carly