Diagonal Twist Scarf
Knitting may be short on shortcuts, but our Diagonal Twist Scarf makes use of one of the rare few. Simple twist stitches mimic mini cables without the hassle and fuss of a cable needle. The outcome is a fascinating pattern and a truly elegant scarf!
In a repeat of just four easy rows, a refined chevron motif emerges, beautiful and perfectly unisex. The resulting fabric is hearty, warm, and especially soft in Purl Soho’s Alpaca Pure. We love the color Gray Fig here, so quiet and subtle but full of personality, like the Diagonal Twist Scarf itself.
If you’ve never worked twist stitches before, here is a simple place to start. And if you’re already a twist stitch pro, you’ll appreciate the practice. Either way, embrace one of knitting’s best shortcuts! – Kristy
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Kristina McGowan. Click here to see even more of Kristina’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoDiagonalTwistScarf. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 7 skeins of Purl Soho’s Alpaca Pure, 100% super baby alpaca. Each skein is 109 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 762 yards required. This is the color Gray Fig. (NOTE: We no longer offer Alpaca Pure, but choose from one of our other worsted weight yarns.)
- US 8 (5mm) knitting needles, circular or straight
- One stitch marker or scrap yarn
Gauge
22 stitches = 4 inches in the stitch pattern
Size
12 inches wide x 70 inches long
Notes
RT (Right Twist, worked over 2 stitches):
K2tog but leave the stitches on the left needle.
Knit into the first stitch again.
Slide both stitches off the left needle.
LT (Left Twist, worked over 2 stitches):
Knit into the back loop of the second stitch on the left needle but leave the stitch on the needle.
Knit the first and second stitch together through the back loop and slide them both off the left needle.
Pattern
Cast on 66 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Set-up Row: P33, place marker, p33.
Row 1 (right side): K1, RT (see Notes, above) to marker (16 times), slip marker, LT (see Notes, above) to last stitch (16 times), k1.
Row 2 (wrong side): K1, purl to last stitch, k1.
Row 3: K2, RT to one stitch before marker (15 times), k1, slip marker, k1, LT to last 2 stitches (15 times), k2
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Repeat Rows 1-4 until piece measures 70 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 4.
Bind off all stitches knitwise.
Weave in the ends and block as desired.
Gorgeous and just what I needed for this time of year. Happiest of New Years, PurlSoho, and my cart will be replenished after I replenish my coffers.
This is a beautiful, unique scarf, thanks for the pattern!
I’d like to substitute your Marino (the one with the silk fibers). Can you give me the details so that I can do this?
Thanks so very much!
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for writing! The scarf would be lovely in our Mulberry Merino, although your gauge will be finer and you will just need to knit up a small swatch to see how many stitches in pattern that you are getting per inch. Once you know what that number is, we can help you figure out how many stitches to cast on. The pattern is a multiple of 4 plus 2, and we would suggest a size 6 needle and 4 skeins of yarn. I hope this helps and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
How come the worsted weight says 7 skeins and this finer weight you are suggesting 4 skeins? I that a typo in the details?
Thank you,
Julie
Hi Julie,
Thanks for the question! This is not a typo! Our Alpaca Pure comes in at 107 yards per skein and Mulberry Merino comes in at 247 yards per skein. Additionally, because Mulberry Merino knits in a finer gauge, you will need more to make an equivalent size scarf.
I hope that this helps clear things up!
Cassy
Awesomeness. Heart.
Nor sure if you got my previous email. Do you ship to the UK and what are the costs if you do?
Hello, Katrina!
Thank you for writing in! We do ship internationally and our international shipping rates start at $26.50(USD). For more detailed shipping info please visit us here: https://www.purlsoho.com/shipping/. If you have further questions please let us know! Again, thank you for writing in.
Best,
Kumeko
Simply beautiful scarf. Thank you very much for sharing.
What a beautiful, classic design! And I love the stitches. Can’t wait to try this!
oh my goodness, you have done it again….what talent brews at Purl Soho.
Thank you so much for a substitute to any kind of wool. I cannot wear any wool and cotton or a softer silk is great for me. Thanks for the beauty today.
What a
Beautiful scraf, I’m going to make
This for next year
What cast-on and bind-off did you use for this scarf?
Hi Lynn,
The cast on was a long tail cast on, and the bind off was just a basic knit bind off. I hope this helps! Thanks for writing!
Kristy
Hi! I just bought a sweater with edging that looks like this and I have been studying it closely.. I’m so happy you guys posted this pattern!
I’ve recently gotten into double knitting to create double-thick scarves that are identical on the front and back. Do you think this pattern could work for double knitting? Maybe if I adjusted the stitches on my working needle to alternate between front and back every two stitches instead of every other?
Thank you!
Hi, Whitney!
Thank you for writing in! We are sorry for the delayed response! I am not certain how this would work for double knitting, adjusting the stitches as you described might work. Have you tried it? Please let us know.
Best,
Kumeko
LOVE this! It feels unisex to me and so will be even more versatile. Stitch patterns like this one yields such beautifully dense fabric — it’s my favorite thing to work on. Thank you!
Hi – I’d like to do this with around a narrower width. Can you help convert the stitch count for a 8 or 10-inch width? Thanks!
Hi Nancy,
For the scarf to have an approximate 8″ width, you could cast on 42 stitches, Set-up Row: P21, place marker, p21.
Row 1 (right side): K1, RT to marker (10 times), slip marker, LT to last stitch (10 times), k1. Row 2 (wrong side): K1, purl to last stitch, k1. Row 3: K2, RT to one stitch before marker (9 times), k1, slip marker, k1, LT to last 2 stitches (9 times), k2. Row 4: Repeat Row 2
For the scarf to have an approximate 10″ width, you could cast on 54 stitches, Set-up Row: P27, place marker, p27.
Row 1 (right side): K1, RT to marker (13 times), slip marker, LT to last stitch (13 times), k1. Row 2 (wrong side): K1, purl to last stitch, k1. Row 3: K2, RT to one stitch before marker (12 times), k1, slip marker, k1, LT to last 2 stitches (12 times), k2. Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Good luck and thanks for writing!
Kristy
Question: Do the sides curl on this scarf?
Hi Margaret!
Thanks for writing! For our sample, there was slight curling before the scarf was wet-blocked. The Alpaca Pure we used responds very well to blocking and the piece dried flat and has stayed that way. The scarf has a one-stitch garter border on each side and to further downplay any possible curling, you could also add another stitch or two to the sides if needed. I hope this helps and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
Just what I needed! I was looking for a simple scarf to highlight some specialty yarn I found at Yarn Crossing in Louisville. I think this is it – thank you.
i love the diagonal twist scarf, and am anxious to knit it. However, i don’t have the information for the setup row or where to place the markers. pattern says pg.33. i don’t have that pg. thank you for your generosity in providing the pattern.
Hi,
The Set-up Row is just: Purl 33 stitches, place a marker, purl 33 stitches. Hope this helps and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
Beautiful! With that much purling, looks like a perfect project to use Portuguese knitting, since the yarn around your neck or a pin makes it easier to purl, no?
Hi Sue,
The project seems like it would be great for Portuguese knitting, and the ease with which one purls using that method! Thank you so much for writing and for your interesting comment!
Kristy
What a beautiful, interesting pattern. I am a fan of your Worsted Twist; would the results/ gauge be similar?
Hi Renee,
The Worsted Twist would also be a beautiful choice of yarn for this scarf! The Alpaca Pure has more weight to it, but yes, the gauge and look would be similar. Please let us know if you have any further questions and thanks for writing with this one!
Kristy
Another beautiful pattern! Thank you so much! So much fun and cozy to do with a snowstorm approaching this weekend!
Hi there – just checking with this pattern, in row two do you mean (K1, P1) repeat until final stitch and then K1? or is the whole row knit, then a purl then a knit? I think its probably the first but just wanted to double check
Hi Susan,
For Row 2, you will knit the first stitch, then purl to the last stitch (which will be 64 total stitches purled) and then knit the last stitch (for a total of 66 stitches). I hope this helps clarify! Please let us know if you have any further questions! Thanks for writing!
Kristy
Can’t wait to try it, love it, thanks
Well had to try this pattern when I got home.tonite that’s what I did a very neat pattern I rather enjoy doing it.
Thanks
Hello, sorry to bother you but do you have the instructions in french cause i don’t understand it very well in english ?
Thank you
Hello, Gabrielle!
Thank you very much for writing in! Unfortunately, we do not have a French translation of the pattern. We are quite sorry that we can’t be of more help!
Best,
Kumeko
Lovely stitch. Thank you for sharing.
What is the difficulty level for knitting this beautiful scarf?
Hi Nancy,
Knowing how to knit two stitches together and knit into the backs of stitches to create twists would typically fall in the advanced beginner/intermediate range of difficulty. We hope this helps and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
If I were to repeat this pattern a few more times across the row (bunch of right twists, bunch of left twists, bunch of right twists,etc.) do you think that the pattern would translate well to a baby blanket? So like a crazy narrow chevron pattern?
Hi Johanna,
The pattern would make a lovely baby blanket, although it’s important to note that our sample benefited from being made in our Alpaca Pure yarn, the weight and softness of which allowed it to block beautifully flat. If worked in another yarn for a baby blanket, we would just encourage you to knit up a swatch and see if you have any curling. If you do, you could easily add a border of garter stitch or any non-curling stitch pattern as a border. Please let us know if you have any further questions and thanks for writing!
Kristy
Hello,
Thank you for this lovely pattern.
As I am a French speaker (and beginner in knitting), I would like to clarify some explanations in the pattern:
does “P” means “purl stitch”?
does “K” means “knit stitch”?
so P1 means “purl 1 stitch” and P2 means “purls 2 stitches”?
also, wouls you have a video for the RT and LT?
Many thanks in advance!
Hello, Caroline!
Thank you so much for writing in! You are correct, P means purl and K knit! So, p1 means purl 1 stitch and p2 means purl 2 stitches and so on. Unfortunately, we don’t currently have a video tutorial for the RT and LT stitches, sorry!
Again, thank you for your question and if you have further questions, please let us know!
Best,
Kumeko
Bonjour Caroline,
Je me permets d’écrire en français.
Sur YouTube il existe plein de vidéos qui aident bien. Même si vous ne comprenez pas les explications il suffit de suivre la démonstration.
J’espère avoir pu aider.
Christine
Why am I unable to pin this to my Pinterest knitting board? I really love this pattern
Hi, Elizabeth!
Thank you so much for writing in! I am not sure why you are not able to pin this pattern. We do have a Pinterest page (https://www.pinterest.com/purlsoho/purl-soho-knitting/) and once put this pattern up (which will be soon) you might have better luck pinning the pattern from there. If you have futher questions please let us know!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
Lovely scarf, but wow, $182 and change for materials. Nice to look at though.
Hello, Kim!
Thank you so much for writing in and we hear you! We totally understand that sometimes our yarn suggestions are more of an inspiration than a reality for many people. We are always happy to recommend less expensive (but still beautiful!) alternatives. In this case, we suggest that you try our Worsted Twist (https://www.purlsoho.com/yarn/knitting-crochet/worsted-twist.html) or Woolfolk’s Far (https://www.purlsoho.com/yarn/knitting-crochet/far.html). If you have further questions please let us know!
Thank you so much for asking. We’re sure that lots of other readers will thank you, too!
Best,
Kumeko
Looks like I know what my next project is going to be! Absolutely beautiful scarf. My only question is does your alpaca pure yarn shed?
I am in love with alpaca yarn, but every scarf I’ve knit with it is almost unwearable!
Is there any solution to alpaca yarn shedding?
Hello, Lauren!
Thank you so much for writing in! Also, thank you for your kind words! Like all natural fibers, our Alpaca Pure does shed. However, I find that if you run over the fabric every so often with a sweater comb (like this one https://www.purlsoho.com/d-fuzz-it-sweater-comb.html) the shedding is managable.
Again, thank you for your question and happy knitting!
Best,
Kumeko
I’m so in love with the look of this scarf! Do you have any tips for keeping the RT stitches tighter? I’ve started it 3 or 4 times now and am having some trouble getting the RT and LT sides to look even. I tried loosening the LT stitches to match but it doesn’t look as neat and tidy then. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Also, one of the above comments says the pattern is any multiple of 2+2 stitches (i.e. any even number), but should it be any multiple of 4+2 stitches? I had started a swatch with 20 stitches which didn’t work because I think you need an odd number of stitches on each side of the stitch marker.
Thanks for creating all of these lovely patterns and taking the time for everyone’s comments/questions!
Hi Erika!
The first few rows of twist stitches can be vexing! Please know that if your stitches are looking a bit loose at the outset, this is not uncommon! It can happen on your first few rows that your twist stitches just don’t appear as tidy and neat as you’d like them to be and although this can be frustrating, you should see them becoming more defined and neater after a few rows. Much like Brioche or Fisherman’s Rib, sometimes, it takes a few rows until the stitches settle in and look as they should.
And thank you for your help in clarifying the stitch multiple! To work the Right and Left Twists, you will need to have a multiple of 2 stitches, and there are two border stitches for the scarf (one on each side) but as you correctly point out, the number of stitches on either side of your marker needs to be an odd number in order for the pattern to work. We’ll make sure that this is made clear and do appreciate your keen eye! Please let us know if you have any further questions and thanks for writing!
Kristy
I was having a terrible time with the left twist stitches until I tried purling them “in a funny way” so that on the knit rows those stitches were already twisted on the needle in a much better position for working into the backs of the stitches. I knit continental style, and before I changed my purling technique, I could hardly get the right hand needle into the backs of the stitches for left twist; also my alpaca/wool 2 play yarn is prone to splitting, which made matters worse. Hope this helps someone else too!
Totally just used this to learn twists. Love the step by step pics, I’d be lost without them. Now to decide which stitch to learn next. Any suggestions?
Hi Katie,
We’re so glad the tutorial photos helped! A stitch you might also enjoy is Mistake Rib, which we used for our Mistake Rib Cowl (https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2016/02/01/mistake-rib-cowl/). It’s lovely and easy to work. Good luck and thanks for writing! Please let us know if you have any further questions!
Kristy
Hi
My Right twist stitches are not making a diagonal pattern but my left twist stitches are making a diagonal pattern. Any idea what I could be doing wrong?
Thanks
Toni
Hi Toni,
Thanks for writing and very sorry for the delayed response! It can often be the case with left twist stitches that you don’t notice their diagonal slant until you’ve worked a good few inches. If you have worked a fair amount of the pattern and are still noticing that your stitches don’t look the way they should, please let us know and we’ll try to find another way to figure out what might be happening!
Kristy
This is a gorgeous scarf! I was wondering if you had instructions for how to knit this with two different colored yarns. I saw a cowl like this in a store today with the “v” stripes one color and the in between stitches in another. It was really striking. I thought maybe I would try all of the purl row stitches in the opposite color and see how that worked out then I realized that I would have a million tails to weave in. Any suggestions?
Hi Martha,
Thanks for writing! We haven’t tried this pattern with two colors, but you could try working the Set-Up Row, and Rows 1 and 2 in one color and then Rows 3 and 4 in another. You could then just alternate, working Rows 1 and 2 in one color and 3 and 4 in another. This would allow you to carry your yarn up the side of your work and not have to break it each time you change colors. We’re sending good luck and would love to see what you come up with!
Kristy
Hi, I love this pattern, certainly th the yarn you used it reflects light beautifully. Can you tell me what cast on you used? It sets off the pattern very nicely.
Hi Jeanne,
Thanks for writing! We used a long tail cast on for the scarf! Happy knitting!
Kristy
I love this pattern, and the twists are turning out to be easier than I thought, however my edges are curling under, and I notice in your photos that yours do not. Is this because of the type of yarn? I didn’t have the alpaca so I’m just using an acrylic wool. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Hi Rosario,
The scarf may have a tendency to curl! Ours did slightly before blocking, and yes, the fact that the yarn we used was alpaca seems to have helped it to dry flat. Acrylic can bit a bit trickier to block, but here are a few links that may helpful in showing you how! http://www.chroniclesofacoldtexan.com/how-to-block-acrylic-yarn/ and http://a-modicum-of-ingenuity.blogspot.com/2012/03/tutorial-blocking-acrylic-yarn.html Thanks for writing and good luck!
Kristy
Could this be done with your flax down yarn?
Hi Maura,
You can certainly substitute Flax Down for Alpaca Pure in this instance. You will need 4 skeins of Flax Down. I would recommend doing a gauge swatch to be sure that you are getting the correct number of stitches per inch. You should get roughly the same number of stitches per inch using the recommended needle size.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
do you think this will modify to knit in the round to make a cowl? I thought if I knit a round after the twist stitch row that would mimic the purl row on the wrong side.
Hi Randi,
Thanks for writing and very sorry for the delayed response! Although we haven’t tried working the pattern in the round, in theory it should work as you describe, working a knit round after the twist stitch rows instead of purling. Have you given it a try yet? Please let us know how it turns out!
Kristy
Good evening
I will wish your splendid knit twist scarf but my English is not
unfortunately not a good enough leves
could you help me to translate your
explanations ?
thank you very much
Hi Celestine,
We’re very sorry but we don’t currently offer translations of this pattern. Perhaps this website (and information on translating knitting terms) might be helpful: http://www.knittingfool.com/Reference/Translations.aspx. Thanks for writing in!
Kristy
Hello,
I’ve started this pattern several times and I keep having the same problem. Once I get to the third row it seems like everything is knitted too tightly and I can’t manage to get my needles under the second stitch in the second part of the twist stitch (for either side) without the yarn breaking from the force. I think it might be me knitting too tightly. Any tips on knitting more loosely? Or any ideas on what I could be doing wrong?
Hi Alizabeth,
Thanks for writing! Sorry to hear that you’ve been having trouble! There are a few things you can try to knit more loosely! The first is that you want to be sure that you’re using a needle that’s well-suited in size to the yarn that you’ve chosen (the suggested needle size will be listed on your yarn label). Using a needle that’s too small can cause your knitting to be too tight, and a quick fix to start might be to try using a larger needle.
It can also help to switch to metal needles if you’ve been using wood or bamboo. Metal can help your knitting slip off your needles a bit easier!
Another thing that also commonly causes tight knitting is not pushing the stitches down far enough on your receiving needle. Making sure to get them fully onto the needle, past the tapered end before making another next stitch can help you to maintain good tension. If you tighten your stitches on the point of your needle, they can end up being far too tight on the body of the needle.
I hope this helps! Good luck!
Best,
Kristy
What are your guidelines for making this and other of your lovely patterns for sale on an Etsy store? I am a new Etsy store owner and am looking for patterns I can knit for the store.
Thanks,
Marie
Hi Marie,
Thank you so much for your interest in our Diagonal Twist Scarf pattern. Unfortunately, all items made from our patterns cannot be sold. All of our patterns are copyrighted and are intended for personal home use only. We hope you understand.
Thank you for getting in touch,
Kristy
I am not sure of what the abbreviation RT or LT is in rows 1 and 2. I love the look of the scarf.
Hi Penny,
Thank you for writing in! RT and LT mean right twist and left twist in this pattern. You can see how to do these stitches in the notes section of the pattern. This scarf is such a fun knit!
-Adam
How much do we cast on I don’t find it i the pattern instructions.
Hi Sarah,
You’ll cast on 66 stitches to start! Hope this helps! Thanks for writing in.
Kristy
Thanks a lot for this unique pattern: just wanted to know out of curiosity, can this pattern be knit in two colors? If so, could you be kind enough to tell me the changes I have to do. Sorry to give you so much trouble & thank you again!!
Hi Pritha,
Great question! You could certainly knit this scarf in more than one color. The effect would be that you would have blocks of color or stripes across the diagonals. Due to the way this scarf is constructed you would be unable create stripes that follow the diagonals on the stitch pattern. I have seen one or two color block versions of this scarf and they are lovely as well!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I received a gift of some beautiful black alpaca yarn and I am looking for the right project but am having trouble find a pattern that will work with the very dark color. Do you think this would work?
Hello, Regina!
Thank you for writing in! Often stitch patterns can get lost in dark colors, however, I think the chevron stitch pattern of the Diagonal Twist Scarf would look lovely in black. I recommend knitting a test swatch before committing to making the whole scarf just to make certain that you like it! Please let us know if you have further questions.
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
I just finished a snood in black yarn with Celtic cable pattern – it looks very beautiful.
Lovely pattern and I’m looking forward to knitting it.
Is there any possibility you could start adding metric measures to your patterns? The english and european blogs I follow (as well as local NZ ones) supply both metric and american measures and needle sizes; it would be great if I could stop scurrying to my conversion tables each time I consider one of your patterns
Hi Beverly,
Thanks for the suggestion! I’d be happy to mention your request! Thank you again and we will consider this for future projects!
-Adam
Hi,
Is the set up row Row 1 or we set up the row while casting?
Best regards,
Yinn
Hi Yinn,
Thanks for writing in! The set-up row is completed after you cast on. For the pattern you will knit the set-up row only once and then repeat row 1-4 for the pattern.
I hope that this clear things up!
Cassy
Can this be worked with a provisional cast-on and then joined to make an infinity loop?
Hi Mary,
Thanks for the question! Yes, this absolutely can be done! I think it’s a great idea. Best of luck!
-Adam
I was hoping to do this in DK weight yarn, do you reckon the pattern would show through as well?
Thanks!
Hi Rebecca,
Great idea! I think that the pattern would still be evident using DK weight! Just be sure to use an appropriate size needle for your yarn and you should be good to go!
Happy knitting!
Cassy