Speckled Scarf
In the world of mosaic knitting, the stitch pattern we chose for our Speckled Scarf is typically used as a calming background to offset more elaborate motifs. But we think, all by itself, this pattern has its own grace and beauty.
And it’s easy, too! Without ever having to handle more than one strand of yarn at a time, a simple combination of slip stitches emerges as a striking and textured fabric. In our beautiful Linen Quill, it is as warm, light, and gorgeous as a speckled feather!
If you’re new to color work or if you’d just like to take a fresh look at slip stitch patterns, start with our Speckled Scarf. It’s a super fun, and seriously beautiful, knit! –Kristy
UPDATE: NOW ALSO A WRAP IN LINEN QUILL + LINE WEIGHT
MARCH 2023
Adding even more depth and fascination to this textured fabric, we knit the Speckled Wrap using two of our fingering weight beauties: Linen Quill and Line Weight. Hearty wool-alpaca-linen Linen Quill and graceful 100% merino Line Weight: Together, they are light and warm, textured and soft. High contrast or low, bright or subdued, pick up a Speckled Wrap Bundle to knit your own swath of speckly beauty!
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, #PurlSohoSpeckledScarf, and #PurlSohoLinenQuill. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
NOTE: Due to a miscalculation, we originally recommended 2 skeins of Color A for this project when 1 skein should be just enough. We used nearly every yard to make our Scarf. To avoid running short, please reuse your swatch yarn, double check your gauge, and be conservative with tails!
- Color A: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. Each skein is 439 yards; approximately 439 yards required. We used Kettle Black.
- Color B: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill. Each skein is 439 yards; approximately 305 yards required. We used Pale Oats.
- US 3 (3.25mm) knitting needles, straight or circular
We think this color combination looks nice, too!
- Color A: Heirloom White
- Color B: Stillwater Blue
Gauge
30 stitches = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
Finished Measurements: 8 inches wide x 70 inches long
Notes
On all right side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in back.
On all wrong side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in front.
Pattern
With Color A, cast on 59 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1 (wrong side): With Color A, knit.
Row 2 (right side): With Color B, k1, *slip 1, k1, repeat from * to end of row. [See Notes, above, for slipping instructions.]
Row 3 (wrong side): With Color B, k1, *slip 1, knit 1, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 4 (right side): With Color A, knit.
Repeat Rows 1-4 until your scarf measures 70 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 4.
With Color A, bind off all stitches knitwise.
Weave in the ends, block as desired, and you’re done!
Just to clarify the slipping part: Always (both rows 2 and 3) slip purlwise. The yarn is in back on Row 2 and the yarn is in front on Row 3. Am I understanding this correctly? Thanks! So appreciate your patterns, yarn, and help!
Hi Carol,
Thanks for writing in! For this pattern, all stitches are slipped purlwise. On all right side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in back and on all wrong side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in front. No matter where your yarn is, you will be slipping purlwise!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I recently made this for my son in the Heirloom and Stillwater as suggested, and he loves it. He’d like a ribbed hat. Would this yarn work with your ribbed hat patterns, and would I need to change the needle size and gauge?
Thanks.
Hi Marcia,
Thanks for writing in! While we do not have a ribbed hat pattern written specifically for this yarn, it is interchangeable with our Line Weight. I think Linen Quill would be fantastic in either our Boyfriend Hat or Color Dipped Hat! You should always check your gauge just in case, but you shouldn’t have any problems getting the correct gauge for either of these patterns.
Good luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello,
I made this scarf last year and I love it! Now I want to make one for my Dad, and I can’t find the link to the tutorial that explained the slipstitching with yarns in the back and front. I’m hoping you can direct me to the link, because I’m a little confused and would love to see someone demonstrating to clarify it for me.
Kind regards,
Ursula.
Hi Ursula,
Thanks for writing in and for the kind words! Unfortunately we don’t have a video tutorial for slipping stitches; however, just remember that in this pattern, all stitches are slipped purlwise. On all right side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in back and on all wrong side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in front. No matter where your yarn is, you will be slipping purlwise!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
This pattern is gorgeous! I would like to make it for my son (aged 30) who lives in Boston and I’m thinking of using a really soft yarn as he is super sensitive to itching. As beautiful as Linen Quill is, I’m thinking of an alternative. Could you suggest another yarn that comes in colouways similar to the dark version in your illustration i.e. something like charcoal and oats? I would love to call in to choose for myself in but I live in Sydney Australia.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for writing, and what a wonderful present! Our Line Weight is a good substitute for Linen Quill and is unbelievably soft. It does not come in the exact same shades as Linen Quill, but I think Heirloom White and either Fieldstone Gray or Tabby Gray would be lovely together.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Thank you so much, Julianna. Line Weight looks absolutely gorgeous! Deb
Hello!
I am planning on making this scarf, and substituting the Line Weight yarn for Linen Quill. Do you recommend buying the same amount of skeins as the pattern calls for?
Thank you!
Nicole
Hi Nicole,
Great question! Line Weight has a just a bit more yardage than Linen Quill, so you will need the same number of skeins, but could make your scarf a few inches longer if you would like!
Best,
Julianna
I like the look of slipping the first stitch of every row to create a neater edge. How would that work with this pattern?
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for writing in! I think it would work well to cast on two extra stitches to slip at the beginning and knit at the end of each row and work the pattern as written between the extra stitches!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
I am swatching this in black and offwhite in a fingering weight Yarn. Could this be made successfully using a heavier Yarn?…DK or Worsted? If so, what needle size would be appropriate?
Anita
Hi Anita,
Thanks for writing in! I think this stitch pattern would look great and the color contrast would really pop in a heavier weight yarn! I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch in pattern using a needle either the size recommended on the yarn label on one size larger – this will both allow you to evaluate the fabric to see if you are happy with the needle and give you an opportunity to measure your stitches per inch so you can adjust the cast on of the scarf to suit your gauge!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hey,
I love the pattern – and think I will make it this Christmas as a gift.
I would like to make it using 6 ply Jade Sapphire – do you have a rough guestimate on how many skeins I would need using the gauge on a US6 needle?
Thank you for your help!
Kindly
Kim
Hi Kim,
What a lovely idea! To use 6 ply cashmere and a US 6 needle, you will need to gauge up the pattern. To do so, you will want to knit a gauge swatch in pattern to help determine your cast on! This pattern will work over an odd number of stitches! We used about 2 times the amount of color A as we did color B. With that in mind and a scarf of the same size, I think that you will need 3 skeins of A and 2 skeins of B. This should allow you to get a scarf of roughly the same size!
Best,
Cassy
Hi, I’m new to colorwork and am wondering how to attach color B. I’ve made multiple failed attempts – the color B strand keeps falling off. I’ve read that you can knit the last stitch of the Color A row with Color B, as a double stitch. Does that mean that stitch would remain a double stitch for the entire pattern?
Also – I knit a practice swatch and ended up with color B and the tail end of color A on the right, and it was a knit with color A row. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for reaching out! When it is time to join Color B, you don’t need to do anything special – just start knitting the first stitch with Color B! After the first stitch, although it may feel a bit loose, it should be fairly secure and you can tighten up the loose stitch at the edge when you are weaving in your ends. Working one stitch with both yarns held together is a great way to join a new ball of the same color – for instance, when you run out of you first skein of Color A and need to join the second one – but I do not recommend it for joining a new color, since that stitch will not match the rest of the color pattern. If you decide to use that method for joining your second skein of Color A, you will treat the double stranded stitch as a single stitch on the following row, so you will only have one stitch with doubled yarn.
When you are working the stitch pattern, it is a four row repeat and you will be working two rows of each color, so your yarn should always be in the correct spot to change colors. Is it possible that you stopped after row 4 or skipped a row? I would suggest trying again and keeping a close eye on which row and color you are using!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I’d like to make this scarf to wear with the Dappled Hat and Mittens Purl Soho pieces I’m also planning to make. Can I use Posy for this project instead of Linen Quill? If so, how many skeins should I buy and what adjustments are needed?
Thank you!!
Jewel
Hi Jewel,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, Posy would be a wonderful yarn to substitute for this pattern – since it is the same weight as Linen Quill, you can knit the pattern exactly as written! Even though it doesn’t have quite as much yardage as Linen Quill, you will still only need two skeins of Color A and one of Color B.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
HI, I love the look of this scarf and would like to make it for my son who requested a scarf in US Navy colors…navy blue and yellow gold, as he served in the Navy for 8 years. He would like a washable wool. Would you recommend this pattern and if so, what yarn would you suggest? Thank you, I appreciate your help.
Marian
Hi Marian,
Thanks for writing in! I think Tosh Merino Light in Candlewick and Thunderstorm would be lovely for this scarf and quite close to the colors you are looking for!
Best,
Julianna
I have two skeins of linen quill dark denim left over after making the end to end pullover. Thought that this scarf could be made with my left overs, but what color would you recommend to go with it? I love the yarn and the pullover worked out just great.
Hello Sue,
Thank you for reaching out. This is a great Idea! I think that Stonewall Gray or Gray Denim would both be lovely options.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi! I have two skeins of Stonewall Gray left, what would be nice colors to pair with it?
Hi Lotte,
Great question! Stonewall Gray is a very neutral gray, so you could choose almost any color to go with it! To stick with an overall neutral effect, you could use either Stillwater Blue or Heirloom White for Color B, depending on whether you want a dark or light colored scarf. You could also choose something brighter, like Dark Iris or Rhubarb Pink, for a pop of color!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I’m so glad I found this pattern! I’m using it with ombre and gradient yarns plus a solid in a complementary shade and knitting the stitch pattern lengthwise so the effect creates a lengthwise woven look when completed. I’ve also worked out how to use this stitch pattern in the round for a cowl. It’s a super effective look using a simple knitting technique. I’m on my fourth project! (galeu on Ravelry)
Hi! Knew to knitting. Is the the first row after I cast on the 57 stitches and do you have a tutorial on how to add yarn B?
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for writing in, and I do hope you are enjoying learning to knit! The cast on does not count as the first row, so after casting on 57 stitches with Color A, you will then follow Row 1, which has you knit all 57 stitches in Color A. We don’t have a tutorial for joining a new color, unfortunately, but it’s quite easy! At the beginning of Row 2, you will simply start knitting with Color B by looping it over the right hand needle. The first stitch will look quite loose and loopy, but once the scarf is done, you can pull on the tail of the yarn to tighten things up before you weave in your ends.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello,
I understand to slip each stick – however, you can slip them KNIT wise and I don’t know if that is the way it should be done… on some of the rows…
WHEN you have the WHITE yarn in back and you are knitting, do you slip the BLACK loop KNITWISE? (slip as if to knit)…
WHEN you have the WHITE yarn in front as you are knitting it seems that you DO want to slip the loop PEARLWISE.
Please let me know. I don’t want twisted stiches.
Thank you,
Jane
Please help!
Thank you,
Jane
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out! On all right side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches purlwise with yarn in back. And on all wrong side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches knitwise with yarn in front.
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi, do you think the Juniper Green with the Oatmeal Grey would also be a great match and have the same darkish overall look just more on the green side?
Thanks
Hi Ilias,
Thanks for writing in! I think Juniper Green and Oatmeal Gray would be a lovely combination! It should also have a similar contrast to the colors we chose since Juniper Green is much darker than Oatmeal Gray!
Please let us know how this turns out!
Gianna
I would like to make this scarf using a lightweight soft washable yarn. I need colors to go with a dark brown coat with a soft pale color faux fur trim on the hood. Can you make a recommendation for both a yarn and color?
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for writing in! I would recommend either Posy, Santolina, or Buttercup Cotton for your scarf. All of these yarns are safe to be machine washed and dried! As for colors, I always think that light blue and light pink go really nicely with brown, and we have a number of these shades in all three yarns! Hope this helps.
All the best,
Lili
If I want to change the width, what is the formula for casting on a different number of stitches? Ie is the total cast on stitches divisible by 2 plus 1?
Hi Saskia,
Thanks for reaching out. You’re absolutely correct, this pattern works over any odd number of stitches!
All the best,
Lili
Hi,
First if I love the pattern it’s so simple and so pretty and timeless! I also ordered your yarn for the first time and it is amazing! I appear to be rescuing the 70 inch length without using the second ball the darker color. Width is the same though so not sure why but I don’t mind:). First question, any recommendations about blocking the linen quill yarn and second what pattern would you recommend for a matching hat or beanie/hat using the second ball of dark and halfish of the lighter yarn. Thanks!
Hi Ilias,
Thanks for reaching out! My best guess is that your row gauge was a bit off and that is why you reached 70 inches without needing the 2ned skein.
As for blocking, I would recommend checking out our Blocking tutorial, this is the process we follow when blocking our samples! For a matching hat, unfortunately, we don’t have a coordinating pattern for this scarf, but we have some excellent hat patterns that use fingering weight yarn, you can find our full selecting here: Fingering Weight Hats
Just be sure to work a gauge swatch prior to beginning any pattern, to ensure that your gauge is consistent!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Yes that helps a lot, thank you! I certainly still need to learn about utilizing a swatch but either way the scarf turned out gorgeous! One thing I also noticed is that the scarf does curl up a little along the sites. Is that to be expected or could that be related to maybe too tight knitting? It can still be wrapped normal and the curl is barely noticeable. I did the herring bone scarf in Malabrigo Rios and that one curls a lot. It’s also still gorgeous and I love it but “uncurling” when putting on is a little annoying. Any tips or just how some patterns are?
Thanks a lot again and to anyone reading this, try out the linen quill! It’s a joy to knit and feels amazing.
Hi Ilias,
Thanks for your response! Blocking should help reduce the curling a lot if you haven’t tried that already. But I am so happy to hear that you have enjoyed using Linen Quill and so glad to hear that your scarf turned out gorgeous!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
I plan to knit this scarf for my grandson. I’m a bit confused – in 2018 both Cassy and Juliana said to slip all slipped stitched purlwise. But in 2020 Gianna said that on the right side rows slip all the slipped stitches purlwise with yarn in back; and on the wrong side rows slip all the slipped stitches knitwise with yarn in front. Can you clarify which is correct?
Also I’m thinking of using Posy in Bellflower Blue and Blue Dusk because I saw that it can be machine washed. What do you think of 2 shades of blue? Also the NOTE says to handwash each skein before rolling it into a ball. Is this necessary?
Thanks for helping.
Hi Gail!
Thank you for your question! I can confirm that all stitches in this pattern will be slipped purlwise, however where the yarn will be held while slipping these stitches is indicated by the notes section in this pattern:
NOTES
On all right side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in back.
On all wrong side rows, slip all of the slipped stitches with yarn in front.
I think Posy in Blue Dusk and Bellflower Blue would be excellent and cozy choices for this pattern as well! We include a note about handwashing these yarns before winding to rid the skein of any excess dye. Since you are using two similar colors, I wouldn’t be too concerned about this, however I would definitely suggest blocking your scarf after knitting to rinse through any excess dye for these saturated colors!
All the best,
Margaret
Another question – I am knitting with Posy. Do you think I should knit with a size 3 or 4 needle? And how many skeins would I need? I just realized that Posy has less yards than Linen Quill. I bought 2 of color A and 1 of color B but I think that might not be enough.
Hi Gail!
For this pattern, you would need 4 skeins of Posy for Color A, and 2 skeins of Posy for Color B when knitting at the gauge listed in this pattern. I would suggest knitting Posy with a size US 3 needle for your scarf, though you may want to swatch with different sizes of needles to see which size gets you closest to gauge!
Warmly,
Margaret
I need help with colors! I definitely want to use 2 skiens of high tide for my friend with blue eyes . What color should I pair with it? I was thinking: bird’s eye blue, wheat flour, or pale oats maybe?
Hi Angie!
Thank you for reaching out. We’d love to help with a color palette for your friend’s scarf! While we are unfortunately out of stock of Bird’s Egg Blue at the moment, I recommend Vintage Celadon as a great alternative to pair with High Tide. Pale Oats (which is a true warm white) and Wheat Flour (which is an even warmer white) are both great options as well, so you can’t go wrong with any color you choose!
All the best,
Margaret
Thank you so much! Color pairing is where is always struggle the most ❤️
You are very welcome, Angie, and we’re always happy to help if you have any other color pairing questions in the future!
All the best,
Margaret
Hi! I haven’t seen this question yet – it is not about the wrong side row slipped stitches, but rather the knit stitches following those slipped stitches. I know you move the yarn to the front, slip the stitch, and then do you put the yarn in the back to knit or knit with the yarn still in front? Thanks very much!
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out! You will bring the yarn back to the back of your work before you knit the stitch after the slipped stitch. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Wondering how Flax Down would translate to this pattern? Super cozy fluffy scarf/wrap for next winter? What do you think…Just test out gauge and change needle/stitches accordingly. Or do you think Flax Down is too thick? Would love some input before I invest time in this idea. Thank you!
I have cream and celadon, with celadon to be the primary color.
Donna
Hi Donna,
I think that Flax Down would make a super cozy scarf in this stitch pattern! However, the knit fabric will end up being quite thick, so it might be bulkier than you want. Since you already have the yarn on hand, I’d recommend knitting up a small swatch in the stitch pattern so you can get a feel for the density and texture. That way, you can directly see and feel if it would be something you’d enjoy wearing around your neck!
All the best,
Lili