Broken Garter Scarf, Now in Wheat Flour
Back to basics! In “broken” columns of garter stitch, this single-row-repeat pattern creates a wonderfully textured and incredibly simple-to-knit scarf.
The soothing hypnotism of our Broken Garter Scarf pairs perfectly with our lustrous Mulberry Merino. Under the shine of this yarn, the texture ignites, and in our new heather-ed Wheat Flour color, the result is subtle and very elegant.
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Fooling all those who admire it, this classic scarf is a stunner that no one would guess could be knit by a total beginner! -Laura
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoBrokenGarterScarf. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 3 skeins of Purl Soho’s Mulberry Merino, 80% extra fine merino wool and 20% mulberry silk. Approximately 554 yards required. We used Wheat Flour.
- US 5 (3.75mm), straight or circular needles
Gauge
22 stitches = 4 inches in garter stitch
Size
Finished Dimensions: 9 inches wide x 78 inches long
Pattern
For the free pattern, please visit our original Broken Garter Scarf post.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
What is the yardage for a skein of this yarn?
Hi Sue,
Thanks for writing in! Mulberry Merino has 247 yards per skein. For more details about any of our yarns, you can refer to the Product Details tab on the product page for each yarn!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
What is a good non-wool yarn, for this?
I’m allergic to wool.
Hi L. Friedman,
Thanks for writing in! I’m sorry to hear about your wool allergy! The great thing about this pattern is that you can easily modify to work with any yarn. This pattern is worked over a multiple of 6 + 1 stitches so long as you adhere to that formula, you can change to any yarn that you would like! I think that it would be lovely using Euroflax or Cotton Pure. In both cases, it would be wise to knit a gauge swatch to see how many stitches per inch you are getting and adjust the cast on number accordingly!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Wow, what a beautiful and yet so simple scarf! Thank you for sharing this with us knitters.
By following the pattern you provide, I find that I am achieving an accordian pattern instead. ( It does not look like the scarf as photographed, so I am writing to ask for assistance to produce the pattern as shown. Perhaps it may be another pattern or perhaps I am reading and doing it wrongly. I would be very grateful if you could help me.
Hi Polly,
Thanks for writing in! That is curious indeed! Do you have the correct number of stitches on the needle? We would be happy to look at a picture to try to help out! Please send a picture and a description to [email protected] and we will do our best to help!
Best,
Cassy
I’d like to make a baby blanket from this pattern. Can you tell me the number of stitches to cast on? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for writing in! The number of stitches that you will cast on for a baby blanket depends on the size that you are hoping to make the blanket. This pattern is worked over a multiple of 6 + 1 stitches at a gauge of 22 stitches = 4 inches in garter stitch (or 5.5 stitches per inch). So if you wanted to make a blanket that was roughly 40 inches wide, 5.5 stitches x 40 inches= 220. To make this fit our forumla above you would cast on 223 stitches (6 x 37 = 222 + 1 = 223).
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I have loved working in the Mulberry Merino!
Would also like to make this into a baby blanket-would you kindly advise how many skeins I would need? Many thanks!
Hi Donna,
Thanks for writing in! The number of stitches that you will cast on for a baby blanket depends on the size that you are hoping to make the blanket. This pattern is worked over a multiple of 6 + 1 stitches at a gauge of 22 stitches = 4 inches in garter stitch (or 5.5 stitches per inch). So if you wanted to make a blanket that was roughly 40 inches wide, 5.5 stitches x 40 inches= 220. To make this fit our forumla above you would cast on 223 stitches (6 x 37 = 222 + 1 = 223).
For a 40×40 blanket, you will need roughly 7 skeins of Mulberry Merino.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I’m making this scarf using the rose granite yarn suggested for the jasmine scarf. As I’m working on it, I’m wondering what would be a good color to wear it with.
Suggestions for coat and/or sweater?
Thanks,
Brenda
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for writing in! Being a New Yorker, I would say that gray or black would be the best choice! But this color could also go well with a cool toned brown! I take the scarf with you when shopping to see what would work best!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I cannot get this to look like the picture. As I understand the pattern, I cast on 49, then knit row one.
Then follow row 2 and then repeat only row 2 til finished? It doesn’t work. Help!
Hello Beverly,
So sorry to hear that your project is not working out! Your numbers are correct. Unfortunately it can be a bit tricky to say what could be going wrong without seeing your project. What looks deferent in your scarf than the pictures? Are you remembering to slip the first stitch of every row? I hope I can help!
Warmly,
Marilla
I think your mistake may be just repeating row 2! You need to knit odd rows and do the pattern on the even rows! Hope that helps!
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for writing in! The beauty of this pattern is that it is just one row (row 2) repeated every row for the whole of the scarf! After you complete row 1 once, every row will be worked as row 2. Alternating rows 1 and 2 would make a lovely pattern but would differ from the texture that you see here.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi,
Love your patterns and colour choices – what ply looks like 5 ply is the Muberry Merino/silk?
Monica
Hello Monica,
Thank you for your kind words! Mulberry Merino has a gauge of 5.5 – 6.5 stitches per inch when knit with US 4 – 6 (3.5 – 4.25 mm) Needles and would be considered a sport weight in the US or could be considered a 5 ply in the UK or Australia.
I hope this answers you question!
-Marilla
I love this scarf and would like to use Jagger Spun Wool from Maine natural fiber 50% wool 50% silk would 2 skeins 248 yards each be enough?
Hi Brooke,
Thanks for writing in! For this lovely scarf, we used roughly 554 yards of our Mulberry Merino. You have about 496 so you would be a little shy. You could make the scarf a little shorter or you could cast on 43 stitches instead of 49 and should be able to get the length that we have here!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Can I make this scarf in Understory yarn or do you recommend the Mulberry merino?
Hi Amy,
Thanks for writing in! I think that this scarf would be lovely in Understory! As always when using an alternate yarn, I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch to ensure that you like the fabric as written. You may need to go up a needle size as Understory is more tightly plied and ever so slightly thicker than Mulberry Merino!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Hi! I am so happy I found this gorgeous garter stitch project! However, I knit Portuguese style and wanted to purl rather than knit throughout. Any advice?
Hi Aya,
Thanks for reaching out! Converting this pattern to purls should be possible. I would suggest knitting up a few small swatches to work out the pattern. In theory, you should be able to just reverse the pattern.
Currently the pattern reads:
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Slip 1 knitwise, * k2, p1, k3, repeat from * to end of row.
I would suggest trying:
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: Slip 1 purlwise, * p2, k1, p3, repeat from * to end of row.
Give a go and let us know how it turns out!
Best,
Cassy
Can I do this scarf with the Lantern yarn? Same size 5 needles? And are 3 skeins sufficient?
Thank you!
Hi Micaela,
Thanks for writing in! Lantern is quite different from the Mulberry Merino we used in this scarf, but you could use it with a few adjustments! I would suggest trying a gauge swatch on a US 7 needle and rounding your stitches per inch to the nearest multiple of 6 plus one extra stitch to get your cast on number. You will need 4 skeins of Lantern for a similar sized scarf.
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
I’m new to knitting and I love this pattern! I am having trouble though. The pattern doesn’t seem to come through for me. It looks like an ongoing garter stitch even though I am following the pattern given with the purl stitch inserted. Any ideas on what may be going wrong? Thank you!
Hello Rachel,
Thank you for reaching out! I will say that the stripe is subtle if you are looking closely at your knitted piece, especially if you don’t have a lot knit up. It is also harder to see in the beginning if you are knitting with a darker color. That being said there should, of course, be a change in pattern. It is hard to say of you are on the right track or not without seeing it in person. If you would like, feel free to send us a photo to [email protected] and we can take a closer look!
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Re: Broken garter scarf…how many cast on stitches…needles size …amount of yarn …to substitute 2ply Jade Sapphire cashmere…thanks…Janet
Hello Janet,
Thank you for reaching out! To make the Broken Garter Scarf in 2ply Cashmere you will need two skeins. This yarn is a lace weight so you will want to use a US1-US3 needle depending on your tension. I would recommend trying out a couple of sizes to find a tension that you are happy with. Once you decide on a needle size you can knit a gauge swatch to see how many stitches per inch you are getting and from there you can figure out a cast on for your scarf. You will just need to be sure that your cast on a multiple of 6 + 1 stitches. For example 6 x 8 = 48 and 48 +1 = 49.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Please explain what the term knitwise means. Thank you
Hi Shirley,
Thanks for reaching out! These means to insert your needle into the indicated stitch from front to back, as if you were going to knit it.
Best,
Julianna
I would like to double the width for a wrap. How many skeins would I need? What would the total yardage be? Thanks.
Hello Mary,
Thank you for reaching out- this is a lovely idea! I would reccomend about 1,010 yards to double this project.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi! I’ve been working this pattern with a variety of needles to get the right gauge. Finally got that part settled in. While I am enjoying the pattern and the reward of finishing each row with three knits (so you know your count was right), I’m not getting anywhere near the definition of the pattern pictures in the blog post. You can vaguely see that there is a difference every five knits, but it doesn’t have the impression I was hoping for. I am a relatively new knitter and both my knitting teacher and I were excited that this pattern would be a good one to practice my skills on, so I’d appreciate any tips you can give me.
Hello Brian,
Thank you for reaching out, I’m happy to hear you are enjoying this pattern! This pattern often takes a few inches before the lines become more distinct, particularly if you are knitting it up in a darker color. The only thing that would disrupt the line is if you were off on your placement of your purl stitches, but it sounds like you are being very carful not to do this so I think you will begin to see a more distinct line after you are a few more inches into your project.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
You are right!!! The pattern came clear after another few inches, even with the dark color yarn. Next time I will think about color selection before I start. I also have noted that purling a little tighter than I usually do, next to the surrounding “looser” knits looks great.
Hi Brian,
This is fantastic! I’m so happy to hear this. 🙂
-Marilla
This is a lovely scarf. Could your Understory yarn be used with this pattern? Would it have the same stitch definition? Thank you very much.
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for reaching out! Understory has excellent stitch definition and I think it would be wonderful yarn to use for this scarf! I would, however, recommend knitting a gauge swatch since it is just a bit thinner than Worsted Twist and you might prefer it on a smaller needle.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Is there a way to keep the short ends of the scarf from stretching out? Doing an I-cord cast on? Some other stitch? Thank you for any suggestions.
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for reaching out! If the ends are becoming wider than the middle of the scarf after it is worn a few times, it probably just needs to be washed and re-blocked back to its original rectangular shape. If, however, you are noticing this issue before wearing, you could try casting on tighter by using a smaller needle or using a cast on with less elasticity, such as a Cable Cast On.
Best of luck, and I hope that helps!
Julianna
Thank you, Julianna! I did the cable cast-on and really like the way it looks. What do you suggest for the bind-off end? I had assumed there was a cable cast-off but can’t find one. Thanks for your continuing help.
Hi Leslie,
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for writing in! I believe I may have already answered your question on another post, but a basic bind off worked in pattern matches the cable cast on perfectly!
Best,
Julianna
Hi,
Would this pattern look good in a fingering weight yarn, like Linen Quill or Line Weight, or Madelinetosh Merino Light? I think I can do the math to size up the number of stitches, but I wondered if the stitch definition would be effective in the finer yarn? Thanks,
Susan
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! As long as you use a needle size appropriate for your yarn and don’t choose a very dark or variegated color, this stitch pattern should be just as lovely in a finer gauge!
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how your scarf turns out!
Julianna
I can’t find the pattern..Help
Hi Rosie,
Thanks for reaching out! You can find the pattern in our original Broken Garter Scarf story!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello
I am new to your web site. Where do I choose a different color yarn for the broken garter scarf pattern.
Thanks so much
Tobi
Hi Tobi,
Thanks for reaching out! You can shop all our colors of Worsted Twist by clicking right here!
Best,
Julianna
I think your yarns are beautiful; I was wondering whether they were available to purchase anywhere in the UK?
Hi Jacky,
Thank you so much for the kind words! We ship worldwide, and you can view our rates and shipping methods on our Shipping page!
Best,
Julianna
So quick and easy
Hi :
I am having a terrible time with this pattern, I have knitted through several rows and have taken out more that I can even count. One row will look great, the next row looks awful. I can’t figure out what is wrong. Could it be I have riped out so much that I don’t know what side I am on. Please help, any suggestions would help before I trash it
Thanks,
Ruth
Hi Ruth,
I’m so sorry to hear that the pattern is causing you some frustration! What always helps me when I’m trying to learn a new pattern is to use a removable stitch marker a the beginning of the row where I need to pay attention (in this case, row 2). If you don’t have a removable stitch marker, you can also just tie or weave in a small piece of contrasting thread on that side of the scarf. For me, that gives a reminder of which row I’m on, because it will be right there when I start row 2, for example. I hope this helps, please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help you with your project.
Best,
Cassandra
Would you be able to recommend a cashmere yarn to substitute for this pattern, or do you even recommend doing this? If you do recommend how many skeins would I need? Thank you
Hi Cari,
Thanks for writing in! This pattern would be beautiful in cashmere! A few options would be Cashmere Merino Bloom (4 skeins) or Jade Sapphire 6 ply (4 skeins). This pattern is worked over a multiple of 6 + 1 stitches, so swatching first would be a great idea. Hope this helps!
Happy Knitting
Jessica
I love this scarf! Interesting pattern and texture without being too difficult. I have some dk weight yarn that I’d like to use. What size needles should I use and how many stitches for gauge?
Thank you
Fran
Hi Fran,
We’re so happy to see this scarf caught your eye and would love to help you figure out how to use a DK weight for this instead! DK weights usually recommend US 4 to 6 size needles and since this pattern already calls for a US 5, you can try starting with that for a gauge swatch.
If you want the scarf to measure closer to the original dimensions, you should definitely knit a gauge swatch. It does delay the moment you get to actually cast on, but we promise you, it is worth it! If the process has ever seemed daunting to you at all, I’d recommend checking out our tutorial called All About Gauge, which breaks things down painlessly.
Finally, we used about 554 yards for reference so hopefully you already have enough yarn on hand for that! Please let us know if there’s anything else we can help you with.
All the best,
Zha Zha