As its name so plainly suggests, a herringbone pattern mimics the bones of a fish such as, well, a herring. We’re not so sure that a fish skeleton was our inspiration here, so much as a parqueted French oak floor or an English tweed suit, but whatever herringbone makes you think of, it is undoubtedly a beautiful stitch!
This Mini Herringbone Scarf in Understory is based on a version we made years ago that we called the Men’s Mini Herringbone Scarf. What were we thinking? A scarf is a scarf is a scarf is a scarf, and this scarf certainly suits everyone.
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!
Seeing how the herringbone pattern take shape, unfold, and blossom is a great knitting thrill. It’s a super interesting stitch that is rather easy to learn and fun to knit forever. It’s a bit like the Mini Herringbone Scarf itself: a classic that will never, ever go out of style.
This project designed for Purl Soho by Laura Ferguson.
Materials
- 3 skeins of Purl Soho’s Understory, 50% baby alpaca, 25% baby yak, and 25% silk. We used the color Ripe Plum.
- US 10 straight or circular needles
Gauge
28 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
Finished Dimensions: 8 inches wide x 68 inches long
Notes
Slip all slip stitches purlwise.
You can work this stitch pattern over any odd number greater than 5.
For some extra help figuring out how to work this stitch, check out our video tutorial right here…
Pattern
Cast on 57 stitches.
Row 1 (wrong side): K1, p1, *p2tog and leave stitches on needle, purl the first stitch again and drop both stitches together from left-hand needle, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 2 (right side): K2, * 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 stitch, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 68 inches from the cast-on row, ending with a wrong-side row.
Bind Off Row (right side): K2, bind the first stitch off by pulling it up and over the second stitch, *k2tog, bind off one, repeat from * to last stitch, k1, bind one off, cut tail and pull through remaining stitch.
Weave in the ends and block as desired.
PRINT
I love this scarf. I am traveling in a motor home right now so don’t have access to a printer. I have tried every way I know how to save this pattern as a pdf, and cannot see how to do it. Every save I try is an htm file, so I can’t necessarily access it as reliably as if I save it as a pdf. If you can email me the pdf for it, I’d be obliged. I have my needles and some yarn with me and this looks like a great vacation project. I also appreciate the tutorial on how to do the stitch 🙂
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for writing in! I think that I can help! If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials.
Best,
Cassy
Hi Cindy,
I use this URL https://www.printfriendly.com/
To make PDF s from web pages. Simply copy the link of the pattern and paste into the text box at print friendly. https://www.printfriendly.com/
Hit the search or button and it will create a PDF for you. Then in the upper left corner there is an option to save the file. I save to my google drive but can also save to kindle or documents on an iPad or import into knit companion app.
Use it all the time as I don’t have a printer either, it’s completely free.
Take care, happy travels.
Hi SC,
Thanks for writing in! Using our print feature, you can choose to print or download a PDF. No need for another website!
Best,
Cassy
Hello,
In the video, on the right side row, you show knitting through the back loop. Why is that. It doesn’t state to knit thru back loop in the instructions.
Thanks, Ann
HI Ann,
Thanks for writing in! I watched the video in detail and Laura is knitting the k1 through the front loop. The picking up of the slipped stitch and knitting into it does look a bit like it may be through the back loop but I suspect that that is due to multiple stitches being engaged at once. I find it helpful to sometimes open the video in YouTube so that I can make it full screen and see the fullness of the technique. You can even slow down the speed of the video! Here is the direct link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=128&v=A0RJX_BWVlk
I hope that this helps and please let us know if you have any further questions!
Cassy
Hi,
This direct link (right below) that you suggested to Ann does not take you to the mini herringbone video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=128&v=A0RJX_BWVlk
I found the herringbone video on the link directly below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=A0RJX_BWVlk
Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for writing in! I have tried both links on a few different computers and both take me to the same place. Must be a glitch!
Best,
Cassy
Hi,
I am reading this pattern and while doing so I also checked out the Mens pattern.
In the mens pattern it calls for a slip st at the beginning of each row. This one does not.
Confusing.
Thank you,
Marion
Hi Marion,
Sharp eye! The patterns are slightly different, and on the new one we do not slip the first stitch. Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Kindly,
Anna
In the 3rd picture down, a skein of yarn is shown sitting on a piece of woven fabric. Is that something woven w/ Purl Soho yarn (placemats? scarf?) and if so, what type of yarn was used and is there a pattern?
Thank you,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for writing in and for your question! The fabric that you are referring to is a vintage piece of linen that our lovely photographer used as a prop as it so perfectly matched out lovely yarn. I believe that it is a plain weave with distressed edges that may be due to age and use!
Best,
Cassy
Hi. Beautiful stitch/yarn combo, and helpful video! Does this stitch use more yarn than stockinette? Is it thicker? Does it curl (minus the selvedge)? I was thinking about using yarn/stitch for the body of this poncho:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-folded-poncho
Think that would work?
Thanks for a lovely and inspiring site!
J
Hi Juliane,
Thanks for writing in! This lovely stitch does tend to eat up more yarn than stockinette and results in a bit thicker fabric. We have used a similar stitch in a cowl and the edges can tend to roll if you do not add a border. For the poncho that you are hoping to make, you could certainly add an applied i-cord after the fact or add a decorative border as you knit to curb this!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Cassy
Do you have a comparable yarn for this scarf in black? Would like to make for our beloved parish priest for Christmas. thanks
Hi Claudia,
What a thoughtful gift! I would suggest using our Worsted Twist in Soft Blank. You will need 4-5 skeins of the Worsted Twist. I would suggest swatching and you may need to go up to a US 11 needle as Worsted Twist is a bit fluffier than the yarn that we used here.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Is there a way to make this as a cowl knit in the round? I love how this pattern looks, but I prefer the shape of something like your Lovely Ribbed Cowl.
Thanks!
Hi Kirstie,
Thanks for writing in! We do have a cowl using a very similar stitch! The Big Herringbone Cowl uses slightly heavier yarn but with a stitch. To use the yarn we use here, you may need to go down a needle size to a US 15.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I love this stitch and would like use it for a cushion cover but if it’s soft enough for a scarf, would it be firm enough for a cushion cover? Perhaps I should just knit a tighter version of it or would that interfere with the stitch definition? Maybe I should just give it a try!
Hi Sherrill,
I think that this would be lovely for a cushion cover! I would suggest knitting up a small section of this scarf to see how you feel about the pattern for your use! The stitch pattern itself is quite dense. This is why we used quite a large needle for the yarn that we are using. I would be a bit careful about going down too many needle sizes as the fabric will be harder to achieve as it will be quite tight and have very little drape!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Love this pattern. I have much better luck with herringbone flat than in the round. Would it be the same for the knit row, to knit the 2nd stitch on the left needle, knit the first stitch through the back then drop both stitches? I think this would be more efficient. Thanks for the pattern.
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for writing in! I knit up a little swatch using both our method and yours. While the look is similar, it is not quite the same. I would say that the slant, using your method, is a bit more gentle, resulting in the herringbone being a bit less defined. That said, I always say that we are the bosses of our own knitting and if it works better for you, go for it!
Best,
Cassy
Hi – why did you change the selvedge? Do you find one better than the other?
Hi Dale,
Thanks for writing in! When we revisited this pattern, we thought that it was a good opportunity to try something a little different. Both are lovely but we feel like this one is a bit more straight forward. You can use either and get a lovely result!
Best,
Cassy
I’m a beginning knitter . How does one know the wrong or right side ? I assume the row after casting on is the wrong side since that’s where the pattern begins .
Thank you
Hi Beth,
Thanks for writing in! The right side of this lovely pattern will show the stitch pattern whereas the wrong side will look quite a bit like garter. Row 1 is a wrong side row and row 2 is a right side row. For the first few rows, it can sometimes be helpful to place a removable stitch marker on the right side so that you can pick it out easily until the stitch pattern is established.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Could I make this as a cowl? If so, do you have any suggestions, tips or tricks? I love your yarns, patterns and website. Thanks!
Hi Alicia,
Thanks for writing in! We have used a similar stitch in a cowl, the Big Herringbone Cowl! The yarn that we used for the cowl is a bit thicker, so if you would like to use the yarn that we used here, you may need to go down a needle size or two!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Beautiful pattern and yarn. Do you think this could be done in the round for a cowl instead of scarf?
Thank you,
Lisa F.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for writing in! We do have a cowl using a very similar stitch! The Big Herringbone Cowl uses slightly heavier yarn but with a stitch. To use the yarn we use here, you may need to go down a needle size to a US 15.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Hello-
Alpaca makes me sneeze….do you have a recommendation for a Purl Soho yarn that I can substitute?
Eryn
Hi Eryn,
Thanks for writing in! We totally understand that some folks do have sensitivities and are happy to make alternate suggestions. Although a little plumper than Understory, our Cashmere Merino Bloom would work well here. You could also try Mulberry Merino, which is a bit skinnier. With either of these options, I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch in pattern as you may need to change needle size to get a pleasing fabric.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi … using the Cashmere Merino Bloom for this pattern, what needle size should I use?
thank you,
Divina
Hi Divina,
Thanks for the question! Using Cashmere Merino Bloom for this lovely scarf, I would suggest using US 9 needles. I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch to see how you like the fabric. This is a very dense stitch pattern and as such, sometimes it helps to play around with your needles size.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Thanks for the info on the print button! Never knew it was there, and, like the original poster, I don’t have handy access to a printer on the road. PDFs are easy to read on the phone or tablet. You guys rock!
Could I use the Purl soho line weight yarn for this pattern? I have two skiens of it would that be enough for a scarf using this pattern?
Hi Leya,
Thanks for writing in! Our Line Weight is quite a bit thinner than Understory which we used here. Understory comes in at a DK/Light Worsted and Line Weight is a lighter Fingering Weight yarn. If you would like to use an alternate yarn, be on the look out for a yarn with a gauge of 4.75 – 5.25 stitches per inch.
We do have a scarf that uses 2 skeins of Line Weight! I’d suggest checking out our Brioche Scarf!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Would this work in your Worsted Twist yarn?
thank you
Hello,
I would recommend doing a gauge swatch first, Understory is a light worsted. If you use worsted twist, it will be larger then the pattern.
I hope this helps,
Melissa
Hi! I’ve been working on the recent pattern offer mistake rib scarf and i’m not pleased. I’d love to try this one, but once again color choices are getting in the way. Nothing in Understory meets my color requirements.
My issues are i want it to be supersoft and cozy. It’s for an adult male. It has to be in blue. The recent mistake rib blues were simply too subtle in cashmere merino bloom. I’ve looked closely at Far and think it might work. How much would i need and would it indeed work? Jade 6-ply cashmere looks like another great choice but i’d want to know how much to buy for this more expensive yarn and would it work up nicely in this herringbone.
Sorry my question is a bit scattered but i really need some advice. It’s an important gift and i’d like to get cracking on it having lost a lot of time already with the mistake rib. Thank you very much.
Hi Helene,
Thanks for writing in! I think that Far or Jade Sapphire 6 ply would work well here! Both are very soft indeed! You will need 600 yards of whichever of the two yarns that you choose. For Far, you would need 5 skeins. For the 6 ply cashmere, you would need 4 skeins. Both offer a pretty good range of blues and I think that the recipient would be quite pleased with the feel of either!
Best,
Cassy
Hi, I’m all set to start on this project and wondered if you have a recommended cast on for this scarf. Thank you.
Hi Jane,
Thanks for writing in! For most of our patterns (including this one), we like to use the long tail cast on. We think that it makes a neat and flexible cast on edge!
Best,
Cassy
I love this stitch, but I’m left-handed and my stitches look odd. any tips for lefties to make this look like the herringbone stitch?
secondly, I don’t understand the bind-off ‘k2tog, bind off one.” is the k2tog stitch placed back onto the dpn and used for the next k2tog? thank you for any help. and thank you for the pattern.
Hi Juju,
Thanks for writing in and for your kind words! When referring to knitting “left-handed”, do you mean knitting while holding the yarn in your left hand? If so, that’s usually referred to as Continental style knitting and you can follow the same instructions in our tutorial but keep in mind that your yarn in just held in a different hand. Your stitches should look the same (I knit Continental as well). If you are finding that you stitches are not looking quite right, it may be that you are purling tighter than you knit or vice versa. This can sometimes happen, especially in this stitch pattern. You may also need to go up or down a needle size as this very compact stitch pattern can vary dramatically at the different gauges.
For the bind off, when you k2tog, bind off one, you will k2tog and then bind the stitch off by pulling the first stitch up and over the k2tog stitch. This will maintain the pattern and make a tidy bind off!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
What is the total yardage needed for this scarf?
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for writing in! You will need approximately 600 yards of Understory for this lovely scarf!
Best,
Cassy
Hi, I tried knitting a small mat with this pattern, but my finished piece seems to be slanted like a parallelogram instead of a nice rectangle. Any suggestions how to fix it?
Hi Anhstein,
I’m sorry to hear your finished piece is biasing! Blocking the piece should help a lot. Herringbone is a stitch that tends to have a natural bias.
I hope this helps!
Carly
I love this herringbone scarf. I am going to make this for my son. He requested the color red. He selected Cascade 220 Superwash Aran yarn. How many skeins would you recommend I purchase to complete the scarf?
I just finished the mistake rib scarf for my husband with the mulberry merino. It was wonderful to work with. I love your yarn and patterns. I can’t wait to try Understory. That will be my next project.
Thank you and happy holidays……
Hello Jill,
Thank you for reaching out and for your kind words! Cascade 220 Aran weight is a bit thicker than our Understory, So I would recommend knitting up a gauge swatch before jumping in to make sure you are happy with the texture. It is likely that you will need to go up in needle size to achieve the correct tension. You will need four skeins of Cascade’s 220 Aran weight to complete this project.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any further questions!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
I’m going to sizing this up into a queen size blanket, as the sturdiness of the finished fabric seems like it would lend itself well to a blanket.
Would you suggest going up a yarn thickness and needle size, or going down and making a backing for it?
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make in the yarn suggested due to budgetary constraints (can’t spend upwards of $500 for yarn at the moment), but would you suggest a Blue Faced Leicester or a Merino/Poly blend?
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for writing in! Great idea! You can certainly alter the yarn and needle size to make the blanket go more quickly. Just do note that we use a much larger needle than the yarn calls for as this stitch pattern is quite dense. I generally do not like making backings for knit blankets as woven fabrics and knit fabrics move and stretch differently. If you would like to add a backing, I would suggest looking into knit fabrics that would move more organically with the top.
As for yarn choice, I think either would work well! It really depends on what you like best and which looks good with the pattern!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi Purl,
Just wrapped up this scarf and I love it. The cast off however is coming out VERY loose and I am getting some spreading on the end. Any advice?
Hi Erin,
Thanks for writing in! My favorite trick for a correcting a loose bind off it to bind off using a smaller needle. Just be sure that you are not binding off too tightly as it will create an inelastic end.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Could Cattail Silk be used instead of Understory with this pattern?
I’m also wondering if Woolfolk Far would be a good substitute for Understory?
My objective is finding a color similar to Understory’s Plum, which is sold out.
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for writing in! Our Cattail Silk is a good deal thinner than our Understory. If you were to use it for this pattern, you would need to rework the pattern quite a bit. Woolfolk Far is quite a bit closer although still a bit different. Here you may be able to go down a needle size and work the pattern as written for a slightly narrower scarf!
We will be getting Understory in Plum back in stock! In fact it is being made at our mill as we speak! To sign up to be notified when it comes back in stock, you can go to the product page, select the color and enter your email. We will then email you as soon as we get it back in!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi there, I have 3 skeins of leftover Blue Sky Techno to use up, would it be a good weight for this project?
Thank you!
Hi Jo,
The Blue Sky Techno is a little bit lighter than our Understory. It is possible to make this scarf with Techno but the finished product will look very different. I would recommend doing a gauge swatch to make sure you like the look and feel of the yarn in combination with this stitch.
I hope this helps,
Carly
Will the mini herringbone scarf look the same as the big herringbone cowl. Sorry for the confusion. Pat
Hi Pat,
Thanks for writing in! These two projects will have slightly different looks due to knitting the stitch pattern flat versus in the round. Additionally, if you are using a variegated yarn, the pooling will differ significantly between the two pieces. However, the general look of the stitch pattern will be almost the same for both the cowl and the scarf!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thanks for your help. I will let you know. Pat
Hi –
I am a beginner knitter. I have figured out this stitch and done a number of samplers before starting on the project. It’s looking quite nice. However, my cast on row is loose. Is there any way to correct that now that I am in about 12 rows? Or should I begin again, in which case, how do I avoid this next time? Thanks!
Hello Sondra,
Thank you for reaching out! Depending on how loose your cast on is, the looseness could go away when you Block your scarf. If you think it is beyond that you might need to start over. The key to a nice cast on is consistent tension- not to tight and not to loose. Which cast on method did you use?
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any further questions!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Hello,
Is there a particular reason why you used size 10 needles for this pattern? Does the pattern come out better to upsize the needle size from the recommended size for the Understory yarn (5-7)?
Hello Morgan,
Thank you for reaching out! Yes- because this is a very dense stitch you will always need to go up from the recommend needle size.
I hope this clears things up and happy knitting!
-Marilla
My son would like me to make him this scarf but he’d like it in red. I’m wondering which yarn you’d recommend and how many hanks I’d need. If possible I’d also like to keep it to under $100.00.
Thanks
Lisa
Hello Lisa,
Thank you for reaching out! I think this scarf would be lovely in Brookly Tweed’s Arbor. If using Arbor you will need 4 skeins.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I have been working this pattern and I noticed it is angled. It looks like it is angling downward, not like straight lines. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Kimberly
I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble! It is very hard to diagnose what might be going wrong through the comments, but we do have a video tutorial on the Mini Herringbone Stitch which may be helpful.
I hope that clears things up, but please let us know if you have any further questions after reviewing the tutorial!
Best,
Julianna
Hi Cassy,
Is there any modification i could do such that i could use this pattern in an even number of stitches? I like it but using it for the front of a vest – which needs even number of stitches. Thank you so much in advance!
Hi and thanks for writing in! The Mini Herringbone stitch works on any odd number of stitches greater than 5. One extra stitch shouldn’t change the sizing of a garment significantly so it may be possible to add or subtract one stitch to the front of the vest to accommodate this stitch pattern, but I would suggest knitting and measuring a gauge swatch of the Mini Herringbone before beginning as it does knit to a very different gauge than stockinette, which could potentially impact the finished fit of your vest!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi!
I’m wondering if season aplaca would be an appropriate yarn to use for this pattern and how many skeins I would need to do so. Thank you!
Isabel
Hello Isabel,
Thank you for reaching out! Season Alpaca has a smaller gauge than Understory so you might want to go down in needle size and up on your cast on. I would knit up a little gauge swatch to find a texture that you’re happy with before jumping in. You will need 4 skeins of Season Alpaca to knit up this scarf.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
The edge of my herribone scarf is bumpy. Do you know how I can fix this?
Hello Stella,
Thank you for reaching out! There are subtle unified bumps on the side of this project. If you would like to add a slip stitch selvedge to your scarf. Our Men’s Mini Herringbone scarf has this slip stitch written into the pattern so I would try this pattern out and see what you think!
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I wish I could share my pic of my scarf I made using your pattern. Its beautiful and your herringbone technique is way easier than what I have seen on other websites. I actually made my scarf the size of your gauge swatch lol. I did cast on 29 stitches instead of 28. I used red heart Icelandic US 11 needles and its the width I wanted and the pattern makes the colorway look like ocean waves I love it. Thank you for an easy way to stitch this herringbone pattern. Its a thick fabric but not stiff and the edges are nice and neat. Thank you again.
I’m loving this pattern but would like my scarf to be a little narrower. What multiple is this worked in? Thanks!
Hello Susan,
Thank you for reaching out! You can work this stitch pattern over any odd number greater than 5.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi! I’ve attempted this pattern and the Men’s Mini Herringbone several time so far, and have noticed that around the 3rd or 4th row I’m gaining a stitch. Any tips as to what I may be doing? This has occurred in both patterns, even with the Men’s Mini Herringbone including the slip stitches. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for writing in! I am sorry to hear that you are having difficulties here. The main thing that I can think of is that perhaps you are adding a stitch on right side rows by perhaps placing the slipped stitch and the stitch that you knit using it on the needle and in this way maybe adding an extra stitch. You also want to keep your eyes out for any accidental yarn overs which can happen when you are getting used to a pattern that contains slip stitches!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I’m going to give this a try, but with Mulberry Merino, since I have that in my stash! 😀 What needle size would you recommend, since the Mulberry Merino is sportweight, and Understory is DK/light worsted?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Kelly,
Great question! Here we went up about 3 needle sizes. With that in mind, I would try a US 8 or 9 to work with Mulberry Merino. I would definitely suggest knitting a gauge swatch and this will both help with figuring out a cast on and it will give you an idea of which needle size will give you a pleasing fabric. If you like the fabric on US 8, that would be the best option but if the fabric on US 9 looks nicer, go with that!
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Thank you so much for the video tutorial.