Stripey Tube Scarf
Our nuts-for-stripes Stripey Tube Scarf can go in so many directions… Young and fun, bold and dashing, subtle and sophisticated. But the knitting itself is straightforward. You just knit!
But lest you bore easily, what keeps things interesting here is the alternating rounds of color. As one skein ends and another begins, colors shift, new relationships form, and surprises happen. This is a scarf that compels you to the next skein and right to the end!
Nice and long, but more importantly doubly thick, the Stripey Tube Scarf is exponentially warmer than its single thickness friends. This scarf also resolves the age-old problem of stockinette scarves curling into tubes by working the conundrum into the concept!
We used our wonderfully cozy Super Soft Merino Bundles to knit up our two distinctly different Stripey Tube Scarves. From Soft Black to Heirloom White and exploring all the territory in between, this version above and below, uses the graphic Sketchbook palette.
And for the version below, we used the rich and colorful Super Soft Merino Bundle in Dahlia Garden for a whole different look. There are six Bundles to choose from, or customize your own with seven skeins of Super Soft Merino. Whatever colors you choose, this fabulous winter warmer is a ton of fun!
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!
Update: New Colors!
November 8, 2019
With new seasons come new inspirations! We’ve created four fresh colorways for our Super Soft Merino Bundle, all cozy, all 100% merino, all easy, all good! To view the new bundles, click here or view below!
UPDATE: EVEN MORE NEW COLORS!
OCTOBER 2022
Super Soft Merino now has a gorgeous palette of over thirty-five colors! We’ve mixed and matched to refresh our collection of Super Soft Merino Bundles, some quiet, some punchy, and some shadowy and deep. Whatever stripes strike your fancy, pick your Super Soft Merino Bundle and cast on!
Designed by Purl Soho founder and co-owner, Joelle Hoverson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoStripeyTubeScarf, and #PurlSohoSuperSoftMerino. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
To knit your own Stripey Tube Scarf you will need…
- 7 skeins of Purl Soho’s Super Soft Merino, 100% merino wool yarn. Each skein of this bulky weight yarn is 87 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 609 yards required. We used two Super Soft Merino Bundles for these samples (NOTE: some palettes are no longer available)…
- Dahlia Garden: Color A is Yellow Yellow; Color B is Turmeric Yellow; Color C is Honey Pink; Color D is Grapefruit Pink; Color E is Super Pink; Color F is Purple Clover; Color G is Rose Granite
- Sketchbook: Color A is Soft Black; Color B is Lucky Magpie; Color C is Toasted Charcoal; Color D is Heirloom White; Color E is Oatmeal Gray; Color F is Stillwater Blue; Color G is Salt + Pepper
You’ll also need…
- US 13 (9mm), 16-inch circular needles
New Color Options
Our Super Soft Merino Bundles now comes in four palettes! They are…
- Top Row
- ROYGBIV: Color A is Red Poppy; Color B is Super Orange; Color C is Yellow Yellow; Color D is Lime Rickey; Color E is Eggshell Blue; Color F is Cobalt Blue; and Color G is Lotus Flower
- Lakeside: Color A is Oyster Gray; Color B is Oatmeal Gray; Color C is Eggshell Blue; Color D is High Tide; Color E is Cobalt Blue; Color F is True Turquoise; and Color G is Heirloom White
- Bottom Row
- Begonia: Color A is Lotus Flower; Color B is Bougainvillea Pink; Color C is Purple Clover; Color D is Red Poppy; Color E is Super Orange; Color F is Peachy Pink; and Color G is Ballet Pink
- Birthday: Color A is Yellow Yellow; Color B is Eggshell Blue; Color C is True Turquoise; Color D is Super Pink; Color E is Cobalt Blue; Color F is High Tide; and Color G is Heirloom White
Gauge
11 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Size
Finished dimensions: 9 inches wide x 78 inches long
Finished circumference: 18 inches
Note
For a few tips on knitting these stripes, visit our Stripes in the Round Tutorial!
Pattern
With Color A, using Long Tail Cast On, cast on 50 stitches.
Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Knit every round for 5 1/2 inches.
Joining Color B…
With Color B, knit one round.
With Color A, knit one round.
Repeat last two rounds until you run out of Color A, ending with a Color B round.
Now joining Color C…
With Color C, knit one round.
With Color B, knit one round.
Repeat last two rounds until you run out of Color B, ending with a Color C round.
Continue in this pattern through Colors D, E, F, and G, ending Color G with 5 1/2 inches of knitting every round.
Bind off loosely and weave in the ends!
LEARN ABOUT SUPER SOFT MERINO + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
The best reason to use Super Soft Merino for this project is because it is the dreamiest, cuddliest, toastiest yarn you can imagine! A single ply of 100% merino wool, Super Soft Merino has a nice, loose spin that shows off the softness of its fiber and keeps it nice and lightweight. Its gauge ranges from a chunky/bulky-weight to super bulky-weight (2.75-3.25 stitches per inch), making it a great choice for quick (and beautiful!) hand-knit gifts. And more… Super Soft Merino comes in over 30 amazing colors, too!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our vast collection of (mostly free!) Super Soft Merino knitting patterns and cast on!
More Chunky/Bulky + Super Bulky-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of chunky/bulky weight yarns
- Shop our entire collection of super bulky-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop merino wool
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!
I want to make for a male. May make less than 50 stitches.
Hi Pat,
Thanks for writing in! We think that this scarf would work well for men and women, boys and girls alike! Just pick colors that the recipient will love, and you will be all set. You can certainly shorten the length of the scarf but might I suggest knitting to 60 inches instead. Given the thickness of this scarf, 50 inches might be a bit on the short side to get a satisfying wrap around the neck. You could always try it on at 50 inches to check but I suspect that 60 inches will give you a better result!
Best,
Cassy
Pat meant less then 50 STITCHES for cast-on to make it less bulky vs 50 INCHES long.
Hi Karen (and Pat),
So sorry about that! You can certainly change the cast on number to make the circumference work for you!
Best,
Cassy
This is such a nice looking scarf! I think I’d like to make it in a thinner gauge yarn like worsted twist. Would it probably require the same number of skeins to achieve a similar size scarf?
Hi Carly,
Thanks for writing in! You can certainly work this scarf in a different gauge. If you would like to use Worsted Twist, you will be casting on between 81-90 stitches depending on the gauge you are getting. I would suggest using a US 7 with Worsted Twist. With 7 skeins, you should be able to get a scarf that is slightly shorter than the one here. To get a scarf of equal length, I’d suggest casting on a few fewer stitches, perhaps, 76-85 stitches depending on gauge. This should get you a slightly narrower (around an inch less) scarf that has the full length listed here.
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Sorry, don’t quite understand this patter, surely if knit every row it will come out as garter stitch rather than stocking stitch?
Hi Sylvia,
Thanks for writing in! I think that I can help! As this scarf is knit in stockinette in the round, you will knit every stitch and every row. If you were to alternate knit and purl rounds in the round, you would get garter stitch. Knitting is magical sometimes!
I hope that this clears things up!
Cassy
Gorgeous colors! And not to mention that the girl on the picture is beautiful too, making these scarves that much more unique!
Hi Tessa,
Thank you for your kind words! They warm our hearts!
Best,
Cassy
Since the scarf is a tube and the inside is not visible, is it necessary to weave in the ends, or is it possible to just tie knots at the joins? I just hate weaving in ends, so if there’s a way to get out of it, I’ll take it!
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for writing in! Weaving in ends here helps to tighten up the joins of the different colors. While I do not think that you need to weave them in to the extent that you would normally (save for at the ends), weaving them in a bit will help the look on the right side. I also always she away from knots as they create a weak spot in the fabric and can cause puckering is knotted to tight.
I hope that this clears things up!
Cassy
In response to Carly’s question and your comment, could you suggest a couple of comparable color pallets in Worsted Twist? I’m afraid I’m slightly color-challenged!
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for writing in! While we do not have all of the same colors in Worsted Twist as we have in Super Soft Merino, I can certainly make some suggestions.
For the Dahlia Garden Palette, a slightly more subdued version in Worsted Twist would be:
Yellow Yellow
Copper Penny
Honey Pink
Super Pink
Gray Fig
Rose Granite
For the Sketchbook palette, we have all of the colors listed in Worsted Twist as well.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Can merino/alpaca fingering be used with the style of knitting in this pattern?
Hi Edith,
Great question! The yarn that we used for this lovely scarf is quite a bit heavier than a fingering weight. Super Soft Merino comes in at 2.75 – 3.25 stitches per inch which would be considered a Bulky to a Super Bulky yarn. That said, you can easily modify the design to use any weight yarn. You will need to knit a gauge swatch. Once you know that number of stitches that you are getting per inch, you will multiply that by 18 inches and this will be your cast on number.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I am new to knitting, could you please tell me if the 7skein bundle would make just one scarf or if there would be enough left over to make a second (or at least a child’s infinity scarf). Thanks!
Hi Angela,
Thanks for writing in! One bundle is enough to make one scarf with almost no left over yarn!
Best,
Cassy
Love both of these patterns, but what really makes me happy is to see Super Soft Merino in Magpie and Salt&Pepper. I want to make a quick seed stitch scarf using either of those colors, but then add a hint of Super Pink. How do you think that would work and what gauge Super Pink should I use? I feel if I use the Super Soft it would be too much pink and also make for an even thicker scarf. And how much yarn needed? Thanks!
Hi Sharon,
We love Magpie and Salt + Pepper too! They are such fun colors! The first through that I had about your scarf is to mimic the stripes in our Peppered Stripes Wrap. If you think that that would be too much, you could use the different size stripes as inspiration!
As far a yarn for the Super Pink, I would use the same gauge yarn (Super Soft Merino) otherwise, the stripes would pull in a bit and look a bit lacey. Alternately, you could hold a strand of Line Weight in Super Pink with the Super Soft when you knit the stripes. It would be a much more subtle look but I think that it would be lovely!
For a scarf that is 10″ x 70″, to do stripes using Super Soft Merino, you will need 4 skeins of your main color and 2 of the contrast. If you wanted to use Line Weight with Super Soft Merino, you will need 5 skeins of your main color in Super Soft Merino and 1 skein of Super Pink in Line Weight.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thanks Cassy. Wasn’t necessarily looking to do stripes with this project though – rather, just a seed stitch in Salt & Pepper Super Soft with just a flick of the Super Pink. Would your idea about the Line Weight – just knitting it together with the Super Soft – work? If yes, how much of each?
Hi Sharon,
Absolutely! You could hold the Line weight with the Super Soft. For a scarf that is 10″ x 70″, you will need 5 skeins of your main color in Super Soft Merino and 1 skein of Super Pink in Line Weight.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you!
Could I create this same color effect (every other row using yar from the next-in-line skein in bundle) for the Super-Easy Crib Blanket?
Hi Elaine!
What a great idea! I bet that that would make a stunning blanket! Let us know how it turns out!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I am confused. If you join to knit in the round, how do you get two ends?
Hi Jeanne,
Thanks for writing in! Essentially, joining to knit in the round creates a tube. As you keep knitting, you will be spiraling up from the cast on edge in a tube. Once you reach the end, you will bind off and the tube will have an end where you cast on and an end where you bound off.
I hope that this clears things up!
Cassy
what is your suggestion for avoiding that step that occurs when changing colors?
Hi Tanya,
Thanks for writing in! We have a very handy tutorial for how to best achieve stripes in the round. It can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/stripes-in-the-round/
Best,
Cassy
In that tutorial, it appears that the method of avoiding the “step” works only if you are doing stripes of more than one round. How does the step get avoided if you are doing single-round stripes as in this pattern? Thanks.
Hi Helen,
Great catch! You are correct that the usual technique for jogless stripes does not work for single row stripes. Instead, I would suggest using Helix Knitting, as seen in our Helix Tube Scarf! Our technique shows how to do helix knitting with multiple colors, but it can be adapted for just two colors by dividing your number of stitches by two when setting up your stripes.
Best,
Julianna
Is it possible to knit this with single pointed needles (flat)?
Thank you
Laura
Hi Laura,
Thanks for writing in! This pattern will only really work in the round. The scarf itself is knit as a tube. If you were to convert the pattern to flat, you would need to add extra stitches for a selvedge to sew it up and you may use more yardage as you will need to cut your yarn frequently to account for the single color rows.
If this is your first project using circular needles, I do think that it is a good one to start with as once your cast on, you knit every stitch until the bind off. The only slight bit of complication is the changing of colors but I think it quite an achievable way to try out circular needles!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you for your reply, I knit with a needle under my arm and I cannot knit any other way after so many years. I love your patterns and yarns but sadly they are all in the round. I wish you had some “flat” patterns for us single pointed needles knitters.
Laura
Hi Laura,
Thanks for writing back! We certainly understand that there are those that prefer straight needles and those that prefer circular. While we tend to use circular needles for most projects, a large number of them are knit flat and thus can by knit on straight needles. Amongst our Scarves and Wraps, the majority of them can be worked on straight needles, save for those who have very large cast on numbers or are knit in the round!
We will certainly keep your request in mind!
Cassy
Question regarding the pattern. How many inches of the two solid colors do you knit on each end before the stripes begin and after the stripes end?
Hi JB,
Thanks for writing in! You will begin and end this lovely scarf with 5 1/2 inches of single color stockinette!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Got it, thanks!
Hello! I’m knitting this right now – for those who are interested, I cast on 44 inches for a somewhat thinner scarf and will get a little over 60 inches with just five skeins. That’s on size 11 circulars. I wold’ve gone 40, but that’s a little too small to comfortably get on my circulars although you certainly could with magic loop.
My question is this – I suspect this is going to pill/fuzz considerably. Can Purl Soho make a recommendation for a shaver/de-piller that will work with the suggested merino yarn?
Thanks!
Hi Carly,
Thanks for writing in! We love the Gleener! It helps us keep all of our samples looking lovely! We have used it on just about every sample in the shop and most of us use them at home as well!
Best,
Cassy
Hi- I’d like to make the Stripey Tube Scarf using the Dahlia Garden
bundle. However, the color “Yellow” looks quite deadly against my skin and I’d like to replace it with Red Cayenne. I understand that I can order colors individually, but your Tumeric is listed as “out of Stock.” What do you recommend?
Hi Penny,
Thanks for reaching out! I think that Red Cayenne would work well here. While we are currently out of Turmeric, we will be getting it back in stock. You can certainly sign up to be notified when we do get it back in stock by selecting the color on the product page and entering your email address in the box below!
Best,
Cassy
I have started my scarf and soon realized it would be too heavy for my part of the country. I am going to just knit it flat so it will not be double. What would you suggest as to how many to cast on?
Hi Jeanne,
Thanks for writing in! Your cast on number here will be dependent on how wide you would like your scarf to be. For every inch wide that you would like your scarf, you will cast on 2.75 stitches; so if you would like your scarf to be 9 inches wide (9 x 2.75 = 24.75), you would cast on 25 stitches. Additionally, where we knit a single row in the round, you will need to knit a one row and purl a return row for a total of two rows. You may also want to add a bit of a border as a stockinette piece knit flat will curl. I might add 2 stitches to each side to create a border to mitigate the curling. You would start each row with k1, p1 and end each row with p1, k1.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you. I now know how to figure this out! If I knit all rows instead of purling back would that still curl and need a border? These colors are so pretty.
Hi Jeanne,
Absolutely! If you knit every row, the garter stitch would take care of the curling!
Best,
Cassy
Will you be making up any more Dahlia Garden bundles? The colors are so fun!
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! We certainly will! We are currently waiting on a color or two from our mill to come back in stock. Be sure to sign up to be notified when the kit comes back into stock. You can do so on the product page for the kit!
Best,
Cassy
I would love to do this scarf in a gray/blue/purple scheme. Could you recommend a combination? Thank you!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for writing in! We are happy to make suggestions! I think that the following would be lovely:
Gray Fig, Purple Smoke, Lavender Opal, Oyster Gray, Trout Brown, Gray Denim and Timeless Navy
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I was wondering if it’s possible to make this scarf in a thinner yarn but same or similar colors ?
So it’s not so bulky.
Looking forward to hearing from you and I am currently making this scarf as is. It’s fun and I love the colors !
Thank you
Hi Gayl,
Thanks for writing in! You can certainly make this with a thinner yarn! We do not have another yarn that has all of the same colors but Worsted Twist has a fair number of the colors and you could certainly put together a color story that works well for you! I think that you would need 8 skeins of Worsted Twist instead of the 7 that we used here to get a scarf of equal size. Your cast on number for this yarn would be 76 stitches on a US 8 16-inch needle!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you Cassie! Sounds great!
Just got my dahlia garden yarn. It’s beautiful! I can’t wait to start my scarf
Hi there! I knitted this beauty and now my friend would like one. She is allergic to wool. Any nice substitutions?
Thank you!
Hi Sandi,
Thanks for reaching out! While we do not have a yarn that knits up at this gauge and that does not contain wool, you can certainly gauge this pattern down to a worsted weight and use Blue Sky Worsted Cotton to make a non-wool version! To determine a cast on number, you will want to knit a gauge swatch on an appropriate needle (I would try a US 8) and figure out how many stitches per inch you are getting. Once you have that number, you will multiple it by 18 and that will be your cast on. You may also want to try knitting 2 rows of each color stripe for each one row that we knit here as the stitches will be smaller.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Beautiful patterns! I was wondering if there’s a way to close off your tube ends. Thanks!
Hello Kimberly,
Thank you for reaching out! Yes, the easiest way to do this is to cast on using a provisional cast on and then just graft the two ends together using the kitchener stitch.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Such a lovely scarf — can’t wait to make this! Similar to Kimberly’s question, how would I join the ends together to create an infinity loop? Thank you!
Hi Abby,
Great question! I would accomplish this the same way – begin with a provisional cast on, and when you are done, instead of casting off, return your cast on stitches to another needle and join both ends together with kitchener stitch.
Best,
Julianna
Thanks for leaving the tips online. I just purchased the wild onion merino wool bundle and was wondering how to connect the ends and here is the answer! Looking forward to working on this scarf- you always has such excellent quality in your yarns. They’re a joy to work with.
How should I wash the scarf once it’s done? I tossed the skein tag and dont know how to wash it. thanks!
Hello Lucy,
Thank you for reaching out! Our recommended care is hand wash cold, lay flat to dry.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Another possible suggestion to this lovely scarf, especially to the woman concerned about the “curling” on the ends: I’ve made quite a few of this same type of tube scarves as they are nice and warm and lay flat as well but mine have always included fringe at the ends after stitching the ends closed. It keeps them nice and flat and makes them really sharp looking too. Length of fringe depends on length of scarf.
Hi, A neighbour has offered to knit me a scarf, and a stripey tube seems right for me. I would like it about 10 ” wide and around 60″ long. I want it in double knitting pure wool. How many balls of wool will I need, and what size circular needle would I need to give her? As you can tell, I’m a male, and not too clued up on these things. Your help would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Ian
Hello Ian,
Thank you for reaching out- what a kind neighbor you have! All of this will depend on the yarn you wish to use. If you are interested in having it be made with Super Soft Merino your neighbor could just follow this pattern, but cast on 3 extra stitches (56 instead of 50 to male it 10″ instead of 9″) and just knit until it is 60″.
I hope this helps and good luck!
-Marilla
I am wondering how the photo seems to show 2 colors alternating in every row, when the pattern says to knit 1 color for 5 1/2 inches. So confused! thanks for your help!
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out! If you look at the picture of the scarf laid out flat, you will see that it begins and ends with a solid colored block. After the first 5 1/2 inches, you will then begin the two color stripes until the last 5 1/2 inches.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Now I am thinking, when you say Knit one Round do you mean Knit one row? You keep alternating colors with every row?
And you don’t cut yarn, but somehow pull it up on the inside?
thank you!
Hi Jane,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, that is correct – when you are knitting in the round, each row is called a round, so you will be alternating colors every round or row. Since the stripes are only a single row, you will just switch colors without cutting the yarns until you join an entirely new color.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
How do I start a provisional cast on and end with provisional to do Kitchener stitch while working with needles in the round.
Hi Annie,
Great question! To start this scarf with a provisional cast on, you will first use a provisional cast on to cast on 50 stitches, but will not be able to join it in the round quite yet. Join your first color of the main yarn and knit one row. You can then place a marker and join in the round as you start the second row. At the end of the scarf, you will not have to do anything special on the final row. You can then remove the provisional cast on and place the live stitches on a spare needle and kitchener them together with the live stitches from the final row of the scarf.
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi there!
I’m crazy about the Dahlia Garden palette, but the color Grapefruit Pink is sold out. Would Sister Yarn in Jaipur Rose be a good substitute? If not, can you recommend something else?
Hi Hillary,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately Super Soft Merino in Pink Grapefruit has been discontinued, and Sister is quite a bit thicker than Super Soft so it wouldn’t substitute very well in the scarf. Instead, I would suggest using Manos del Uruguay Franca in Marshmallow.
Best of luck and I hope that helps!
Julianna
Got it. You’re the best!
when knitting the striped portion is there a jog when colors are changed? Do I need to use a jogless join every time I change colors for the single stripping? If so, Which one would you recommend?
Thank you for your help
Hi AJ,
Thanks for writing in! There will be a jog whenever you work stripes in the round, and the usual methods for jogless stripes won’t work for single row stripes. You can prevent some jogs by using the helix knitting technique -unfortunately, we don’t have a tutorial for this method, but you can search “helix knitting” to find plenty of helpful videos – but you will still have some unavoidable jogs when you add a new color in the scarf. You can try this method to see if it helps, though we think the jogs are hardly noticeable in the finished scarf when it is worn!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
This scarf is so gorgeous, and I would really like to knit one for my niece in time for Christmas this year. The Dahlia Garden palette is so beautiful and I think she would just love those colors, but it’s been out of stock for awhile. Can you suggest a substitute? Or will more kits in this colorway be available soon?
Thanks~
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately several colors from the Dahlia Garden bundle have been discontinued, so we won’t be restocking it – I’m so sorry about that! You can, however, create your own bundle from the current colors of Super Soft Merino. Of the original colors of the Dahlia Garden bundle – Yellow Yellow, Turmeric Yellow, Honey Pink, Grapefruit Pink, Super Pink, Purple Clover, and Rose Granite – the only color that is unavailable is Grapefruit Pink, but I think you could substitute Bougainvillea Pink for a very similar look!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Thanks for the help – just ordered!
I did not cast on with a provisional cast-on. How would you recommend closing off the ends of the tube? How would I close off the final end (I am close to done). Thanks !
Hi Helen,
Thanks for reaching out! You could always whip stitch the two ends shut, or if you are a fan of fringe, you could attach fringe through both sides of the scarf at once to close it up.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I made this beautiful cowl a long time ago and discovered that it never got cold enough to wear it . I frogged it today and very much want to use the yarn in a scarf. Can you recommend something that I can show off this beautiful yarn and not have it doubled so it won’t be too hot. Love your website. Thanks.
Hello Jeane,
Thank you for reaching out and for your kind words! I would recommend checking out our Ancient stitch scarf or our Color Dipped Scarf. I will also add that this yarn looks great in a simple garter stitch. It would be a beautiful option to simply color block your colors in a garter stitch.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
How would this scarf look if you purled each row instead of knitting? Or could you just turn it inside out at the end? Thanks.
Hi Helen,
Thanks for reaching out! Since most knitters prefer knitting over purling, except for the beginning and ending border, this scarf is knitted and then turned so that the purl side is facing out. If you prefer to purl, you could certainly purl the entire scarf!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I think your response is for the Helix scarf. This one I think is just knit throughout, right? Even the border is knit I believe.
Hi Helen,
I apologize, you are correct, I was thinking of the Helix Tube Scarf! However, you can still either purl the entire scarf or knit it and then turn the scarf inside out when you are done if you prefer the look of the purl side of the fabric. You will just need to make sure that you keep the column where you are carrying the yarns up between stripes on the knit side of the fabric so that it doesn’t show on the outside!
Best,
Julianna
Help! My scarf is not turning out the way I expected it to. I am knitting it on #11 needles and wanted it slightly less wide so cast on 42 stitches. After doing the first 5 ½ inches in color A, the AB stripe turned out to be 19 inches long. Sadly, the BC stripe looks like it will only be about 10 inches in length. I am concerned that I will have so much of color C left when the B runs out that the CD section will use up most of the D before the color C runs out. I can only surmise that for some reason the length of the color A skein was off. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Hi Helen,
Thanks for writing in! Hmm, it does sound like your Color A had more yardage than your other colors – in our scarf, each section of two colors is only about 11 inches long, so your Color A got you much farther! To prevent running out of the last color before working the solid colored border, and to make sure your scarf doesn’t turn out super long, I would suggest going back and making your first AB section 11 inches long, and making each subsequent section 11 inches as well, rather than continuing until you run out of one of the colors.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Actually, since I changed needle size and cast on, the initial block of A was too short as it was not half the skein. I frogged it and weighed ball A, knit half of that before adding B, and all is working out. The trick is to use half of A in the solid starting block before adding any B, regardless of guage or cast on number, assuming all the other skeins are of identical weight and length.
You mentioned getting stitches per inch and multiplying by 18. I did that and it is fine but why the number 18, do you always do this to get your cast on amount.
Hi Sharon,
Thank you for writing in! When modifying your gauge, once you have your stitches per inch you will multiply that number by your desired width or circumference. In this case the desired circumference of the scarf is 18″ so you multiplied by 18. For a wider scarf you would multiply your stitches per inch by a larger number. I hope that makes sense!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
hello! How do you reccomend blocking this scarf?
Hi Jennifer,
Great question! I would recommend wet blocking this scarf with the tube flattened, so it takes on more of a scarf-like flat shape.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I’m thinking of closing both ends of the tubular scarf. What sewing technique would you recommend? Would your cast on technique make a difference as to how to sew each end closed?
Hi Carolyn,
Great question! If you haven’t started knitting yet, I would recommend using a Provisional Cast On to get started and closing up both ends using Kitchener Stitch. This will give you a totally seamless look on both ends! If you have already started, you can cast off as usual and close the two ends using our method for Seaming Stockinette Stitch Horizontally. This will create a slightly bulkier seam, but should still look very tidy!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi, I’ve read through the threads and still have a question regarding changing colors on the “Stripey Tube Scarf” pattern: since you are knitting only one round in each color, do you still recommend the “joggless stripes” technique of slipping the first stitch in the new round — or simply start knitting with the alternate color? I saw the thread about the Helix technique but not sure it applies since the entire round is in one color. Thanks!
Hi Noa,
Great questions! In single row stripes, you can’t actually use the jogless stripes method. Since it requires slipping the first stitch every time you change colors, and you’re changing colors every row, you would never end up knitting the first stitch! If you want to avoid a jog, Helix Knitting is designed for single row stripes, so it’s actually a great fit for this scarf. Our video shows how to do helix knitting with multiple colors, but it can be done with two just as easily. To get started, after knitting the first section in Color A only, you will join Color B and knit one round. When you get back the beginning of the round and the tail of Color A is available, you will simply start knitting with Color A, keeping it underneath Color B so the yarns do not twist. It’s very important to make sure you don’t pull tightly when switching colors in helix knitting! When you come back around, you will again switch colors by grabbing Color B from underneath Color A so the yarns do not twist together. It might sound like you’re not doing anything at all, but this should result in jogless helical stripes!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
will you be restocking the original colors in this scarf with the pink hues etc. which do not seem to be available anymore?
Hi Marie,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately some of the colors in these original bundles have been discontinued so they will not be coming back in stock.
All the best,
Gianna
Could you recommend color ways to replace the discontinued Honey Pink, Grapefruit Pink and Rose Granite? Thanks!
Hi Tracey,
Thanks for reaching out. I would replace those colors with Ballet Pink, Peachy Pink, and Sea Salt, respectively! These aren’t the closest of color matches, but they do fit in with the overall color palette of the scarf. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks for the recommendations!
Thank you so much for making this pattern available! I have extra skeins of Gray Denim and Black. Not too sure if Gray Denim would work well with an all over black/white/grey combo. I would love to use it to make this scarf to feel like your monochrome “Sketchbook” colorway. Could you make color recommendations to replace any of the discontinued yarns? Thank you so much again for all that you do!
Hi Dana!
Thank you for getting in touch! We’re so glad to hear you’re planning to make your own Stripey Tube Scarf. For a similar “Sketchbook” color palette, I would suggest using these colors:
Color A: Soft Black
Color B: Oatmeal Gray instead of Lucky Magpie for a similar helix effect
Color C: Toasted Charcoal
Color D: Heirloom White
Color E: Oatmeal Gray
Color F: Gray Denim (instead of Stillwater Blue)
Color G: Instead of Salt + Pepper, you could use Heirloom White for a white tip to your scarf, Oyster Gray for a lighter gray edge, or Oatmeal Gray for a similar helix effect as Salt + Pepper!
I hope this helps with your project planning, and I’m excited to hear how your scarf goes!
All the best,
Margaret
Thanks so much Margaret for your help! I just saw that there is a sale going on of the Super Soft Merino. Such wonderful timing. Thank you again for taking the time to provide your color suggestions!
Take care,
Dana
You are very welcome, Dana, and I agree, this was great timing!
All the best,
Margaret
Hi!
I would love to buy this scarf kit in the color: ROYGBIV.
Will it be available again or is discontinued?
Hi Grace,
Thanks so much for your question. I’m afraid the ROYGBIV bundle is no longer available because we’ve had to make the sad decision to discontinue a few of the colors in the bundle. We’re so sorry about that! Here’s the Super Soft Merino page if you’d like to take a look at the colors we currently offer and please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you’d like any help creating a custom palette for your project!
All the best,
Cat
In the instructions it notes “Repeat last two rounds until you run out of Color A, ending with a Color B round.” Can you tell me how long, approximately, the section with A and B stripes will be? Thanks, P
Hi Patty,
I’m afraid we don’t have this exact measurement but instead recommend knitting until you run out of yarn. One thing you can do is knit your sections evenly dividing them into the 78 inch length of the full scarf if you’d prefer. I hope this helps!
Happy making,
Gavriella