Verse + Reverse Scarf

Our Verse + Reverse Scarf promises two plots in one, a seamless dual narrative from two colors at once. This double-knit endeavor is a gloriously uncomplicated process that feels (and looks!) like magic spinning from your needles.

Casting on the short side, row after row of vertical lines emerge thanks to the simple technique of double knitting. Quell your concerns by watching our new Double Knitting video tutorial, which shows how this slip stitch technique is easy enough to be a challenge for advanced beginners and, for the experienced, a project to sink your teeth into.

We used two yarns from different ends of the fiber world: our Cattail Silk with its raw elegance and our Line Weight merino with its cloud-like downy softness. These two voices seem to completely understand each other while respecting their differences. You’ll only need two skeins of each, and to help you choose colors, we’ve put them together in seven palettes!

Designed for Purl Soho by Jake Canton.

Materials

To know your own Verse + Reverse Scarf, you will need…

• Yarn A: 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino wool. Each skein is 494 yards; approximately 988 yards required.
• Yarn B: 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Cattail Silk, 100% silk. Each skein is 618 yards; approximately 1128 yards required.

We used the palette Wild Begonia…

Yarn A: Line Weight in Super Pink + Yarn B: Cattail Silk in Porcelain White

Choose from six additional palettes, shown below…

TEA CUP

Yarn A: Line Weight in Heirloom White + Yarn B: Cattail Silk in Rabbit Ear Pink

TOADSTOOL

Yarn A: Line Weight in Tabby Gray + Yarn B: Cattail Silk in Moon White

PURPLE TUBER

Yarn A: Line Weight in Wheat Flour + Yarn B: Cattail Silk in Wild Mulberry

RIVER BLUE

Yarn A: Line Weight in Heirloom White + Yarn B: Cattail Silk in Deep Indigo

WOODPECKER

Yarn A: Line Weight in Soft Black + Yarn B: Cattail Silk in Moon White

CHIMNEY

Yarn A: Line Weight in Kiln Red + Yarn B: Cattail Silk in Porcelain White

You will also need…

• US 4, 24- or 32-inch circular needles
• A spare US 4 or smaller, 24- or 32-inch circular needles

Gauge

26 stitches = 4 inches in double knit stockinette stitch

Size

Finished Dimensions: 16 inches wide x 68 inches long

Notes

Slip Stitches

Slip all slipped stitches purlwise unless indicated in the pattern.

Turn + Slide

Each row in this pattern starts with the instructions to either “Turn” or “Slide” the work:

“Turning the work” means to do what you would normally do when knitting rows with circular needles: Transfer the needle from your left hand into your right and the needle from your right hand into your left, and flip the work around so the opposite side is facing you.

“Sliding the work” means to keep the same side of the work facing you and to push all the stitches to the right end of the circular needles. Without turning the work, start the new row as you normally would.

You will know that you’re doing this right if the yarn you need to work the next row is magically there waiting for you!

Double Knitting

This wrap uses a technique called Double Knitting. You can follow the pattern as written, but if you need extra help, our step-by-step video tutorial shows you exactly how to do it!

Pattern

With Yarn A, use a Long Tail Cast On to cast on 210 stitches.

Set-Up Row 1 (wrong side): With Yarn A, k1, p1, slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), [k1, slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif)] 9 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 8 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 7 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 6 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, (k1, slip 1 wyif) 5 times] 2 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, (k1, slip 1 wyif) 4 times] 3 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, (k1, slip 1 wyif) 3 times] 4 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, (k1, slip 1 wyif) 2 times] 5 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, k1, slip 1 wyif] 6 times, k1.

Set-Up Row 2 (right side): Turn the work and with Yarn A, p1, [k1, slip 1 wyif, p1, slip 1 wyib] 6 times, [(k1, slip 1 wyif) 2 times, p1, slip 1 wyib] 5 times, [(k1, slip 1 wyif) 3 times, p1, slip 1 wyib] 4 times, [(k1, slip 1 wyif) 4 times, p1, slip 1 wyib] 3 times, [(k1, slip 1 wyif) 5 times, p1, slip 1 wyib] 2 times, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 6 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 7 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 8 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 9 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, p1.

Row 1 (wrong side): Turn the work and with Yarn B, slip 1 wyib, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 9 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 8 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 7 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 6 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, (k1, slip 1 wyif) 5 times] 2 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, (k1, slip 1 wyif) 4 times] 3 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, (k1, slip 1 wyif) 3 times] 4 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, (k1, slip 1 wyif) 2 times] 5 times, [p1, slip 1 wyib, k1, slip 1 wyif] 6 times, slip 1 wyib.
NOTE: When changing yarns at the beginning of Row 1, carry the new yarn in front of the old yarn.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slide the work and with Yarn A, k1, slip 1 wyif, k1, [slip 1 wyib, p1] 9 times, slip 1 wyif, k1, [slip 1 wyib, p1] 8 times, slip 1 wyif, k1, [slip 1 wyib, p1] 7 times, slip 1 wyif, k1, [slip 1 wyib, p1] 6 times, [slip 1 wyif, k1, (slip 1 wyib, p1) 5 times] 2 times, [slip 1 wyif, k1, (slip 1 wyib, p1) 4 times] 3 times, [slip 1 wyif, k1, (slip 1 wyib, p1) 3 times] 4 times, [slip 1 wyif, k1, (slip 1 wyib, p1) 2 times] 5 times, [slip 1 wyif, k1, slip 1 wyib, p1] 6 times, k1.

Row 3 (right side): Turn the work and with Yarn B, slip 1 wyif, [slip 1 wyib, p1, slip 1 wyif, k1] 6 times, [(slip 1 wyib, p1) 2 times, slip 1 wyif, k1] 5 times, [(slip 1 wyib, p1) 3 times, slip 1 wyif, k1] 4 times, [(slip 1 wyib, p1) 4 times, slip 1 wyif, k1] 3 times, [(slip 1 wyib, p1) 5 times, slip 1 wyif, k1] 2 times, [slip 1 wyib, p1] 6 times, slip 1 wyif, k1, [slip 1 wyib, p1] 7 times, slip 1 wyif, k1, [slip 1 wyib, p1] 8 times, slip 1 wyif, k1, [slip 1 wyib, p1] 9 times, slip 1 wyif, k1, slip 1 wyif.
NOTE: When changing yarns at the beginning of Row 3, carry the new yarn behind the old yarn.

Row 4 (right side): Slide the work and with Yarn A, p1, [k1, slip 1 wyif, p1, slip 1 wyib] 6 times, [(k1, slip 1 wyif) 2 times, p1, slip 1 wyib] 5 times, [(k1, slip 1 wyif) 3 times, p1, slip 1 wyib] 4 times, [(k1, slip 1 wyif) 4 times, p1, slip 1 wyib] 3 times, [(k1, slip 1 wyif) 5 times, p1, slip 1 wyib] 2 times, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 6 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 7 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 8 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, [k1, slip 1 wyif] 9 times, p1, slip 1 wyib, p1.

Repeat Rows 1-4 until piece measures 68 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 4.

Cut Yarn B.

Next Row (wrong side): Turn the work and with Yarn A, repeat Set-Up Row 1.

Next Row (right side): Turn the work and with Yarn A, repeat Set-Up Row 2.

Next Row (wrong side): Turn the work and with Yarn A, repeat Set-Up Row 1.

Bind Off

Alternating between needles, slip all the knit stitches onto the working circular needles and all the purl stitches onto the spare circular needles.

FOR A BASIC LONG TAIL CAST ON…

Slide the work and with the right side facing you, use Yarn A to bind off using a 3-Needle Bind Off.

IF YOU DID A LONG TAIL TUBULAR CAST ON…

Slide the work and with the right side facing you, use Yarn A to bind off in Kitchener Stitch.

Weave in the ends and block as desired!