Giant Garter Scarf
Our Giant Garter Scarf is a great big deal that’s no big deal to knit up. It is high-impact, high-volume, high-drama, and high-reward… as both a presence and a present!
Consider its supersize comfort and coziness a secret-weapon for the season: Who doesn’t want a warm, fuzzy force field to take on chilly walks, unpleasant commutes, and complicated relatives?
Simple garter stitch (just knit, knit, knit) in our jumbo Gentle Giant on US 19 needles hits all the right extremes in speed and satisfaction. Even very beginner knitters are equipped to appreciate the simplicity of this feat!
You’ll need eight skeins of our incredibly soft single-ply Gentle Giant. Here we used the color Silver Mauve, pairing its subtle elegance with the scarf’s big personality.
But any of our 21 colors will make a statement: Super Yellow or Super Pink for super impact, Graphite Gray for oversize-but-understated chic, Sugar Maple for a toasty scarf that suggests logs, leaves, and lounging. This is a wrap that wraps up your year, and your special gift list, in grand finale style!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoGiantGarterScarf, and #PurlSohoGentleGiant. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 8 skeins of Purl Soho’s Gentle Giant, 100% merino wool. Each skein is 48 yards/ 125 grams; approximately 373 yards required. We used Silver Mauve.
- US 19 (15/16 mm) straight or circular needles
Gauge
6 stitches and 12 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch
Size
Finished Dimensions: 14 inches wide x 73 inches long
Notes
Slip all slipped stitches knitwise with yarn in back.
Pattern
Cast on 24 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1: Slip 1 knitwise with yarn in back, knit to end of row.
Repeat Row 1 until piece measures 73 inches from cast-on edge.
Bind off loosely knitwise.
Weave in the ends.
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!
LOVE your kits and project ideas.
My mother-in-law is allergic to wool. Please consider offering some non-wool alternatives when you post project ideas!
Hi Ann,
Thanks so much for the kind words! We are always happy to suggest wool free alternatives! In this case, I would suggest using Blue Sky Worsted Cotton held double – it will still be a bit thinner than our Gentle Giant, so you will probably want to knit a gauge swatch on US 15 or 17 needles to see what size needle works best. You can then measure your stitches per inch and multiply that by 14 to figure out your cast on number. Another option would be to double Jade Sapphire 12-Ply Cashmere or Genghis for the ultimate luxury wool-free scarf!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I would like to knit a hat with the yarn can you recommend a pattern for the gentle giant yarn? Thank you
Hi Noreen,
Great question! Our Homestretch Hat and Two Color Homestretch Hat are knit out of Gentle Giant, and would look great with the Giant Garter Scarf!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Please send me pattern
Hi Miriam,
Thanks for reaching out! Although it is short and sweet and can be easy to miss, the pattern for our Giant Garter Scarf is located on this page, in the section titled “PATTERN.”
Best,
Julianna
Love your suggestions for a grey pallet?
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for writing in! This scarf would be lovely in Pigeon Gray!
Best,
Cassy
I would like to knit this scarf for a 9 year old girl. Could you provide recommendations for modifying the pattern for a child-size scarf?
Hi Jen,
Great question! For a kid’s scarf, I would probably make the width about 10 to ll inches, which would be around 13 to 17 stitches. A good rule of thumb for the length regardless of the wearer’s age is to knit the scarf until the length is about equal to or a little longer than their height, which for a nine year old is probably around 48 to 54 inches.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
How much yarn would it take to make a kid scarf?
Thanks,
Eryn
Hi Eryn,
Thanks for reaching out! It will take about five skeins to knit a child sized scarf.
Best,
Julianna
Love your colors and scarves.
Hi, I just ordered 10 skeins of Gentle Giant to have a project I can complete in an instant. I want to make it a bit wider. Please remind me how to calculate how much widerI could make it with 2 extra skeins.
Thanks for your simple, beautiful projects during this hectic season!
Beth
Hi Beth,
Thank you so much for the kind words and for writing in! Since you will have about 25% more yarn, you should be able to cast on 25% more stitches, which would be 30 stitches total.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I always love the simplicity of garter stitch and this yarn looks like it would be fun to try. I think I would prefer this as a cowl. What length would you suggest and how many skeins of yarn would it take?
Thanks!
Hi Shari,
Thanks for writing in! For a cowl, since the yarn is so bulky, it will still take quite a bit of length to wrap comfortably around the neck. I would probably shorten this to either about 60 inches for a double wrapped cowl or 30 inches for a cowl meant to be worn without doubling it. It will take about 7 skeins for a longer cowl or 4 for a shorter one.
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
Would it be possible to make this gorgeous scarf out of Lanecardate Feltro? If so, what needle size would you recommend and how many skeins would I need?
Hi Susan,
Great question! You can certainly make this scarf using Feltro! I think that 5 skeins should do the trick on a US 15 needle. You will want to knit a gauge swatch to determine your cast on. Once you know how many stitches per inch you are getting, you will multiply it by 14 inches and cast on that number!
Best,
Cassy
I love this but am having trouble when I start a new ball of yarn. Could you please suggest the best way? I ready to knot and weave the ends along the sides.
Thank you.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! Since Gentle Giant is so bulky, we recommend joining your ends with a Wet Splice – not only does it cut down on bulk, you won’t have to weave in any ends besides your cast on and cast off tails when you are done!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Looks so comfy and warm! I’ll have to find the time to make one 🙂
Love this scarf. It makes a beautiful gift.
It would be great if these patterns were made more printer friendly.
Hi Hollace,
Thanks for reaching out! You might like the options that are available in our printing feature! 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. To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi Julianna- I only wanted to comment on how great, helpful, and kindly worded your replies are! I love reading through people’s questions and your responses, and am impressed to find such reliably answered (and considerate) responses. Bravo Purl Soho!
Lindsay
Hi Lindsay,
Oh my goodness, you are too kind! I’m always so glad to hear that people find our answers helpful, and on behalf of the whole comment team, thank you so much for sharing your exceedingly gracious compliments! (I might be blushing a little!)
Have a wonderful day, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi,
Just discovered your site and am excited to get back into knitting. I would like to make this scarf for a 5’1″ friend (61″). Should I make it around 61 inches or little longer? And how many skeins would it take?
Thank you!
Hi Babs,
Thanks for reaching out! About 61 inches does sound like a good length for a person of that height, and it will take 7 skeins of yarn.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I would like to make your ” Shadow Study throw” with Gentle Giant….How many skeins should I buy??
Hi Miranda,
Thanks for writing in! When changing the gauge of a project so drastically, it’s hard to say exactly how much yarn you will need. I think you will need about 2 skeins of color A, 3 skeins of color B, 1 skein each of colors C and D, 4 skeins of color E, 1 skein each of colors F and G, and 5 skeins of color H. Once you knit a gauge swatch and get started on the actual blanket, you should be able to see how far each skein goes so you will be able to tell if this is enough yarn.
Best of luck, and I hope that helps!
Julianna
I am looking for the mountain caplet an need to no what size needle do I use?
Hi Ardy,
Thanks for reaching out! You can find our Mountain Capelet pattern by clicking right here, and it calls for US 19 32 and 24 inch needles.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi – I’m interested in making a throw blanket with Gentle Giant using simple knit stitch. How many stitches would I cast on & how many balls of wool would I need, assuming I’m using a size 17 or 19 needle?
Thank you!
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! If you are knitting at our gauge of 6 stitches and 12 rows to 4 inches on a US 19 needle, for a 45 inch wide throw, you will need to cast on 68 stitches. It will take about 22 skeins of Gentle Giant to knit a 45 inch by 60 inch throw.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi ..the knit gentle giant scarf calls for 8 skeins ..that seems alot considering the photo..384 yards???
Hi Francoise,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, that is correct! Even though Gentle Giant is a super bulky yarn, this scarf is extremely generously sized. You could always make it a little narrower or shorter if you wish!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi there…I’m a knitting newbie – for this project, should I use the 14″ size 19 needles or the shorter ones?
Thanks!
PS yay learn to knit kit – I’m a machine!
Hi Marcy,
Thanks for reaching out! For this project, I’d recommend using either the Addi Turbo Circular Needles in size US19 24″, or the Takumi US19 24″ Bamboo Circular Needles. Either set will work well for this scarf, it just depends on if you prefer metal or wooden needles!
Take care and Happy Knitting,
Kelsey
Would this work with the Lovebird yarn? I can’t determine if the pattern would be too busy?
Hi KC,
Thanks for reaching out. This is exactly the type of project I would recommend for a yarn like Lovebird! Simple stitch patterns, like garter stitch, are perfect for busy yarns. Since Lovebird is thinner than the yarn this pattern was designed in, you’ll just need to cast on more stitches to achieve the correct width. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Would you recommend the US 10-11 needle for this?
Yes, size US 10 or 11 needles are perfect for Lovebird!
All the best,
Lili