Little Ladders Scarf
Silk may have a rap for being swanky, shiny, and normally confined to cocktail parties and wedding wear, but we challenge that reputation! Our Little Ladders Scarf in our wonderfully earthy Cattail Silk is ready to go boldly where no silk scarf has gone before… wherever you do!
Hard-working, but by no means hard work, this pattern is scarcely more than a simple stockinette stitch. All you’ll do is purl one row, then knit 1, slip 1 across the next. The rows stack up into a fantastic flat waffle texture that looks like columns of little ladders all lined up!
Our universally-loved Cattail Silk is 100% silk, crisp, cool, and absolutely beautiful. You’ll only need two skeins, but you’ll have to pick a color…Not so easy since we added 13 new beauties to the palette. Pick the one that’ll make you happy inside, outside, on land or sea, at work and play!
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!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!
Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoLittleLaddersScarf, and #PurlSohoCattailSilk. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Cattail Silk, 100% silk yarn. Each skein of this fingering weight yarn is 618 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1,075 yards required. We used Pale Wisteria.
- US 3 (3.25 mm) straight or circular needles
Gauge
30 stitches and 52 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
Finished Dimensions: 12 inches wide x 70 inches long
Notes
Slip Stitches
Slip all slip stitch purlwise with yarn in front.
Stitch Multiple
This stitch pattern works over an odd multiple of stitches.
Pattern
Cast on 91 stitches.
Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): *K1, slip 1 (see NOTES), repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 70 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 1.
With right side facing you, bind off knitwise.
Weave in all ends and block as desired.
LEARN ABOUT CATTAIL SILK + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
We used Cattail Silk for this pattern because its earthy, natural beauty brings a light drape and offhanded elegance to your knitting. A 100% mulberry silk yarn, Cattail Silk has a rustic spin with bitty nubs and very subtle variations in texture. Choose from a lovely bouquet of colors, and cast on with this fingering-weight yarn for a truly compelling knit!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our vast collection of (mostly free!) Cattail Silk knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-weight yarn
- 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 silk yarn
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!
Hi,
I love the look of this scarf and was thinking of doing it in soft wool. I am also a better knitter than purler. Could I reverse the pattern? Knit one row, then purl one, slip one on the reverse?
Thanks so much,
All the best,
Kieran
Hi Kieran,
Very interesting question! You may be able to do this. I did a little swatch and think that I have figured out how to best do this.
Row 1 (right side): Knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): *P1, slip 1 (slip all stitches knitwise with the yarn in the back), repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Perfectly!! Thank you so much, Cassy.
All the best,
Kieran
You could reverse the pattern but it’s more work. After you
purl l, you need to bring the yarn to the back of the stitches to slip one and then back to the front to purl one. I am actually making this scarf now with the pattern as written and it moves along quickly and looks lovely.
In the original pattern you have to knit 1, slip 1 purlwise wyif – isn’t that just the same (essentially) as purl 1, slip 1 knitwise wyib?
Hello Kate,
Thank you for reaching out! When slip your yarn knitwise it twists your stitch, while when you slip your stitch purlwise it does not twist your stitch.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Please define BACL
Hello Margie,
Thanks for writing! I hope I can help, where are you seeing BACL?
Warmly,
Marilla
Is this pattern able to be done so that every other row has the | stitch?
It would be a good way to make the finished scarf into one that can be used for Swedish Weaving aka Huck embroidery.
| | | | |
| | | |
My attempt to show what I mean has failed.
Hello Marny,
Thank you for reaching out! I must admit I know very little about Swedish Weaving, but this sounds like fascinating idea! If you try it out let us know what you find.
Happy exploration!
-Marilla
Can the little ladder scarf be done in a circle for a cowl or must it be flat and seamed?
Any guesstimate about size and yarn quantity? # of stitches to be cast on?
DB
Hello Diana,
Thank you for reaching out! You can knit this stitch in the round. You will just need to change all wrong side rows to “Knit to the end of the round”. You shouldn’t need more than one skein for a cowl. Once you decide your desired circumference of your cowl you can multiply your stitches per inch by your circumference to get your cast on number. You will just want to be sure to cast on an odd number.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I’d like to make this scarf twice as wide. Can I just double the number of cast-on stitches?
Hello Sara,
Thank you for reaching out! Yes! You just need to be sure that you are casting on an odd number, I would reccomend casting on either 181 or 183.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
How many inches for a US 3 circular needle? Not sure for a 91 stitch cast on. Thank you!!
Hello Martin,
Thank you for reaching out! I would reccomend a 20″ or a 24″ circular, but you could knit it on anything that is 16″ and upward.
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Do you have suggestions as to how to adapt this pattern to having tapered ends ? I know the slip stitch pattern needs an odd number, so do you think it would work if I cast on an odd number ( 3 or 5?) and increased 2 stitches every other row until it reached 91, worked even then decrease 2 stitches every other row? I’m going to try a little swatch!
Hello Charlene,
Thank you for reaching out! This is a lovely Idea. You will just want to make sure that all your slipped stitches continue to be stacked on top of each other. This means that you increase on your purl side, then your next row will be K1,*k1, slip 1, repeat from * to last stitch, k2.
I hope this makes sense and let us know how it goes!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi, I’m curious what the reverse side looks like. Is it the same as the front?
Hello Ellen,
Thank you for reaching out! The back of this scarf looks very similar to the back, or purl side, of a stockinette stitch.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
This is a great “summer knit” that I would like to do but as a cowl. You stress that you need to cast on an odd number of stitches, but in the round would you need that extra edge stitch?
Hello Barbara,
Thank you for reaching out! You can knit this stitch in the round. You will just need to change all wrong side rows to “Knit to the end of the round”. Yes, you can take out the edge stitch and cast on an even number.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi, I will be using US 3 circular needles for this. Can you tell me the right number of inches to use for the US 3s to accommodate all the stitches? Thank you!
Hello Marty,
Thank you for reaching out! You can use anything upwards of a 16″ needle. I would reccomend either a 20″ or a 24″.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I have not been able to purchase the Cattail Silk because it is out of stock in so many colours. Can any other Yarns be substituted for this pattern that would look as good as the Cattail Silk? I am hesitant to use something else because I am afraid it will not have the same texture as the Cattail Silk.
Hello Celia,
Thank you for reaching out! Cattail does have a very unique texture, and though we don’t have anything that can really replicate that texture I think that this scarf would be really beautiful in our Field Linen or in Kalinka!
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I was also disappointed that so many colors of Cattail Silk are out of stock. Do you know when these might become available again? Thank you.
Hi Diane,
Thanks for writing in! We will certainly be getting more Cattail Silk back in stock, and I’m so sorry that it’s not here yet! Our mill is currently making it, and while we do not have a firm ETA, we are hoping that it will arrive soon. You can sign up to be notified when we get it back in stock. To do so, go to the product page, select the color that you are interested in and enter your email address. When that yarn and color arrives, we will email you right away!
Best,
Julianna
Hi- I love the look of this scarf. I have inherited a lot of great yarn and was wondering if I could use an Italian micro Cashmere (50% Lana superfine merinos and 45% microfibra) for this pattern. It looks like they are recommending size 4 needles. I also hope to visit the new store next time I am in NYC.
Hello Donna,
Thank you for reaching out! This scarf uses a fingering weight yarn with a gauge of 30 stitches and 52 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern. If you are able to get this gauge with a US 4 then your yarn will be perfect for this project!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Hi there! I was interested in making this and had read a comment about doubling the width. If I cast on 183,
Would two skeins of cattail get the job done?
Thank you in advance. It really is a lovely pattern and I really enjoy working with the yarn.
– Nell.
Hi Nell,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for writing in! We used 1,075 yards for the scarf at the original width, which is about 1.75 skeins, so unfortunately you will not have enough yardage to make a wider scarf the same length as ours. If you are casting 183 stitches for a scarf twice as wide as the original, you will need 4 skeins of Cattail Silk.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
would it be possible to make this scarf in “Burnish”? Should I use a number 3 circular needle ?
Hi Sara,
Thanks for reaching out! Burnish would be a lovely yarn to use for this pattern! It is the same weight as Cattail Silk so a US 3 will most likely be correct, but I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch to make sure. You will need four skeins of Burnish for this scarf.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Gorgeous pattern! Could this be made using Spun Silk and , if so, how many skeins do you think would be needed? Thank you.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, I think Spun Silk would be a lovely yarn to use for this scarf! You will need six skeins of Spun Silk for a scarf the same size as ours.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Thanks Julianna!
I accidentally found a way for the ends to not curl. I knitted the e first row instead of purling and now it doesn’t roll! It dies leave an edge though. Just thought i wait share
Is there a way to do this in a two color stripe, like how you can do 2 colors with the linen stitch, and what would that look like?
Hi Trista,
Thanks for reaching out! We haven’t tried working a two-color version of this stitch, but I don’t see why you couldn’t! It is very similar to linen stitch, although the slipped stitches are stacked instead of staggered, so I imagine the stripes would look a bit more like stripes, rather than the speckled effect you get when working two color linen stitch, as in our Linen Stitch Hand Towels. I would still suggest working two row stripes of each color in the stitch pattern and trying it out in a swatch to see if you like it!
Best of luck, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
I’m pretty new to knitting but I’m going to try to knit this beautiful scarf. Can you tell me the length of the US3 circular needle I should purchase?
Hi Cece,
Thanks for writing in! You can use either 24″ or 32″ circular needle for this scarf. If you already have either of those lengths you can use whatever you have, but if you are purchasing a needle, you might find it easier to knit on a 24″ needle. A 32″ needle works almost as well, but sometimes the excess cable length can get in the way. This is a wonderful project for a new knitter, so I hope you enjoy!
Best,
Julianna
I’m trying to determine if there is a “right” side and a “wrong” side to this pattern. The pictures seem to indicate it looks almost exactly the same on each side but that doesn’t make sense.
Hi Jordi,
Thanks for reaching out! You are correct that the scarf has a wrong and right side, but the difference between the two sides is fairly subtle, especially when worked in a small gauge and in a tweedy and textured yarn like Cattail Silk. It can be hard to spot in our pictures, so I would suggest knitting up a small swatch in a plain, light colored yarn so you can see how the two sides differ!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello! My mother and I are working this (the yarn was my Mother’s Day present to her) and we love the pattern. I typically have pretty tight stitches, and I’ve knit many items from the site that turned out just like the pictures, thanks to your wonderful instructions. However, my little ladders scarf (3” so far) looks much looser than depicted above. I even ripped out the first attempt and switched to a US 2 to see if that would make a difference. Is cattail something that changes more significantly with blocking or could I be doing something else wrong? Thanks very much!
Hi Sarah,
Great question! Because Cattail Silk is so grippy and quite unlike the wool yarns that most knitters are accustomed to, we have had several reports of knitters getting a looser gauge than they would expect when trying it out for the first time. It does tighten up a bit if you machine wash and dry it, but usually for a scarf or wrap, hand washing and blocking would be preferable so you can make sure the edges and corners turn out nice and crisp. There is some extra yardage if you purchased two skeins for this pattern, so you might try practicing on a swatch for a while to see if your knitting gets tighter as you get used to the yarn. Otherwise, I would recommend going with whatever needle size gives you the correct stitches per inch, even if it is smaller than what we used!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Thanks so much! It’s very pretty and my gauge is right, so I’m going to keep going and then wet block when finished to see how it all turns out. I’m sure it will be lovely either way. Thanks again for the reassurance 🙂
Hi! This is a beautiful pattern and I am enjoying knitting it so much. But it is starting to roll on the ends—will this resolve after I block it? Or is there something I am doing wrong?
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, blocking should help significantly with any rolling you see on the edges! You might want to double-check that you are slipping all the stitches with the yarn in front to create the ladder-like texture you can see in our pictures, as slipping the stitches with the yarn in the back could increase the tendency of the scarf to roll. Also, some yarns might not block out as well as our Cattail Silk, which tends to drape and lay very flat after wet blocking. If you have substituted a different yarn, I would recommend blocking a swatch in pattern to make sure it will turn out the way you want it to!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I’m close to completing this scarf. Though my stitches are pretty even and tight, it doesn’t have that flawless combed, nice even finish like the one in the photo. I plan on blocking it when I’m finished. Will that help and do you have any other suggestions or is it a matter of continued practice?
Thank you
Hi Allison,
Thanks for reaching out! Blocking should help re-arrange the stitches for a more even and uniform look! Our Blocking tutorial is an excellent resource to use!
All the best,
Gianna
Hi,
I’m just starting the swatch and have a question about the pattern. I knit the purl row, then the knit/slip stitch row. If I’m slipping the stitch purlwise with the yarn in front, do I then return the yarn to the back for the knit stitch? I’m also using two colors for a two row strip, alternating the colors. Any thing I need to do differently than just one color?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes you should be slipping the stitch purl wise with the yarn in front and then bringing the yarn to the back of your work to then knit the next stitch! I don’t think there should be anything different you need to do using two colors.
Please let us know how this turns out!
All the best,
Gianna
Hello,
My best friend is a fanatic about PURPLE; not lavender and not a plum color. I would like to make the Little Ladders scarf for her. I thought to use 7 skeins of Spectrum Silk in Bright Violet for her birthday in late June. With 7 skeins, I will have 1071 yards to work with. Do you think this will work? If so, will I need to make any changes to this pattern?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Jeanine
Hi Jeanine,
Thanks for reaching out! That is such a thoughtful gift! We used approximately 1075 yards for the scarf but I think you can definitely get away with 1071, it may come out a tiny bit shorter but that wont have a huge effect on the overall look! Spectrum Silk is a fingering weight yarn like Cattail Silk is so it should work perfectly with this pattern! I always recommend working a gauge swatch when using a different yarn than the pattern to insure you are consistent, in this case I would make the swatch but not bind off so that you can use that yarn in the wrap to insure you have enough!
I hope this helps and please let us know how this turns out!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thanks Gianna for your prompt thoughtful response.
I think I should purchase 8 skeins (1224 total yards) to be sure I have enough for the swatch and the scarf (I might make the scarf a little longer too).
However, since I’m on a fixed income I may need to purchase the yarn in 2 or 3 increments. Do you think I will run into a dye lot issue?
Hi Jeanine,
Thanks for reaching out! Thats a great idea! There shouldn’t be a problem with ordering the same dye lot unless a large amount of time goes between your purchases! You can help insure you get the same dye lot by requesting it in the Special Instructions section when you check out!
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Gianna
I am planning to make this pattern double the width. I will use US 3 needles as recommended, but how many inches will I need for 181 or 183 stitches? Thank you.
Hi CJ,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend a 24 or 32″ circular needle for 181-183 stitches!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hello Purl Soho, what a lovely scarf. I would like to make it into a cowl. What do you think? 12” height 24-26″ circumference? One skein? Do you think I could? Any suggestions? I love how it drapes around her neck.
Thank you for your help !
Marjorie
Hi Marjorie,
Thanks for reaching out! I think this pattern would be a great as a cowl! It should also be pretty simple to adjust the pattern to be worked in the round. One skein should be plenty!
Please let us know how this turns out!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thank you Gianna. I am an experienced knitter however I have not knit with 100% silk yet and I would like to purchase Cattail Silk. I would like to ask……How does silk knit up? Is it somewhat soft?
Does it become very stretchy? or hold its shape. Do the stitches have a nice definition, it would be linen stitch or ladder stitch. Does it block well? Anything you think I should know about how it knits up? Thank you. I would phone but I read best to write. I so appreciate Purl Soho and your yarns are so yummy! 🙂
Hi Marjorie,
Thanks for your response! Cattail Silk is a great option to begin working with silk yarns, it is soft but also has a lovely earthy texture and will continue to soften with wear! The silk will also hold its shape very well and has a great stitch definition (we love to use it with patterns like this that use the ladder stitch!) it also blocks beautifully.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Good morning! I have been looking for the perfect summer knitting project and this just might be it! I’ve got quite a few knits in shades of purple. Can you recommend a more neutral shade of Cattail Silk? Thanks!
Hi Megan,
Thanks for reaching out! Cattail Silk is the perfect yarn for a summer knit! We have some beautiful neutrals like Moon White, Porcelain White, and Cherry Blossom, but some of my absolute favorites are the Flower Field Blends! They are neutral bases with little flecks of color blended in, we have this available in Flower Field Charcoal, Flower Field Taupe, and my favorite, Flower Field Gray!
I hope this helps and please let me know which color you end up going with!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi there! Love this scarf and wa thinking about making it half the width. Maybe 45 stitches wide? Would one skein work? Thank you so much.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out. If you’re planning on making this scarf half the width, then just 1 skein will definitely be enough for that!
All the best,
Lili
What a beautiful pattern. Could I use Line Weight yarn for this pattern? I just love the colors and the soft like spaghetti strands.
I am always looking for beginner type patterns. Thanks so much.
Hi Pam!
Thank you for your question. Yes, you could definitely use Line Weight for this scarf, since it is also a fingering weight yarn!
Happy knitting,
Margaret
Oh wonderful! Thank you so much, Margaret. I cant wait to make this beautiful scarf! Have a great day.
You are welcome, Pam! Happy knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
I have a lot of linen quill in oatmeal gray. Can I use this yarn instead of the silk? Would I still use size 3 needles and cast on 91?
Thank you
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Linen Quill would be perfect for this pattern! To figure out what needles to use, we recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge! If you would like to learn more about this, we have a handy tutorial called All About Gauge. Once you’re confirmed your gauge is accurate, you can cast on 91 stitches. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I had been planning to do the bobble edge wrap. But have decided to switch to the little ladders. I would like to maintain the 27 inch x 27 inch shape.
Do I have to modify this pattern or can I use 161 stitches and stop at 27 inches?
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for writing in! To achieve a 27-inch width for this pattern, you will need to cast on 203 stitches. Then, you can follow the pattern as written until it reaches 27 inches in length!
All the best,
Lili
Isn’t this the same as half linen stitch ?
Hi Tamara,
Thank you for writing in! This pattern is very similar to half linen stitch but instead of offset stitches, you will notice the stitches are more stacked here. Great observations!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella