Strata Scarf
Our Strata Scarf is like a geological survey of nature’s most beautiful colors! Dipping into Linen Quill‘s palette of more than 40 shades, each stripe adds a compelling layer to the landscape.
The beauty is also in the simplicity: knit in the round, you turn the finished piece inside-out because who doesn’t prefer knitting to purling? Get started with a collection of Linen Quill in your favorite colors, or choose from our curated palettes from sunny Beach Walk (shown here) to cool Skyscape, then knit earth’s timeline!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
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, #PurlSohoStrataScarf, and #PurlSohoLinenQuill. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
To knit your own Strata Scarf, you will need…
- 9 skeins of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca and 15% linen. Each skein of this fingering weight yarn is 439 yards with a total of 1339 yards required….
- Color A: 1 skein, approximately 184 yards required
- Color B: 1 skein, approximately 146 yards required
- Color C: 1 skein, approximately 194 yards required
- Color D: 1 skein, approximately 160 yards required
- Color E: 1 skein, approximately 160 yards required
- Color F: 1 skein, approximately 136 yards required
- Color G: 1 skein, approximately 151 yards required
- Color H: 1 skein, approximately 83 yards required
- Color I: 1 skein, approximately 127 yards required
You will also need…
- US 4 (3.5 mm), 16-inch circular needles
- A stitch marker
Choose your favorite colors or consider these five palettes…
Beach Walk
Shown above and the palette we used to knit our sample…
- Color A: Lychee Pink
- Color B: Eggshell Blue
- Color C: Crocus Bud
- Color D: Peony Pink
- Color E: Pale Oats
- Color F: Fresh Nutmeg
- Color G: Calendula Orange
- Color H: Dark Denim
- Color I: Bright Flamingo
Nasturtium
- Color A: Bright Flamingo
- Color B: Dandelion Yellow
- Color C: Twig Brown
- Color D: Peachy Pink
- Color E: Peony Pink
- Color F: Red Poppy
- Color G: Pink Pop
- Color H: Rhubarb Pink
- Color I: Super Orange
Sunflower
- Color A: Mustard Seed
- Color B: Calendula Orange
- Color C: Fresh Nutmeg
- Color D: Butterscotch Yellow
- Color E: Honey Pink
- Color F: Sweet Potato
- Color G: Super Orange
- Color H: Chestnut Red
- Color I: Lychee Pink
Mussel Shell
- Color A: Pale Mushroom
- Color B: Stonewall Gray
- Color C: Peach Stone
- Color D: Honey Pink
- Color E: Pale Oats
- Color F: Trout Brown
- Color G: Lavender Opal
- Color H: Stillwater Blue
- Color I: Peony Pink
Skyscape
- Color A: Eggshell Blue
- Color B: Heirloom White
- Color C: Green Turquoise
- Color D: Purple Smoke
- Color E: Lavender Opal
- Color F: True Turquoise
- Color G: Cobalt Blue
- Color H: High Tide
- Color I: Vintage Celadon
Gauge
25 stitches and 37 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Size
Finished Dimensions: 16 inches in circumference x 76 inches long
Notes
Construction
You will knit this scarf in the round with the wrong side (the knit side) facing you. Once you’re done, you’ll turn the finished piece inside out so the reverse stockinette (purl side) is on the outside.
Changing Colors
To avoid weaving in a whole lot of ends when you’re finished knitting, follow these instructions for doing it as you go along. Don’t worry, all those little tails you’re leaving will stay secure and will be hidden on the inside of your scarf! (Feel free to change colors as you normally would, just be prepared for many tails to weave in! ) Here’s what we recommend…
For Knit Rounds
Knit the first 4 stitches of the round holding both the New and Old Colors together. When you join the New Color, leave a 1½ to 2-inch tail on the knit side of the work. And when you’re done with the Old Color, do the same: Leave a 1½ to 2-inch tail on the knit side of the work.
For Purl Rounds
When you work the purl-stitch Rolled Edges, change colors in the same way, except leave the tails on the purl side of the work.
Stripe Pattern
You will repeat the following Stripe Pattern 8 times. Each repeat is approximately 9½ inches long.
Color A: 3 rounds
Color B: 2 rounds
Color C: 3 rounds (NOTE: For first repeat of Stripe Pattern, purl first round of Color C and knit next two rounds.)
Color D: 2 rounds
Color E: 4 rounds
Color A: 2 rounds
Color F: 3 rounds
Color G: 2 rounds
Color C: 2 rounds
Color B: 1 round
Color D: 4 rounds
Color H: 1 round
Color C: 2 rounds
Color G: 2 rounds
Color A: 3 rounds
Color I: 2 rounds
Color E: 3 rounds
Color F: 2 rounds
Color B: 3 rounds
Color H: 2 rounds
Color I: 2 rounds
Color G: 1 round
Color A: 2 rounds
Color F: 2 rounds
Color C: 3 rounds
Color B: 2 rounds
Color E: 3 rounds
Color D: 3 rounds
Color I: 1 round
Color A: 2 rounds
Color H: 3 rounds
Color G: 2 rounds
Color C: 3 rounds
Color B: 2 rounds
Color D: 2 rounds
Color F: 2 rounds
Color I: 3 rounds (NOTE: For last repeat of Stripe Pattern, knit first round of Color I and purl next two rounds.)
Color E: 1 round
Color G: 2 rounds
Pattern
Rolled Edge
With Color A, cast on 100 stitches.
Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Rounds 1-3: With Color A, purl to end of round.
Rounds 4 and 5: With Color B, purl to end of round, following the Changing Colors For Purl Rounds instructions (see Notes).
Round 6: With Color C, purl to end of round, following the Changing Colors For Purl Rounds instructions.
Body
For the first round of every New Color stripe in this section, follow the Changing Colors For Knit Rounds instructions (see Notes).
Starting with the second round of Color C, follow the Stripe Pattern to end (see Notes).
Repeat the entire Stripe Pattern 7 more times, ending the final repeat with one round of Color I.
Rolled Edge
Rounds 1 and 2: With Color I, purl to end of round.
Round 3: With Color E, purl to end of round, following the Changing Colors For Purl Rounds instructions.
Rounds 4 and 5: With Color G, purl to end of round, following the Changing Colors For Purl Rounds instructions.
Bind Off Round: With Color G, bind off knitwise.
Do not weave in ends, turn piece purl-side out, and block as desired.
Learn About Linen Quill + All Our Beautiful Yarns
We designed this project to highlight the uniquely beautiful qualities of our Linen Quill, a wonderful fingering-weight yarn that is a blend of 50% wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. It feels amazing in your hands, and in over 60 jaw-droppingly gorgeous colors, Linen Quill is the candy store of yarn!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our vast collection of (mostly free!) Linen Quill knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-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 wool yarn
- Shop alpaca yarn
- Shop linen 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!
Such a cheerful knit-and a great way to use up odds and ends. I like the subtlety of the purled stripe. Thank you, Purl Soho.
All of the versions are absolutely gorgemous!!!! Suitable to wear any season,,, would add class to any ensemble
“Who doesn’t prefer knitting to purling?” Learn to do the purl stitch Portuguese-style and then we can chat. But no hard feelings, this pattern has us in one very good mood indeed . . .
If you did a provisional cast on, could you graft the ends together to make a cowl? I’m visiting from the UK this month and can’t wait to splurge in your shop!
Hello Sandra,
Thank you for reaching out! This is a lovely idea and we can’t wait to have you visit!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Hi, This is beautiful! How many scarves would this bundle make?
Hello Leah,
This is a great question! There is enough yarn to make two full scarves.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Can you recommend sizing for a 10 year old girl? Love this scarf and want to make it for a dear friend’s daughter.
Hi Daphne –
The Strata Scarf is only 8 inches wide, and could easily be sized shorter for a child by doing fewer repeats of the stripe pattern. Instead of doing eight stripe repeats, you could do five or six repeats for a 47-57 inch length. Happy Knitting!
Cassandra
I am knitting a smaller version of this scarf for Operation Gratitude, a charity that sends care packages to active military men and women. For this project, the scarves need to be 4-6 inches wide and 48-50 inches long. I’m using US 4, 12″ circular needles and the yarn left over from making the Nature’s Palette blanket, cast on 75 stitches and 5 pattern repeats. It’s a delightful knit. It’s fun to watch the patterns emerge. Also, I’m very happy to have a good use for this beautiful yarn.
Thanks Purl Soho!
Hi There,
I have just ordered my 9 chosen colors of linen quill. If you want the knit side to be the right side of the work, do you swap the purl rows for knit rows & knit rows for purl rows?
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for reaching out, and the answer to your question is actually even simpler than that! All you need to do is knit the pattern as written but keep the knit side facing outwards when you wear it, instead of turning it inside-out to wear.
All the best,
Lili