Atelier Scarves

Inspired by the modernist forms of Constantin Brancusi’s sculptures, our Atelier Scarves explore the possibilities of simple garter stitch, while 100% merino wool Knitting Yarn DK brings crisp definition to the curves, angles, and tapers of our three striking scarf patterns.

Brancusi continually searched for the simplest expression of a form, what he called “the essence of things.” While his favored materials were wood, stone, and bronze, we picked up our needles and yarn to discover the natural shapes it’s possible to “sculpt” from knitted fabric.

Each Atelier Scarf is knit entirely in garter stitch, with basic increases and decreases shaping the scallops, sawtooths, and tapered columns of our three distinctive patterns.

A perfect match for these graphic shapes, Knitting Yarn DK is classic merino wool with a round, bouncy spin and a soft hand tempered by just a bit of pleasing toothiness that connects you with the yarn’s sheepy origin. It comes in ready-to-knit 100-gram balls and over 30 beautifully heathered colors, including the three gorgeous, earthy neutrals we chose: Heirloom White, Acorn Brown, and Peat Bog.

Choose from the Accordion Scarf, the Column Scarf, and the Scallop Scarf, all super satisfying knits with wonderfully different personalities. Three balls of Knitting Yarn DK is all you need to bring your favorite to life!

Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho founder and co-owner, Joelle Hoverson, and Purl Soho designers, Hiromi Glover and Gianna Mueller.

Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.

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Materials

• 3 balls of Purl Soho’s Knitting Yarn DK, 100% merino wool yarn. Each ball of this light worsted/DK-weight yarn is 219 yards/ 100 grams.
  • Scallop Scarf: 590 total yards required. We used the color Peat Bog.
  • Accordion Scarf: 605 total yards required. We used the color Acorn Brown.
  • Column Scarf: 570 total yards required. We used the color Heirloom White.
• US 6 (4mm), 24-inch circular knitting needles
• Removable stitch markers or scrap yarn

GAUGE

22 stitches and 44 rows (22 ridges) = 4 inches in garter stitch

SIZES

Scallop Scarf

• Finished Dimensions: 7 inches at widest point x 69 inches long

Accordion Scarf

• Finished Dimensions: 9 inches at widest point x 69¾ inches long

Column Scarf

• Finished Dimensions: 8¾ inches at widest point x 65½ inches long 

NOTES

GARTER RIDGE

A “garter ridge” equals two rows of garter stitch. It looks like a prominent horizontal ridge and is an easy way to count rows!

SLIP STITCHES

Slip all slipped stitches knitwise with yarn in back.

KNIT FRONT, BACK, AND FRONT (KFBF)

Knit into the front of the stitch as usual, but do not let it slide off the left needle, then knit into the back of the same stitch, then knit into the front of it once more, then let the stitch slide off the left needle. [2 stitches increased]

SCALLOP SCARF PATTERN

Cast on 39 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

DECREASING HALF-SCALLOP

WORK EVEN

Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Notes), knit to end of row.

Row 1 (right side): Slip 1, knit to end of row.

NOTE: Mark previous row with removable stitch marker or piece of scrap yarn to indicate right side.

NOTE: Row 1 is the basic row for working in pattern, i.e. garter stitch with a slip-stitch selvage.

Repeat Row 1 forty-seven more times, ending with a wrong-side row. [25 garter ridges (see Notes) on right side]

DECREASE

Decrease Row 1 (right side): Slip 1, knit 2 together (k2tog), knit to end of row. [1 stitch decreased]

Continuing in garter stitch with slip-stitch selvage pattern, work Decrease Row 1 every fourth row 2 times, ending with 3 rows worked even. [36 stitches remain; 31 garter ridges on right side]

Continuing in pattern, work Decrease Row 1 every right-side row 4 times, ending with a Decrease Row 1. [32 stitches remain; 35 garter ridges on right side]

Decrease Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. [1 stitch decreased]

Work [Decrease Row 1, Decrease Row 2] 3 more times. [25 stitches remain; 38 garter ridges on right side]

REPEATING SCALLOP

NOTE: Place a removable marker on the first stitch of this section each time it is worked. This marker indicates where to begin counting ridges for each repeat. 

INCREASE

Set-Up Row (right side): Slip 1, knit to end of row.

Increase Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1, knit to last 2 stitches, knit front and back (kfb), k1. [1 stitch increased]

Increase Row 2 (right side): Slip 1, kfb, knit to end of row. [1 stitch increased]

Work [Increase Row 1, Increase Row 2] 3 more times. [33 stitches; 4 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

Continuing in pattern, work Increase Row 2 every right-side row 3 times, ending with Increase Row 2. [36 stitches; 8 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

Continuing in pattern, work Increase Row 2 every fourth row 3 times, ending with Increase Row 2. [39 stitches; 15 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

Work even in pattern for 23 rows, ending with a wrong-side row. [25 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

DECREASE

Work Decrease section of Decreasing Half-Scallop. [38 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

CONTINUE

Repeat Repeating Scallop section 7 more times.

INCREASING HALF-SCALLOP

Work Increase section of Repeating Scallop.

Work even in pattern for 26 rows, ending with wrong-side row. [38 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

FINISHING

With right side facing you, bind off all stitches knitwise.

Weave in all ends and gently wet block.

ACCORDION SCARF PATTERN

Cast on 18 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

FIRST ACCORDION

INCREASE

Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Notes), knit front, back, and front (kfbf, see Notes), knit to last 2 stitches, kfbf, k1. [22 stitches]

Increase Row 1: Slip 1, knit front and back (kfb), knit to last 2 stitches, kfb, k1. [2 stitches increased]

NOTE: Mark previous row with removable stitch marker or piece of scrap yarn to indicate right side.

Repeat Increase Row 1 thirteen more times, ending with a wrong-side row. [50 stitches; 8 garter ridges (see Notes) on right side]

DECREASE

Starting with a right-side row…

Decrease Row: Slip 1, knit 2 together (k2tog), knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat Decrease Row 15 more times, ending with a wrong-side row. [18 stitches remain; 16 garter ridges on right side]

REPEATING ACCORDION

NOTE: Place a removable marker on the first stitch of this section each time it is worked. This marker indicates where to begin counting ridges for each repeat. 

INCREASE

Starting with a right-side row…

Increase Row 2: Slip 1, kfb, knit to last 2 stitches, kfb, k1. [2 stitches increased]

Repeat Increase Row 2 fifteen more times, ending with a wrong-side row. [50 stitches; 8 garter ridges, counting from removable stitch marker]

DECREASE

Work Decrease section of First Accordion. [18 stitches remain; 16 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

CONTINUE

Repeat Repeating Accordion section 22 more times.

FINISHING

With right side facing you, bind off all stitches knitwise.

Weave in all ends and gently wet block.

COLUMN SCARF PATTERN

Cast on 48 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Notes), knit to end of row.

NOTE: This row is the basic row for working in pattern, i.e. garter stitch with a slip-stitch selvage.

DECREASING HALF COLUMN

Decrease Row (right side): Slip 1, slip slip knit (ssk), knit to last 3 stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog), k1. [2 stitches decreased]

NOTE: Mark previous row with removable stitch marker or piece of scrap yarn to indicate right side.

Continuing in garter stitch with slip-stitch selvage pattern, work Decrease Row every eighth row 11 times, ending with a Decrease Row. [24 stitches remain]

Work one wrong-side row even in pattern. [46 garter ridges on right side]

FULL COLUMN

NOTE: Place a removable marker on the first stitch of this section each time it is worked. This marker indicates where to begin counting ridges for each repeat. 

INCREASE

Increase Row (right side): Slip 1, knit front and back (kfb), knit to last 2 stitches, kfb, k1. [2 stitches increased]

Continuing in pattern, work Increase Row every eighth row 11 times, ending with an Increase Row. [48 stitches]

Work one wrong-side row even in pattern. [45 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

DECREASE

Work as for Decreasing Half Column. [24 stitches remain; 90 garter ridges on right side, counting from removable stitch marker]

CONTINUE

Repeat Full Column two more times.

Repeat Increase section of Full Column one more time.

FINISHING

With right side facing you, bind off all stitches knitwise.

Weave in all ends and gently wet block.

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