Point To Point Scarf

A little scarf with a clever point of view, our Point To Point Scarf is the easiest possible introduction to intarsia colorwork. This simple technique creates bold graphics, while our dreamiest 100% cashmere yarn, Nigh DK, adds sumptuous softness… An absolutely beautiful gift knit!

Nearly all of the knitting is simple garter stitch with a dramatic color change at the halfway point. At each end, you knit the contrast-color diamond tips with intarsia, a colorwork technique that lets you knit broad sections of color without slipping stitches or carrying yarn across the back. You won’t believe how easy it is—especially in garter stitch—and we have a great tutorial to walk you through it.

Every stitch is a pleasure in Nigh DK, our 100% Mongolian cashmere yarn that you have to feel to believe. The frigid Mongolian highlands are the source of much of the world’s cashmere because the goats who live there grow an extraordinarily soft, lofty, and insulating winter undercoat. In spring, when the animals are naturally shedding, farmers gently comb away that undercoat, and only the very finest of those fibers make it into Nigh DK.

The finished yarn is then washed several times, which means Nigh DK is unbelievably soft as you’re knitting, not just after you block it. At a not-too-thick-not-too-thin DK weight, it knits up into an incredibly warm and surprisingly lightweight fabric, with a luminous halo that floats above the surface.

To knit a totally on-point gift for someone close to your heart or a new favorite scarf for yourself, choose two of Nigh DK‘s colors, from nuanced heathers to rich solids… Just one skein of each makes a Point To Point Scarf!

Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 55 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!

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

Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.

Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!

Materials

• 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Nigh DK, 100% cashmere yarn. Each skein of this light worsted/ DK-weight yarn is 199 yards/ 55 grams.
  • Color A: 1 skein; approximately 110 total yards required. We used Pearl Gray.
  • Color B: 1 skein; approximately 110 total yards required. We used Golden Ochre.
• US 5 (3.75 mm), 24-inch circular knitting needles

GAUGE

23 stitches and 46 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch

SIZE

Finished Dimensions: 5 inches wide x 37½ inches long

NOTES

SLIP STITCHES

Slip all slip stitches knitwise with yarn in back (wyib).

INTARSIA

The colorwork in this project is done with a technique called “intarsia.” Each row involves three balls of yarn, which is much easier than it may sound! For some tips on this technique, visit our Intarsia in Garter Stitch Tutorial.

MAKE COLOR A AND B BALLS

When you work the intarsia sections of this pattern, you will need three balls of yarn. Two of them will be the regular balls you’ve wound, called “Color A” and “Color B.” The third will be a much smaller ball: “Small Color A” for one tip and “Small Color B” for the other tip. To get ready to go, simply wind 4½ yards from each color into a small ball. The pattern will let you know when to use these!

PATTERN

FIRST TIP

INCREASE

With Color A (see Notes), cast on 2 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Set-Up Increase Row 1 (wrong side): K1, knit into front and back (kfb). [3 stitches]

Set-Up Increase Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 (see Notes), kfb, k1. [4 stitches]

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

Starting with a wrong-side row…

Increase Row: Slip 1, kfb, knit to end of row. [1 stitch increased]

Repeat Increase Row 23 more times, ending with a wrong-side row. [29 stitches]

WORK INTARSIA

Joining both Color B balls, when needed…

Set-Up Row (right side): With Color B, k1, drop Color B without cutting it; with Color A, k27, drop Color A without cutting it; with Small Color B (see Notes), k1. [1 Color B stitch; 27 Color A stitches; 1 Small Color B stitch]

Now working Intarsia (see Notes) at every color change…

Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1; with Color A, k27; with Color B, k1.

Row 2 (right side): Slip 1, then with Color B, k1; with Color A, knit until 1 Color A stitch remains; with Small Color B, k2. [2 Color B stitches; 25 Color A stitches; 2 Small Color B stitches]

Row 3: Slip 1, then with Small Color B, knit to end of Color B; with Color A, knit to end of Color A; with Color B, knit to end of row.

Row 4: Slip 1, then with Color B, knit to end of Color B, k1; with Color A, knit until 1 Color A stitch remains; with Small Color B, knit to end of row. [1 more Color B stitch; 2 fewer Color A stitches; 1 more Small Color B stitch]

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 eleven more times, then repeat Row 3 one time. [14 Color B stitches; 1 Color A stitch; 14 Small Color B stitches]

Cut Color A and Small Color B. Do not cut Color B.

BODY

Starting with a right-side row and using only Color B…

Row 1: Slip 1, knit to end of row.

Repeat Row 1 until piece measures 13¾ inches from last Color A stitch, or 18¾ inches from cast-on tip, ending with a wrong-side row.

Cut Color B.

Joining Color A…

With Color A, repeat Row 1 for 13¾ inches, or until piece measures 32½ inches from cast-on tip, ending with a wrong-side row.

SECOND TIP

WORK INTARSIA

Joining Color B and Small Color A, when needed…

Set-Up Row (right side): Slip 1, then with Color A, k13, drop Color A without cutting it; with Color B, k1, drop Color B without cutting it; with Small Color A, knit to end of row. [14 Color A stitches; 1 Color B stitch; 14 Small Color A stitches]

Now working Intarsia at every color change…

Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1, then with Small Color A, k13; with Color B, k1; with Color A, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): Slip 1, then with Color A, knit until 1 Color A stitch remains; with Color B, k3; with Small Color A, knit to end of row. [13 Color A stitches; 3 Color B stitches; 13 Small Color A stitches]

Row 4: Slip 1, then with Small Color A, knit to end of Color A; with Color B, knit to end of Color B; with Color A, knit to end of row.

Row 5: Slip 1, then with Color A, knit until 1 Color A stitch remains; with Color B, k1, knit to end of Color B, k1; with Small Color A, knit to end of row. [1 fewer Color A stitch; 2 more Color B stitches; 1 fewer Small Color A stitch]

Repeat Rows 4 and 5 eleven more times, then Repeat Row 4 one time. [1 Color A stitch; 27 Color B stitches; 1 Small Color A stitch]

Cut Color A and Small Color A. Do not cut Color B.

DECREASE

Using only Color B…

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

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

Repeat Decrease Rows 1 and 2 twelve more times. [3 stitches remain]

Next Row (right side): Slip slip knit pass (s2kp). [1 stitch remains]

Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitch.

FINISHING

Weave in the ends and gently wet block.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of free knitting patterns) and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 55 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!