Waffle Scarf showing garter stitch borders.
College 2000 miles north requires a scarf.
Fall descends quickly in the far north. Temperatures there required the scarf be completed immediately, so fine yarn and lace patterns were not considered.
As dictated by fashion at the college -the only options for color were black and grey, and the design needed to be subtle.
Blocking Scarf
The Yarn Stash contained a few skeins of a worsted weight marled acrylic yarn. Not being an acrylic knitter, I cannot explain this yarn being in The Stash. But this Grey Marble Vanna’s Choice, met the (lack of color) color requirements – and became surprisingly soft after blocking.
The geometry of the Waffle Stitch worked up well in the marled yarn. Knitting went fairly quickly as the only stitches are knit and purl. Completing the scarf required just two weekends of football watching!
Waffle Scarf Details – border, Right side (right) and Wrong Side (Left)
I am sharing the pattern below, both in written and charted directions. It is great for a first project – or a take-along project – or a watching football project!
Description:
The 10″ * 72″ Scarf is 50 stitches wide and requires approximately 450 yards of worsted weight yarn. The 42-stitch waffle stitch section is framed by a garter stitch border. The scarf starts and finishes with an 8 row garter stitch end border and throughout its length, each row starts and ends with a 4 stitch side garter stitch border.
Waffle Scarf
The pattern:
Cast on 50 stitches using size 7 needles.
Garter Stitch Border:
Knit 8 rows.
Begin Pattern:
Row 1: Knit all stitches
Row 2: Knit 4, Purl to last 4 stitches, Knit 4.
Row 3: Knit 4, *K2, P2*, Repeat between * to last 6 stitches, K6.
Row 4: Knit 4, *P2, K2*, Repeat between * to last 6 stitches, P2, K4.
Wrong Side of Waffle Pattern really does look like waffles!
Knit until scarf is 72 inches long ending with Row 1.
Knit 8 rows for garter stitch border.
Bind off.
Being an engineer, I love using Charted Knitting Patterns. Symbols are used to represent stitches. The following narrative was created as speaking fluent Knitting Charts has its challenges.
In a chart, each square represents a stitch.
Charts are read across the rows from the lower right to the left. Rows also start at the bottom and are read upwards. This is the way right-handed individuals knit – but is completely opposite of the way we read books or pages – so does take some getting used to.
Waffle Section – fully charted
In the above chart, K = Knit and P = Purl. The first 12 rows of the Waffle Pattern section of the scarf has been charted. Wrong Side (WS) rows are shaded.
Chart of Repeating Pattern
Somewhat overwhelming. However, because the Waffle Stitch pattern is a 4 row, 4 stitch repeat, a much smaller chart can be used to illustrate the Waffle Stitch pattern.
Much less overwhelming – not to mention easier to read.
Same chart using symbols
Charted patterns, however, do not use shaded rows or letters. Symbols are used to represent the stitches – and symbols can vary by pattern.
The “Key” to the symbols is usually included just below the chart.
Same chart. Knit stitches shown as blank squares.
Some charting is based upon “Knitting every stitch unless the chart indicates a different stitch.” When this premise is used, the Key will note that all squares indicating knit stitches are left blank.
These simple charts show just the Waffle Stitch repeat. However, charting the whole scarf must include the side garter stitch borders.
Charted Scarf Pattern including side garter stitch borders.
Charting the border stitches is typically shown in side charts. Because of repeats, stitch counts may or may not be included.
Scarf Chart including side garter stitch borders – using symbols.
Again, letters and shaded rows are not typical. Symbols are used in pattern charting.
The charted pattern for the scarf would be written:
Cast on 50 stitches using size 7 needles.
Knit 8 rows.
Following Chart, knit scarf until it is approximately 72 inches long ending with Row 1.
Knit 8 rows. Bind off.
Now, as a bilingual individual, translating “Knitting Charts” should no longer seem overwhelming…..
Grey Marled Scarf
The Destashification Project 
A simple pattern but so effective, love it! Think I’ll have a delve in my stash and have a couple of days off from sewing 😃
Thanks for sharing your lovely pattern!
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Your patterns are awesome, and I thank you for your attention to detail…your descriptions are perfect as well as the photos. Thanx sooo much!!
I am a new knitter. Can I knit this scarf using a yarn that is dk wt?
Yes, the gauge is not all that important when knitting a scarf.
However, I would suggest going down a needle size or two so the stitch pattern is not stretched.
Enjoy!
What about using Qiviut 2/14 weight? I have 2 skeins–436 yes. Looking for simple patten for husband’s scarf. I have trouble a more difficult stitch when knitting with this fine Qiviut. I love the simple reversible pattern.
I love knitting with Qiviut! I knit my son a scarf with it years ago [ he loves how warm it is.
I would think this scarf pattern would work well for a man’s scarf. Qiviut is such a wonderful yarn. Enjoy the time knitting with it and let us know how the scarf works out!
I LOVE this scarf. I’m currently working on it as my first patterned project and am about halfway through. I’m super proud of myself for not giving up on it like I have with other knitting projects in the past. However, I’m having an issue in that the border is folding under, any words of wisdom? Can this just be fixed by blocking the project at the end?
Let me just say, I am loving this pattern as my first ever “real” project. However, I’m about halfway through and having an issue with the knit stitch border flipping under. Is there anything I can do to counteract this? Will blocking at the end solve the problem?
I am glad to hear you are knitting your first “real” project. … And halfway through – congratulations!
The “rolling” of the border will occur due to the slight difference in the gauge of the waffle stitch and the garter stitch.
Do not worry, though, it disappears during the blocking process! Blocking instructions can be found many places on the web, including the link provided (I myself, have just done step 1 and 3 in the linked instructions). Once blocked it will lie flat and you will wear it with pride! Congrats again!
Nice pattern, should also be good for dish cloths due to the “scrubby” structure 🙂
for the charts: here in Germany, many charts are done so that they show how the piece looks from the right side. So the symbols are not drawn as you have to knit them, but as they appear from the right side of the finished fabric. So the symbol | would be explained in the legend as “knit on right side rows, purl on wrong side rows”.
This may seem confusing to new knitters, but it allows much better to look at the chart and see at one glance how the finished pattern will probably look. I find this very useful.
Other charts will leave out wrong side rows altogether, if they are knitted as the stitches appear (knit the knits and purl the purls). Also for these charts it is easy to see how the finished pattern looks.
Try this with cable patterns for instance – very nice!