purlJam

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# Hooded Scarf in Garter Stitch with I-Cord Edging

## Description

This cosy hooded scarf is worked flat in one continuous piece — two long scarf tails joined by a wide hood section. The entire fabric is garter stitch, making it wonderfully reversible and beginner-friendly. A neat 3-stitch i-cord edging is picked up and worked around all outer edges after completion, giving the piece a polished, professional finish. The hood is shaped by a simple fold-and-seam at the top — no complex shaping required.

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## Materials

| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| **Yarn** | 8 ply (DK / Light Worsted) — approx. 420 m (460 yds) |
| **Yarn Example** | Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, Rowan Pure Wool DK, or similar |
| **Needles (main)** | 4.5 mm straight or circular needles, 60 cm (24 in) or longer |
| **Needles (i-cord)** | 4.5 mm double-pointed needles (DPNs), set of 2 |
| **Notions** | Stitch markers × 2, tapestry needle, scissors |

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## Tension (Gauge)

**18 sts × 36 rows = 10 cm (4 in) square in garter stitch on 4.5 mm needles, unblocked.**

> **Important:** Tension is measured over garter stitch (knit every row). Row tension in garter stitch is measured by counting *ridges* — 18 ridges = 10 cm (4 in). Take time to check your tension before beginning; changing your needle size is preferable to adjusting stitch counts.

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## Finished Measurements

| Section | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Each scarf tail | 20 cm wide × 70 cm long (8 in × 27.5 in) |
| Hood opening (width) | 56 cm (22 in) |
| Hood depth (front to top seam) | approx. 35 cm (14 in) |
| Total scarf length (tip to tip) | approx. 210 cm (82.5 in) including hood |

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## Difficulty Level

**Easy** — requires only knit stitch, cast-on, cast-off, and i-cord technique.

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## Abbreviations

| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **k** | knit |
| **k2tog** | knit 2 stitches together (1 stitch decreased) |
| **CO** | cast on |
| **BO** | bind (cast) off |
| **RS** | right side |
| **WS** | wrong side |
| **st(s)** | stitch(es) |
| **rep** | repeat |
| **pm** | place marker |
| **sm** | slip marker |
| **sl** | slip stitch purlwise unless stated otherwise |
| **wyif** | with yarn in front |
| **DPN** | double-pointed needle |

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## Pattern Notes

1. **Garter stitch** is produced by knitting every row when working flat. Both sides look identical — there is no designated right side.
2. **I-cord edging** is worked by picking up stitches along the finished edges. Full instructions are given in the Finishing section.
3. **Hood construction:** The hood section is simply a wider rectangle. Once knitting is complete, fold the hood rectangle in half widthways and seam the top edge — this creates the hood shape. No hood shaping rows are required.
4. **Selvedge:** Throughout the pattern, slip the first stitch of every row purlwise with yarn in front (sl1 wyif), then bring yarn to back and knit to end. This creates a neat chain selvedge along both long edges, which makes picking up stitches for the i-cord edging much easier.
5. **Yarn joins:** When joining a new ball, do so at the beginning of a row. Weave in ends securely along the selvedge.

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## Pattern Instructions

### Section 1: First Scarf Tail

**Cast on 36 sts** using a long-tail cast-on or your preferred method.

**Set-up row (and every subsequent row throughout):**
Sl1 wyif, bring yarn to back, k to end.

Work in this manner (slipping the first stitch of every row) until piece measures **70 cm (27.5 in)** from cast-on edge, ending with a completed row.

> **Stitch check:** 36 sts on needle. ✅
> At tension of 36 rows = 10 cm, 70 cm = approximately 252 rows (126 ridges on each side).

Place a stitch marker at each end of the last row to mark the transition point.

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### Section 2: Hood

In this section, you will increase from 36 sts to 100 sts to create the wide hood panel.

**Increase row:**
Sl1 wyif, k to end of row. At the end of this row, use the **backwards loop (e-wrap) method** to cast on **64 additional sts**. — **100 sts total.** ✅

> *Tip: Work the backwards loop cast-on loosely to keep the transition edge flexible. These new stitches are at the right-hand edge of the next row.*

Work in established pattern (sl1 wyif, k to end every row) across all 100 sts until the hood section measures **35 cm (14 in)** from the increase row, ending with a completed row.

> At tension of 36 rows = 10 cm, 35 cm = approximately 126 rows (63 ridges on each side).

Place a stitch marker at each end of this last row.

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### Section 3: Second Scarf Tail

**Decrease row:**
Sl1 wyif, k35, then **BO the remaining 64 sts** (sts 37–100). — **36 sts remain on needle.** ✅

> *How to work the decrease row:* Knit across the first 36 sts normally. On the remaining 64 sts, cast off loosely: k2tog, then pass the first stitch over — continue in this manner until all 64 extra sts are cast off. You will have 36 live sts remaining on the right-hand needle.

Work in established pattern (sl1 wyif, k to end every row) on these 36 sts until the second scarf tail measures **70 cm (27.5 in)** from the markers, ending with a completed row.

**Cast off all 36 sts** loosely. Do not break yarn yet if working i-cord edging immediately.

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## Finishing

### Step 1: Hood Seam

Fold the hood section (the wide 100-stitch panel) in half **widthways**, so the two stitch markers meet. The fold creates the top of the hood.

Using a tapestry needle and a length of yarn, seam the top edge of the hood using mattress stitch or whip stitch. Work from the fold to the open edge, seaming approximately **18 cm (7 in)** back from the fold (this is half the 35 cm hood height).

> *Why only half the hood height?* Seaming all the way to the decrease row would close the hood entirely. Seaming approximately half creates a neat rounded top and leaves the front of the hood open. Adjust the seam length to suit your head size if desired — try the hood on before finishing the seam.

Fasten off and weave in this end securely.

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### Step 2: I-Cord Edging

The i-cord edging is worked around all outer edges of the completed scarf — both long edges and both short ends — using 2 DPNs. The i-cord is **3 stitches wide**.

**How i-cord edging works:** You pick up stitches along the edge, then work each picked-up stitch together with the live i-cord stitches as you travel along the edge.

#### Picking Up Rate

- Along **cast-on and cast-off short ends:** pick up 1 stitch for every stitch (36 sts per short end).
- Along **long selvedge edges:** pick up 1 stitch for every 2 rows (every chain loop along the slip-stitch selvedge).

> *Note:* For the i-cord edging method below, you do not need to pre-pick up all stitches. You work pick-up and i-cord simultaneously, moving along the edge.

#### Working the I-Cord Edging

**Cast on 3 sts** onto one DPN using a knitted cast-on.

*Alternatively:* Pick up and knit 3 sts from the corner of one short end to begin.

**I-cord edging row:**
1. K2.
2. Sl1, pick up and knit 1 st from the edge of the scarf (insert needle under the edge loop, wrap yarn, and pull through).
3. Pass the slipped stitch over the picked-up stitch (this joins the i-cord to the scarf edge — 3 sts remain on needle). ✅
4. Do **not** turn. Slide sts to other end of DPN and pull working yarn across the back.
5. Rep steps 1–4, working along the edge.

#### Corners

At each corner, work **3 i-cord edging rows into the same corner stitch** (i.e., pick up into the same corner point three times consecutively) before continuing along the next edge. This eases the i-cord around the corner without puckering.

#### Joining the I-Cord

When you have worked all the way around and returned to the starting point, graft (Kitchener stitch) the live 3 sts to the cast-on 3 sts, or use a three-needle cast-off on the wrong side for a quick join.

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### Step 3: Weaving In Ends

Weave in all remaining ends securely on the wrong side using a tapestry needle, working along garter ridges for security.

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### Step 4: Blocking (Optional)

Garter stitch generally requires minimal blocking. If desired, wet-block by soaking in cool water for 10 minutes, gently press out excess water in a towel, and lay flat to dry to measurements. Do not hang to dry. Blocking will even out the i-cord edging beautifully.

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## Schematic (Text)

```
[SHORT END — 20 cm]
|‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾|
|                    |  ← Scarf Tail 1 (70 cm long, 20 cm wide)
|                    |
|____________________|
|‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾|
|                                          |  ← Hood Panel (35 cm long, 56 cm wide)
|     ▲ fold here, seam top 18 cm ▲        |
|__________________________________________|
|‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾|
|                    |  ← Scarf Tail 2 (70 cm long, 20 cm wide)
|                    |
|____________________|
[SHORT END — 20 cm]
```

*I-cord edging runs around all outer edges shown above.*

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## Yardage Summary

| Component | Approximate Yardage |
|---|---|
| Two scarf tails | approx. 250 m (275 yds) |
| Hood panel | approx. 120 m (130 yds) |
| I-cord edging | approx. 50 m (55 yds) |
| **Total** | **approx. 420 m (460 yds)** |

> Purchase at least **2 × 100 g balls** of 8 ply yarn. Most 8 ply / DK yarns yield approximately 220–230 m per 100 g ball.

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## Quick Reference: Stitch Counts

| Section | Sts on Needle |
|---|---|
| Cast-on | 36 sts |
| After hood increase row | 100 sts |
| After hood decrease row | 36 sts |
| Final cast-off | 36 sts |
| I-cord edging (throughout) | 3 sts |

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*Pattern designed for personal and non-commercial use. Please do not redistribute or sell this pattern.*