purlJam

# Protect Ya Neck Scarf
### Stranded Colorwork Statement Scarf in Fingering Weight

A bold, narrow scarf in sock-weight yarn featuring the iconic phrase **"PROTECT YA NECK"** alongside the Wu-Tang "W" rotated 90° to lie horizontally along the scarf. Worked flat in stranded (Fair Isle) colorwork with tidy garter-stitch edges. Intermediate skill — comfort with two-color knitting and managing floats required.

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## FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
- **Width:** 8 in (20.5 cm)
- **Length:** 40 in (101.5 cm)
- After light blocking

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## MATERIALS

**Yarn:** Fingering / sock weight (4-ply, ~400 yd / 100 g per skein)
- **MC (Main Color):** Black — approx. 280 yd (256 m)
- **CC (Contrast Color):** Golden Yellow — approx. 180 yd (165 m)

*Total yardage: ~460 yd. Buy one skein of each to be safe.*

**Needles:** US 4 (3.5 mm) straight or 24" circular (worked flat)
- Adjust as needed to obtain gauge

**Notions:**
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers (optional, to flank colorwork field)
- Blocking mat and pins
- Bobbins or yarn butterflies (optional, for managing CC)

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## GAUGE
**26 sts × 36 rows = 4 in (10 cm)** in stranded stockinette stitch, lightly blocked.

> ⚠️ Gauge swatch in **stranded colorwork**, not plain stockinette — colorwork pulls in tighter. Wash and block your swatch before measuring.

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## ABBREVIATIONS (US Terms)
- **CO** — cast on
- **BO** — bind off
- **k** — knit
- **p** — purl
- **st(s)** — stitch(es)
- **MC** — main color
- **CC** — contrast color
- **RS / WS** — right side / wrong side
- **rep** — repeat

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## STITCH NOTES

**Garter Edges:** First 4 and last 4 sts of every row are worked in garter (knit every row) in MC throughout to prevent curling and frame the colorwork.

**Stranded Colorwork:**
- Carry the non-working yarn loosely across the WS.
- **Catch floats every 4–5 sts** to prevent snags and keep tension even.
- Keep MC dominant (held below/left) for crisp lettering.

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## ATTACHED STITCH CHART

📎 **Use the separate attached chart panel for the full visual colorwork grid.** Do not attempt to work this pattern without it.

**Placement in pattern:** The attached chart is worked across the **center 44 stitches** of every row, between the 4-stitch garter edges on each side. It begins on **Row 5 (RS)** after the garter setup band and ends before the final garter band.

**How to read the chart (flat knitting):**
- The chart shows **44 stitches wide × 344 rows tall**.
- **RS rows (odd-numbered, right-side facing):** read **right to left**.
- **WS rows (even-numbered, wrong-side facing):** read **left to right**.
- Each square = 1 stitch. **Filled squares = CC (yellow); empty squares = MC (black).**
- RS rows are knit; WS rows are purled — work the colors as shown for that row.

**Chart content & orientation:**
- The phrase **"PROTECT YA NECK"** reads along the length of the scarf (vertically as you knit, but readable when the scarf is worn around the neck).
- The **Wu-Tang "W" symbol is rotated 90°** so it lies horizontally across the scarf width, appearing as a single bold motif within the lettering band.

**Color/yarn management:**
- Strand the non-working yarn loosely across the WS — test float tension on your swatch.
- For long single-color stretches (>5 sts), **catch the float** by twisting yarns on the WS.
- Cut and rejoin yarns only at the very start/end of the colorwork section; otherwise carry both up the side.

**Stitch-count integration:** 4 (garter edge MC) + **44 (chart)** + 4 (garter edge MC) = **52 sts total** ✓

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## PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

### Cast On & Lower Border
With MC, **CO 52 sts** using long-tail cast-on.

**Rows 1–4 (Garter border):** Knit every st across. *(4 garter ridges formed.)*

### Colorwork Body
**Row 5 (RS — begin chart):** K4 in MC, work Row 1 of attached chart across next 44 sts (right to left), k4 in MC.

**Row 6 (WS):** K4 in MC, work Row 2 of attached chart across next 44 sts (left to right), purling all sts in colors shown, k4 in MC.

**Rows 7 onward:** Continue as established:
- **All rows:** K4 MC at start, work next chart row across 44 center sts (RS rows knit / WS rows purl, following chart colors), k4 MC at end.
- Repeat for all **344 rows of the chart**.

*Math check: 344 chart rows ÷ 36 rows/4" = 38.2" of colorwork + 0.9" garter borders top & bottom = ~40" ✓*

### Upper Border
With MC only:
**Next 4 rows:** Knit every st across. *(4 garter ridges, mirroring lower border.)*

### Bind Off
With MC, BO all 52 sts **loosely** knitwise. Cut yarn, leaving a 6-in tail.

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## FINISHING

1. **Weave in ends** on the WS, working tails into matching-color sections of the colorwork so they disappear. Trim.
2. **Wet block:** Soak the scarf in lukewarm water with a drop of wool wash for 20 minutes. Squeeze (do not wring), roll in a towel to remove excess water.
3. **Pin flat** to a blocking mat at exactly **8 in × 40 in**, squaring corners. Smooth out colorwork to even floats.
4. Let dry completely (24–48 hours) before unpinning.
5. Optional: lightly steam any uneven floats from the WS.

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## DESIGNER NOTES
- **Float discipline is everything.** A puckered scarf shouts "first colorwork project" — catching floats every 4–5 sts and firm blocking will give you a crisp, professional fabric.
- Want it longer? Add chart repeats of plain MC rows between motifs or extend garter borders. Each additional inch ≈ 9 rows.
- C.R.E.A.M. 🐝

*Protect ya neck. Block it firm.*