purlJam

# Shoal & Tide Scarf
**A Double Knitting Pattern**

**DESCRIPTION**
This reversible scarf features a repetitive school of fish swimming against the tide, encased in a solid "suiting" style frame. Constructed using the double knitting technique, the scarf creates a double-thick, warm fabric with no wrong side—the colours are simply inverted on the reverse. The edges are worked in a solid colour to create a neat, tailored finish that locks the two layers together.

**DIFFICULTY LEVEL**
Intermediate (Requires knowledge of holding two yarns and reading charts).

**DIMENSIONS**
*   **Width:** 21.5 cm (8.5 in)
*   **Length:** 180 cm (71 in), adjustable.

**YARN & MATERIALS**
*   **Yarn Weight:** DK (Double Knitting).
*   **Main Colour (MC):** Approx. 400 metres of smooth, solid-coloured DK wool (e.g., Navy Blue).
*   **Contrast Colour (CC):** Approx. 400 metres of smooth, solid-coloured DK wool (e.g., Silver Grey).
*   **Needles:** 4.0 mm (straight or circular) or size needed to obtain tension.
*   **Notions:** Tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

**TENSION (GAUGE)**
21 stitch **pairs** and 28 rows to 10 cm over double knitting pattern using 4.0 mm needles.
*Note: A "stitch pair" consists of one knit stitch (facing you) and one purl stitch (facing away).*

**TERMINOLOGY & ABBREVIATIONS (UK English)**
*   **k:** knit
*   **p:** purl
*   **st(s):** stitch(es)
*   **MC:** Main Colour
*   **CC:** Contrast Colour
*   **Pair:** A set of two loops on the needle, consisting of 1 knit stitch of the front colour and 1 purl stitch of the back colour.
*   **DK (Double Knit) Logic:**
    *   *Standard Pair (MC facing):* With both yarns in back, k1 MC; bring both yarns to front, p1 CC.
    *   *Inverted Pair (CC facing):* With both yarns in back, k1 CC; bring both yarns to front, p1 MC.
*   **Selvedge Pair:** To lock the edges, always twist the two yarns around each other once before working the first pair of every row.

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### INSTRUCTIONS

#### 1. SETUP & FRAME
Using both MC and CC held together, cast on 45 pairs of stitches (90 loops total on needle) using a Two-Colour Alternating Long Tail Cast On or standard Long Tail Cast On.

*   *Validation: [Cast On: 45 pairs = 90 loops total]*

**Setup Rows (Bottom Frame Border):**
Work the bottom edge in solid colour block to establish the frame.

**Row 1 (RS):** Twist yarns to lock edge. *With both yarns in back k1 MC, with both yarns in front p1 CC; rep from * to end.
*   *Validation: [Row 1: 45 MC knits + 45 CC purls = 90 loops]*

**Row 2 (WS):** Twist yarns. *With both yarns in back k1 CC, with both yarns in front p1 MC; rep from * to end. (This creates the solid colour reverse).

**Rows 3–6:** Repeat Rows 1 and 2 twice more.

#### 2. MAIN BODY (THE FISH MOTIF)
The body consists of a 3-pair solid frame on each side, with the fish motif centered.

**Pattern Logic:**
*   **Side Frame (First & Last 3 pairs):** Always work as Standard Pairs (MC on front / CC on back) on RS rows, and Inverted Pairs (CC on front / MC on back) on WS rows.
*   **Center Panel (39 pairs):** Follow the Written Instructions or Chart below.

**Fish Motif Repeat (13 pairs wide, 8 rows high):**
*Repeat this logic 3 times across the center of the row.*

*   **Row 1 (RS):** 1 Inverted, 1 Standard, 1 Inverted, 7 Standard, 1 Inverted, 1 Standard, 1 Inverted.
*   **Row 2 (WS):** (Work colours as they present to maintain pattern established in Row 1, effectively: 1 Standard, 1 Inverted, 1 Standard, 7 Inverted, 1 Standard, 1 Inverted, 1 Standard).
*   **Row 3:** 1 Standard, 3 Inverted, 5 Standard, 3 Inverted, 1 Standard.
*   **Row 4:** Work as established.
*   **Row 5:** 2 Standard, 3 Inverted, 3 Standard, 3 Inverted, 2 Standard.
*   **Row 6:** Work as established.
*   **Row 7:** 3 Standard, 7 Inverted, 3 Standard.
*   **Row 8:** Work as established.

**Full Row Instructions (incorporating the frame):**

**Pattern Row 1 (RS):**
1.  **Right Frame:** Work 3 Standard Pairs (MC front/CC back).
2.  **Motif Section:** Work Row 1 of Fish Motif 3 times.
    *   *Validation: [Motif Section: 3 repeats x 13 pairs = 39 pairs]*
3.  **Left Frame:** Work 3 Standard Pairs (MC front/CC back).
    *   *Validation: [Total Row: 3 (Frame) + 39 (Motif) + 3 (Frame) = 45 pairs]*

**Pattern Row 2 (WS):**
1.  **Left Frame:** Work 3 Inverted Pairs (CC front/MC back).
2.  **Motif Section:** Work Row 2 of Fish Motif 3 times.
3.  **Right Frame:** Work 3 Inverted Pairs (CC front/MC back).

**Continuation:**
Repeat Pattern Rows 1–8 until scarf measures approximately 178 cm from cast-on edge, ending on a Row 8.

#### 3. FINISHING FRAME
Work 6 rows identical to the **Setup Rows** (Solid MC front / Solid CC back) to create the top border.

**Cast Off:**
Using MC, cast off all stitches using a standard bind-off. To prevent the edge from flaring, knit the MC loop and purl the CC loop together (k2tog) as one stitch, then bind off. Alternatively, for a seamless invisible close, use Kitchener Stitch to graft the front layer loops to the back layer loops.

### STITCH DIAGRAM (Motif Only)

*Read chart from right to left on RS rows, left to right on WS rows.*
*X = Contrast Colour on Front (Inverted Pair)*
*. = Main Colour on Front (Standard Pair)*

```text
   13          1
   v           v
8  . . . X X X X X X X . . .   (Tail)
7  . . X X X X X X X X X . .
6  . . X X X . . . X X X . .
5  . X X X . . . . . X X X .
4  . X X X . . . . . X X X .
3  X X X . . . . . . . X X X
2  X . X . . . . . . . X . X
1  X . X . . . . . . . X . X   (Head)
```
*(Note: Rows 2, 4, 6, 8 are WS rows. In double knitting charts, you usually only follow the visual pattern. If you see an 'X', that stitch should appear as CC on the side facing you).*

**FINISHING**
1.  Weave in all ends between the two layers of fabric so they are invisible.
2.  Block lightly. Steam blocking is recommended for DK wool to even out the stitches without flattening the double-layer texture.