Sophia Scarf

A soft, reversible worsted-weight scarf in garter stitch. Knit every row — no purling, no shaping, no wrong side. Perfect first project.

Skill level: Beginner

MATERIALS

Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4), approximately 320 yards / 293 m.
Two standard 160–200 yard skeins is plenty, including a gauge swatch.

Needles: US 8 / 5 mm, straight or circular (used as straight needles).
If your swatch is tighter than gauge, try US 9 / 5.5 mm; if looser, try US 7 / 4.5 mm.

Notions:

• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Measuring tape or ruler
• Optional: stitch markers (to mark the first stitch while you learn to count)

GAUGE

18 stitches and 32 rows = 4" / 10 cm in garter stitch, unblocked.

Swatch: Cast on 22 stitches. Knit every row until the piece measures about 5" / 12.5 cm. Measure the center 4" / 10 cm.
Adjust needle size so you match stitch gauge; row gauge is less critical because length is measured, not counted.

FINISHED SIZE

8" wide × 60" long (20.5 cm × 152.5 cm), after a light block.

Width check: 36 stitches ÷ 18 stitches per 4" × 4" = 8" ✓

To change width, add or subtract stitches in groups of 2 (each 2 stitches ≈ ½"). Length is simply knit until you like it.

ABBREVIATIONS

This pattern uses only knit stitches.

PATTERN

Cast on

Using a long-tail (or your favorite stretchy) cast-on and US 8 / 5 mm needles, CO 36 sts. Do not pull the cast-on tight.

Body

Row 1: Knit every stitch to the end of the row.

Repeat Row 1 until the scarf measures 60" / 152.5 cm from the cast-on edge, or until about 3 yards / 2.7 m of yarn remain for binding off.

Tips while you knit

• Slide the stitches a little way from the needle tips before starting each row so the first stitch is not stretched.
• Count stitches every 8–10 rows until the width feels automatic: you should always have 36 sts.
• Garter stitch makes horizontal ridges. Two rows = one ridge. Use ridges as a quick visual check that you have not dropped a stitch.
• When you put the work down, finish the row so you always start again on a complete row.

Bind off

BO all stitches knitwise, keeping the bind-off as loose as the fabric. Cut yarn, leaving a 6" / 15 cm tail, and pull the tail through the last loop to fasten off.

FINISHING

1. Weave in the cast-on and bind-off tails with a tapestry needle, following the path of the garter ridges so the ends disappear on both sides.
2. Block lightly: soak in cool water with a drop of wool wash for 15 minutes, press out water in a towel (do not wring), and pin or pat the scarf to 8" × 60" / 20.5 × 152.5 cm. Let dry fully.
3. Optional trim: if the ends look slightly flared or tight after blocking, steam them gently from the wrong side without flattening the ridges.

Wear it long, looped once, or doubled. Because garter stitch is reversible, there is no “right” side to worry about.