INTRODUCTION

Snowberry

by Amy Christoffers

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” –Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

The short days of winter are an excuse to bundle up in cozy layers. The Snowberry scarf is a satisfyingly quick project that will adapt to almost any yarn, and almost any gauge.

You cast on and knit until you’re done (or run out of yarn). It is also a good introduction to working with Brioche stitch. You begin with only a few stitches, but working regular Kf&b increases as you go, it quickly grows into a lofty textural rib, accented with snowball-like pompoms that will keep you as warm and cozy as a quilt when the snow falls.

model: Amy Christoffers

photos: Amy Palmer

SIZE

One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Width: 15 inches/38cm
Length: 90 inches/228cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Berroco Noble [98% Merino, 2% Polyester; 98/90m per 3.5oz/100 g skein]; color: Mugwort #2006; 3 skeins

For pompoms (optional)
Berroco Andean Mist [98% Merino, 2% Polyester; 164/90m per .875oz/25 g skein]; color: Alpamayo #6301; 3 skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
32 -inch/80cm US #15/10mm circular needle

Notions
yarn needle

GAUGE

8 sts/12 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch
7 sts/12 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in pattern stitch, after blocking

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Sl1-yo: slip the next st purlwise, while creating a yarnover. Bring the yarn to the front, slip the (purl) st purlwise; leave the yarn in front, ready to work the following stitch.

BRK (Brioche knit): knit the stitch and its accompanying yarnover together.

Pompoms: You can find a tutorial here.

DIRECTIONS

Using your preferred method, CO 3 sts.

Row 1: Kf&b, Sl1-yo, kf&b. 5 sts.
Row 2: Kf&b, sl1-yo, BRK, Sl1-yo, kf&b. 7 sts.
Row 3: Kf&b, sl1-yo, *BRK, Sl1-yo, rep from * to the last stitch on the needle kf&b. 2 sts increased.

Repeat Row 3 every row until there are 157 sts on the needle or until piece has reached desired dimensions.

FINISHING

Break yarn leaving a very long tail, about 3 times longer than the total length of the scarf. If managing the very long tail is too cumbersome or if your tail is just too short you can always join in a new yarn to finish the cast-off (as you would join another ball for knitting) – it will just mean more ends to weave in after.

Thread the tail onto the tapestry needle and bind off as follows:
Step 1: Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch on the needle purl-wise (from back to front), pull the yarn all the way through.
Step 2: Working from the WS, bring the tapestry needle into the space between the first and second stitch and insert the tapestry needle into the 2nd stitch on the needle knit-wise (from front to back), pull the yarn all the way through.
Step 3: Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch again this time knit-wise and drop the stitch off the knitting needle as you pull the yarn tail all the way through.
Step 4: Insert the tapestry needle into the (new) 2nd stitch on the needle purl-wise pull the yarn all the way through.
Step 5: Insert the Tapestry needle into the first stitch on the needle purlwise, pull the yarn all the way through, dropping the stitch from the needle.

Repeat Steps 2-5 until all the stitches have been bound off.

Pompoms: With Andean Mist, make 21 pompoms. Sew the first pom pom to the center cast-on stitch. Working one side at a time, sew a pompom to every 8th stitch along the increase edge of the scarf until you reach the point. Sew one pompom to the point at the end of the scarf. Repeat for the other side.

Block and weave in ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Amy Christoffers is the design director at Berroco Inc, the author of New American Knits and the designer of Savory Knitting Patterns.

Pattern & images © 2016 Amy Christoffers. Contact Amy