Leftover Laceweight Fern Lace Scarf
I had about 38 grams of a 50-gram skein of Knitpicks’ Shadow merino laceweight leftover from my sister’s Print o’ the Wave stole, and I wanted to whip up a bit of lace to enter in our fair this summer. So I planned out an easy little lace scarf. I knit the edging on the long sides as I went along, so I was able to use up almost all the yarn and then just save a little for the edging on the two short sides.
Yarn: any leftover laceweight, 30 grams or more (less is fine but will make a rather short scarf)
Needles: your favorite lace needles. I used Knitpicks Harmony circs size 2, but I am a notoriously loose knitter, and I think it would have looked better if I’d used bigger needles anyway. You’ll probably want size 3 to 5, or even larger if you knit very tightly. Larger needles = longer/wider scarf.
Finished Dimensions: Mine turned out to be about 9 1/2″ x 52″ after blocking. Yours will surely vary somewhat!
Ok, think of this scarf as being made of several columns. The right-side edging is the first column, then a 2-stitch always-purl garter column, then a fern-lace column worked over 16 stitches, then another 2-stitch column of garter, then another fern-lace column, then another garter column, then the left edging. If you want a wider scarf or a stole and you have plenty of yarn, you can work more fern lace columns separated by garter columns. If you want skinny, just work one repeat of the fern lace (just like the chart).
Wrong sides: always knit the wrong side of the edging, always purl the wrong side of the fern lace and garter columns. I’ll say this again later on so you don’t forget.
Start by casting on using your favorite provisional cast-on. I prefer this one.
You’ll need 4 st for the right edging, 2 for the first garter column, 16 for one fern repeat, 2 for the garter column between fern repeats, another 16 for the second fern repeat, 2 more for the last garter column, and then 4 for the left edging. Which makes, um, 46. Yes, cast on 46! Place ring markers between every column so there’s never any doubt what’s what and where you are. Seriously. I don’t usually have to do that, but I messed up a lot until I gave in and placed markers.
Now begin following the chart. Chart shows only odd-numbered right side rows (if I’d remembered to write the numbers in they’d be 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.) Go ahead and write them in :) For even-numbered, wrong-side rows, KNIT the edging stitches and PURL all the other stitches.
(D’OH. I forgot a symbol key. Circle = YO. Dot = purl. Right edging dec: ssk. Left edging dec: k2tog. Right side of fern lace dec: k3tog. Left side of fern lace dec: sl1, k2tog, psso) (Another note: the edging is an 8-row repeat. The fern lace is a 12-row repeat. The chart shows 24 rows so the two patterns work out even.)(Chart shows only odd-numbered, right-side rows)
Casting off for pointy edging:
When you complete the 7th row, you’ll have 8 edging stitches on each side. On the 8th (wrong-side) row, cast off the first 4 stitches so you only have 4 stitches remaining before the first marker. Work across. When you turn to begin the 9th row, immediately cast off 4 stitches (4 stitches remain before first marker) — then follow chart for row 9 (k1, yo, ssk, yo, k1).
Ok, so keep working until you’re nearly out of yarn. I put my working stitches on a string after a while and worked the edging across the cast-on stitches using the other end of the yarn, and then I knew I really only needed a little bit left for the last short edging.
To work the short-end edgings:
If you’ve ever knit an edging onto a piece of lace, you know what to do. If you haven’t, well, I’ll do my best to explain :)
Hold the scarf right-side facing you, and cast-on edge up. Slide a needle through 6 cast-on loops from left to right - 4 loops for the edging and 2 loops for the garter column. The tip of the needle will be pointing toward the rest of the cast-on loops. Ok. Now, slide the other end of your circular needle through the rest of the loops from right to left. Man, this is hard to describe in words — wish I’d taken a photo.
Start working the garter column and edging in pattern. Always SLIP the first stitch of EVERY RIGHT SIDE row. So, sl1, p1, k1, yo, k2tog, k1. Turn. K5, p1 — NOW ssk the last st together with the first cast-on stitch from the other needle. This sounds horrible in words, but when you try it it should make sense. Pretty much. Now keep going. SSK together with another cast-on stitch on every wrong-side row. To make the corner lie flat, you’ll attach the first repeat to only TWO stitches instead of four (just don’t drop the ssk’d stitch off the needle the first time, and re-use it the second time), and likewise the last repeat. Better put a marker 8 stitches in from the other side so you remember that that’s the time to double up your ssks again (ask me how I know that you’ll forget otherwise, heh). Then when you’re all done, weave the first stitches and the last stitches together. Voila!
Gently wash and block your scarf. Enjoy!
UPDATE (July 8 2008): At our County Fair this year, my scarf won first prize and a special donated award — a $50 gift certificate to a local yarn store, Common Threads, in Encinitas.
Amy said,
May 26, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
I am BEYOND excited about this pattern, Kara!! Can’t wait to cast on!! :)
kara said,
May 26, 2008 @ 4:37 pm
Wow, awesome, I can’t wait to see how it turns out, Amy! I can’t believe the nice reception this pattern is getting over at ravelry, too. It’s in 13 queues already!
Beverly said,
May 26, 2008 @ 6:43 pm
Kara, what is the finished size of yours? Just for reference . . .
Thanks so much for sharing!
kara said,
May 26, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
Oh yes, mine turned out about 9 1/2″ x 52″ . I’ll add that info to the pattern!
ldsvenus said,
May 26, 2008 @ 8:31 pm
Love the design. I do have one question. Is it in a written out form? I am unable to knit from charts but would love to do this scarf from some hand spun.
kara said,
May 26, 2008 @ 10:27 pm
Idsvenus — so sorry, I don’t have it written out. I’m a chart girl, and it makes me feel slightly ill to think of writing out all that lace… but if someone out there would like to translate it for you, I’ll be glad to post the translation.
Angie said,
May 27, 2008 @ 4:19 pm
Wow! I’ve never posted a comment before, but this scarf is amazing! I went and dug up some KP Alpaca Cloud I had, and am ready to cast on. This scarf is going to be popular! Thank you so much for sharing it!
Guro said,
May 28, 2008 @ 11:39 am
Thanks for sharing this pattern. It’s really beautiful and just right for a ball of some fuzzy Chrystal Palace yarn that I’ve tried to make something of for ages. It’s in my queue on Ravelry and will be cast on soon!
Joye said,
June 17, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
Beautiful.
thanks for sharing and I know you’ll get the blue ribbon with this beauty.
Christine said,
June 27, 2008 @ 5:45 am
Wow, Kara! a woman after my own heart!!! she writes out her charted patterns by hand!! (vs. puter) I have so many of those around…have to chart out everything, as I hate reading the pattern and knitting.
Quite gorgeous and amazing to get so much out of so little yarn. On the way to cast on (eventually)…..I will definitely send you a photo if I ever get to a point that’s photographable.
kara said,
June 27, 2008 @ 9:35 am
Heheh yeah I have a three-ring binder stuffed with odd little charts :) I’ve tried a few methods of charting by computer but it’s always more trouble than it’s worth. Good luck with the scarf, and I’d love to see photos when it’s done!
(And, yes, I won a blue ribbon plus a special donated prize from a local yarn store — a $50 gift certificate!)
Louise said,
July 9, 2008 @ 6:12 pm
Have been looking for a lace pattern to make something for my eldest daughter, since she seems a wee bit jealous of the lace shawls I’ve made in the past year. Who’da thunk my beautiful, funky, slightly twisted (in a great way) 21 yo would want something feminine like that?? *LOL* Anyway, love this pattern and thinking I’d like to try making it in a heavier fiber…instead of a scarf, turn it into a wrap? Hope it will work!!
kara said,
July 9, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
Sure, and you could add a few more repeats of the fern pattern to make it the right width! I’d love to see photos when you’re done :)
Louise said,
July 9, 2008 @ 9:29 pm
Thanks Kara…will share photos when it’s done! I may just make one for myself too!! *LOL*
Dana Murray said,
July 12, 2008 @ 6:01 pm
I hate to appear so stupid but I cannot knit by graph. I tried to write out the instructions but am doing something wrong. Can you help me with the written instructions. I love your scarf and would love to make one.
Thank you in advance
Dana
kara said,
July 12, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
Hi Dana, if you want to email me what you wrote out, maybe I can compare it to my chart and see if I can help you. kara at nyip dot net.
Marlene said,
August 14, 2008 @ 6:39 pm
This is a gorgeous pattern, thanks so much for sharing! I want to make something special for a really dear friend for Christmas, I want her to have something beautiful and this is it! We don’t normally exchange gifts, but at our age (both over 70) I think she deserves it!
kara said,
August 14, 2008 @ 11:13 pm
Wonderful, Marlene, I’d love to see pictures when you’re done!
Laura said,
August 17, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
I’ve got this all done, but am completely baffled as to your directions about the pointy bits on the ends. Any clarification available? this is only my second lace project, but I’d like the ends to “work”. Thanks!
kara said,
August 18, 2008 @ 10:12 am
Laura, I just re-read my short-end edging instructions and I really don’t know how to make it any clearer. If you just try it, I’ll bet it will suddenly make sense. And if it turns out funny, you can rip back that bit and try again — it’s not much knitting, so you can be brave about just jumping in!