Very Special Scarf: Easy Mistake Stitch

This Easy Mistake Stitch scarf is made with Jade Sapphire's gorgeous 12-ply cashmere in color "Green Tea". If you know how to knit and purl you can make this scarf! Mistake Stitch creates a deep and lofty rib that looks like so much more work than it actually is.

If you're curious about the orange scarf on the right, you can find the complete instructions at this link:

• Lovely Leaf Lace Scarf

Materials

• 5 skeins 12 ply cashmere. For this scarf I used Jade Sapphire's amazing 12-ply Cashmere in color "Green Tea". If you'd like to explore other yarns for this project, check out our collection of chunky yarns, you will need 300 yards total to complete the scarf.
• US size 11 needles (or size required to get gauge)

Gauge

4.5 stitches per inch in rib pattern, slightly stretched

Finished Measurements

48-inches long by approximately 8-inches wide

Pattern Note

Mistake rib is a multiple of 4+3

The Pattern

Cast on 39 stitches.

K2, p2, repeat to last 3 stitches, k2, p1.

Repeat this row. That's it!

Sew in ends, wash gently by hand, block and let air dry.

Comments

[El Jinx]

Perfect timing - thank you! I just came to the site to try to find out about blocking/dimensions for almost exactly the same style of scarf, that I'm knitting for a much-loved friend in Plassard Meri-Cach8.
I'm going for something less chunky so I've cast on 36 stitches on European size 4.5 needles (size 7 US I think) and I'm knitting 4, purling 4.
My question: will blocking flatten the rib out? At the moment, the rib is looking more like ruffles and it's making the scarf a lot narrower than I'd intended. I'm wondering if I need to cut my losses, rip and start again...
Any help/tips much appreciated!

[purl bee]

Hi El Jinx,
Rib pulls in no matter what you do to it. So, you should probably measure it pulled in to find the gauge and then decide how many to cast on to achieve your desired width based on that. For instance, if your scarf so far is 6 stitches per inch in the rib pattern and you want your scarf to be 8 inches wide, you would cast on 48. For your rib pattern make sure the cast on is a multiple of 4 stitches.

[Marie]

Thank you so much for both these lovely patterns!

[El Jinx]

Thank you!

[lureah21]

Thanks for the pretty scarf. I just casted it on this afternoon. I made mine a bit skinnier though to save time. :-)

[Alexis]

Thanks for this! I think this is my new favorite stitch for a scarf. At first I was skeptical of that extra purl at the end, and the first few rows don't look like much, but it is so beautifully textural once it starts to come together.

[BluAholic]

THANK YOU, PERFECT TIMING!! This is just what I was looking for!

Can someone more experienced tell me roughly how much of this yarn (below) I would need, and how many stitches to cast on, in order to make the scarf at the same size or maybe 10% smaller? My gauge is normal to slightly tight…

Lobster Pot worsted hand dyed cashmere; CONTENT: 100% cashmere, WEIGHT: 50 grams, LENGTH: 100 yards, GAUGE: 4.5 stitches per inch,SUGGESTED NEEDLES: US size 8

THANKS in advance for the help. Sure wish I (still) lived in NYC - happy knitting and happy holidays to all!

[purl bee]

Hi BleAholic,
I would recommend knitting with a US size 9 needle, use 3 or 4 skeins and cast on the same amount of stitches. If it comes up too narrow you could go up to 43 stitches.
Good luck!
Joelle

[BluAholic]

Thank you so much, Joelle!!

I am going to love making this scarf - gorgeous, classic - and in Black Cashmere, Lobster Pot… :) Cheers!

[El Jinx]

Just popping back to say that (after much hemming and hawing and starting and ripping and starting again...!) I ended up going with the mistake stitch. And I love it. :) It really does look rather dismal for the first few rows but then, as Alexis said, it suddenly comes together and it's just great. Very yarn hungry, but great. Thanks again for the inspiration and the education.

[Gwen]

Hi!

I bought some Jade Sapphire 6-ply cashmere that you had on sale, and I was wondering if this would work doubled on the Easy Mistake Stitch Scarf.

Thanks,

Gwen

[purl bee]

Hi Gwen
Yes! It will be perfect.

[Paula]

what do you mean by "sew in ends"? Thanks!

[Molly]

What hat pattern would you recommend to accompany this scarf? Thank you, Molly

[Susie]

Could someone tell me how many stitches to cast on using Rowans tapestry, and what size needles. I am new to knitting,and afraid to to start without advice from a experienced knitteer

[Donna]

This is interesting. I just knitted a scarf that called for an odd number CO when the pattern of the pattern was even-numbered (K2,P2 - a block of 4 stitches). I thought it made more sense to make the CO an even number so the pattern ended on the same note with which it began. This pattern, too, calls for that one lonesome purl at the end. Why?

I think I'm a little scared that I found your site! Way too many awesome projects and inspiration. Sure wish I could retire!

Thanks,
d

[scarletamber]

hi, what do you mean by
K2, p2, repeat to last 3 stitches, k2, p1.

Repeat this row. That's it!

if i understood the 1st line correctly it means to k2,p2,k2,p2...etc until when i'm gonna end then i do k2, p1 right?

but i didn't get the part where us aid repeat this row. kindly explain thanks =)

[Donna]

scarletamber:

You cast on an uneven number of stitches, so you're starting with a knit and ending with a purl ... for EVERY row of the scarf. You just repeat k2,p2,k2,p2 ... p1 for the entire scarf.

Hope this helps,
d

[purl bee]

Dear Scarletamber,

"Repeat this row" means that for every row of the scarf you will do exactly the same thing. You will k2, p2, k2, p2, etc. until 3 stitches remain which you will k2, p1. I hope this make more sense for you now. Please let us know if it doesn't!

Thanks for your question!

purlbee

[Alex]

Hello,
I want to knit this for my dad for Christmas, but i need a cheaper wool version, would blue sky alpaca be an alternative or would you suggest an alternative for me? and would this get the right guage if I use 10mm needles?
Thank you

[purl bee]

Hi Alex-

I think the Blue Sky Worsted would be a great alternative. It's available here:

http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/711-Blue-Sky-Worsted

But you would have to use a smaller needle, a 9 (5.5mm) or a 10 (6 mm ) and cast on 8 more stitches.

Or you could use any of the chunky weight yarns available here:
http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/3-knitting-crochet-yarn?filters[]=7

and use the needle that the pattern calls for, a US 11 (8mm).

A 10mm needle would probably be too big for either of these options,

Please let us know if you need any more help.

Thanks for your question, and good luck with the project!

[Alex]

Hello again thanks!
Think i will go for the blue sky worsted in midnight blue.
however, it states that using 9 mm gives 4 stitches per inch and the pattern states that the scarf is 8 inches wide, so does that not mean I should cast on 32 stitches to get the right gauge? sorry I'm just learning!!
Hugs
Alex :)

[purl bee]

Hi Alex-

The gauge that they give you on any given yarn is usually for stockinnette stitch (knit one row, purl one row) and this scarf pattern is in mistake rib so you will get a different number of stitches per inch.

With a pattern like this you don't need to get too caught up in getting the exact gauge since it's a scarf and not a a sweater or something that has to fit in a precise way. So don't worry too much about making it exactly 8-inches wide. As long as it's in the ball park it will be beautiful!

Thanks for your question!

[annmarie]

iam confused soory k2 p2 k2 p2 last 3 k2p1 does row two start with a p1 k2,p2, ect. ????

[purl bee]

Hi Annamarie-

You just repeat that row for every row in the exact same way. So every row will be made in the same manner: K2, p2, repeat to last 3 stitches, k2, p1.

Thanks for your question!

Molly

[Sam]

Hi...I love how this is looking! However I must have gotten to thick of a yarn because it's coming out about 10 inches wide. If I want it to be more like 8 inches, how many stitches should I cast on? Will this pattern work no matter how wide as long as it has an odd number of stitches?

Thanks so much!

[purl bee]

Hi Sam-

Thanks for your question. This pattern works with a multiple of 4 plus 3 stitches, not just an odd number. With that in mind I would cast on 31 stitches to make it 8-inches since it sounds like you're getting about 4 stitches per inch.

Thanks!- Molly

[Ali]

Wonderful finished product. I used a bulky wgt. varigated blue/green and used a second strand of lightwght wgt. white yarn. Worked up easily and looks great. Made it as a gift and couldn't have been happier. Used #11 needles but don't be afraid to experiment a little.
Was very happy with results.

[Deborah]

Dear Purl Bee, I'm going to make this scarf as a gift, and would like to try it with Rowan Lima and #9 needles. Do you think this would work? I'd like it to be between 8 and 9 inches wide. Could you also kindly advise me as to how many stitches to cast on?
Thank you very much in advance.

[purl bee]

Hi Deborah-

You can adjust this pattern to any size and any yarn that you'd like. In order to figure how many stitches you should cast on you'll need to do a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you figure out how many stitches you're getting per inch in the pattern the math is simple: Multiply your stitches per inch by the width you'd like (8-inches for example), round up or down to the nearest multiple of 4, and then add 3. If you need help with this step once you figure out your gauge please let us know.


Thank you for your question.

Molly

[Deborah]

Dear Molly: Thank you so much for your quick response!
Best, Deborah

[Kavit]

Like others, I was looking for easy pattern. Right now, I followed your pattern of 39 stiches on multicolour(fall leaves color) yarn and it is coming along very well. I think I will go upto 5 feet, instead of 4 feet stated in the article as I like little longer skarf. Thanks !!!

[Ashleybobbi]

I love this pattern! I cast on with 33 sts and ended with P2 K1 at the end, but the pattern works just the same. I love the way its turning out. It's so simple yet it looks so elegant. Thanks for posting!

[AnnMarie2272]

I just love this pattern ! I made it for a christmas gift among others but I got more kodos from this one . Starting another for VD.