Easy Crochet Scarf Pattern for Beginners (Free, One Stitch, Two Balls of Yarn)

A scarf is the classic first project because it is a rectangle. No shaping, no seams, no sizing to get wrong. This pattern uses double crochet, which grows fast and drapes nicely, and takes two balls of worsted weight yarn.

Materials

• Yarn: 2 balls (100 g each, roughly 350 to 400 m total) of worsted weight (category 4) yarn. A wool/acrylic blend is warm and washable; pure acrylic is fine and cheap; cotton is heavier and better for spring.
• Hook: 5.5 mm (US I-9). Use 6.0 mm if your stitches tend to be tight.
• Yarn needle and scissors.

Finished Size

Adult: approximately 20 cm wide by 165 cm long. Child: 15 cm by 110 cm.

Gauge

Roughly 13 dc and 7 rows = 10 cm. Gauge is not critical for a scarf; if yours is different, the scarf will simply be a little wider or narrower.

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch = chain, dc = double crochet, st(s) = stitch(es).

The Pattern

Foundation: Chain 27 loosely. (For a child's scarf, chain 21.)

Row 1: dc in the 4th chain from the hook (the 3 skipped chains count as your first dc), then dc in each chain across. 25 sts.

Row 2: ch 3 (counts as a dc), turn. Skip the first st, dc in each st across, working the last dc into the top of the turning chain from the previous row. 25 sts.

Rows 3 onward: repeat Row 2 until the scarf measures 165 cm, or until you have about 5 m of yarn left. That is roughly 115 rows.

Finish: cut the yarn leaving 15 cm, pull through the last loop, and weave the tail in along a row using the yarn needle. Weave the starting tail in the same way.

Keeping the Edges Straight

Count your stitches every few rows for the first ten rows. The two places you will lose stitches:

• Start of the row: the ch 3 counts as a stitch, so you skip the first real stitch. Do not put a dc into it as well.
• End of the row: the last dc goes into the top of the previous row's ch 3. It looks different from a normal stitch and is easy to miss.

If the count stays at 25 for ten rows, it will stay at 25 for a hundred.

Adding Fringe (Optional)

Cut 24 strands of yarn, each 30 cm long, for each end. Working along the short edge, fold two strands in half, push the folded loop through a stitch with the hook, pull the ends through the loop, and tighten. Place a fringe every second stitch. Trim the ends level.

Three Variations for Your Second Scarf

Half double crochet. Chain 26, hdc in the 2nd chain from the hook, ch 1 to turn (does not count), hdc in every st. Denser and warmer, with a slightly more even texture. Takes about 30 percent longer.

Moss stitch (linen stitch). Chain an even number, say 26. Row 1: sc in 2nd ch, [ch 1, skip 1, sc in next] across. Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in the first ch-1 space, [ch 1, sc in next ch-1 space] across, ending with sc in the last space. Repeat Row 2. Reversible, lies flat, does not curl, and looks woven.

Ribbed scarf. Chain 26, hdc in the 2nd ch and across, ch 1 to turn, then hdc in the back loop only of every stitch. Every row makes a ridge and the fabric stretches like knit ribbing. Work it the long way (chain 200 and work 25 rows) so the ribs run along the length.

Turning It Into an Infinity Scarf

Make the scarf 140 cm long, then hold the two short ends together and either slip stitch them or sew them with the yarn needle. For a mobius twist, give one end a half turn before joining.

Yarn Notes

• If you change balls mid-row, do it at the start of a row instead; leave the tails long and weave them in along the edge.
• Two colors: alternate two rows of each and carry the unused yarn up the side under the turning chains.
• A self-striping yarn does the color work for you and looks far more complex than it is.

Washing and Blocking

Acrylic and superwash wool: machine wash cold, lay flat to dry. Pure wool: hand wash cold, roll in a towel, dry flat. If the scarf curls slightly at the long edges, pin it flat while damp and it will stay flat.

Once this rectangle is finished, you have everything you need for a blanket, which is just a bigger rectangle.