Spring Feverish 4: Garter Stitch Kerchief by the Mouse Army Mitten Co

1 Spring Feverish 4: Garter Stitch Kerchief by the Mouse Army Mitten Co.

Spring Feverish 4 may be the simplest mini-scarf in the series, but it’s one of the most pleasant to knit and wear. As a project, it provides a relatively quick knit and a lot of comforting garter stitch, knit from the bottom up. Finished, it has a classic look, and works as a vintage-style headscarf or as a bandanna cowl. The fit can be dialed in with button placement, but don’t knit it too small—matching the listed gauge helps insure a good fit!

The original version—the one you get in this particular .PDF—is completely purl-free.

Handspun is highly recommended for this project. The angles in this knit do a great job of showing off those slow color transitions for added visual interest, and though this is knit in dense garter stitch, it only uses about 120 yards of yarn or less. I used a chain-plied merino wool handspun created from Malabrigo Nube, Mostaza colorway, for the main sample.

Skills: you’ll need to be able to knit and be comfortable with decreases! I’m using the notation sskpo to describe the textured faux-cable decrease I used for these. For more information about that, see the Abbreviations list on Page 2, or view a more in-depth technique post about this centered decrease online.

Materials: Approximately 110 yards of Malabrigo Yarn Arroyo, or similar sportweight to DK yarn One pair of straight knitting needles, or one circular used to knit flat, in US 8/5.0mm, or size needed for gauge Tapestry needle for weaving in ends Two 5/8” buttons, plus sharp needle and thread for sewing, if necessary 5 removable stitch markers

Gauge: Gauge is important for this knit! If your gauge is too tight, this neckerchief/headscarf won’t fit. Gauge is 16 sts and 38 rows over 4” in garter stitch, blocked.

Measurements: One size measures 24” across the top and 10“ from midpoint to tip, and fits most adults as a headscarf or neckerchief. Customized the fit by adjusting your button placement at the end. If you know you’ll mostly be wearing this kerchief as a headwrap, it’s okay for the tabs to overlap completely; if you’ll wear it only a cowl, you can place them so that this overlap is less.

Abbreviations used: K—knit K2tog—knit two together P—purl Sl1—slip one Ssk—slip, slip, knit; a one-stitch decrease. Sskpo—slip one stitch individually, slip the next stitch individually, knit 1, pass the slipped stitches over. This is an unorthodox centered 2 stitch decrease, which functions like a s2kpo but creates a cabled look by twisting the slipped stitches. For this project, the difference is minor. St/s—stitch, stitches YO—yarn over I like to place markers after 22 sts, and

after 123 sts. This makes it easier to Classic Garter Kerchief Cowl: find your center stitch, and helps divide

the work into sets of 22-101-22. If you Begin Work. opt to do this, slip all of these markers Using the cable cast-on method, cast on 145 sts. as you come to them; these moveable Place a marker directly on stitch 12, stitch 73, and stitch 134 for markers are ignored in the written reference—these will be your centered decrease anchor points. instructions. They’re just an optional All first stitches are slipped purlwise to form selvedges. visual aid.

Slipping first stitches purlwise, knit two rows to set up work.

Main Pattern. Row 1. sl1, k to 1 before next marked st, sskpo, k to 1 before marked middle st, sskpo, k to 1 before last marked stitch, sskpo, k to end (6 sts dec). Row 2 (WS). sl1, k all. Row 3. sl1, k2, YO, k2tog, k1, YO, k2tog, k1, sskpo, k to 1 before marked middle stitch, sskpo, k to 1 before last marked stitch, sskpo, k to end. Row 4. sl1, k all.

Repeat Rows 1 & 2 until all stitches in the tab sections, excluding selvedges, have been consumed by their centered decreases. In other words, work until you’ve run out of stitches to work at the beginning and end. At this point, you should have 10 garter ridges on the RS of work. Be sure to end with a final Row 2.

Row 5 (RS). sl1, ssk, k to 1 before marked middle stitch, sskpo, k to last 3, k2tog, k1 (4 sts dec). Row 6. sl1, k remaining.

Repeat Rows 5 & 6 until only 5 sts remain. Bind off, weave in ends, block gently to match schematic, and add buttons.

Schematic: