Beautiful Yarn = Beautiful Scarf

The Tweed Stitch Scarf is a simple knit project perfect for those beautiful hand dyed/painted yarns – that we just had to have!

The Tweed Stitch is basically a stockinette stitch with a “slip and half-wrap every-other-stitch” on the knit rows. The simple stitch highlights those  beautiful colors of hand painted yarns.

Tweed Stitch

The pattern for Tweed Stitch (in knitting lingo) reads:

1. Row 1: (Right Side) K1, *yf, sl1, yb, k1*; repeat between *’s to end.
2. Row 2: Purl
3. Row 3: *yf, sl1, yb, k1*, repeat between *’s to end
4. Row 4: Purl

• yf = yarn forward
• yb = yarn back
• sl1 = slip one stitch

So the translated version is:

1. Row 1:  Knit 1 stitch, *bring yarn forward between needle points, slip the next stitch (without knitting it), move yarn to the back of work through needle points, knit the next stitch*.  Repeat the instructions between the *’s to the end of the row.
2. Row 2:  Purl all stitches.
3. Row 3:  *Bring yarn forward, slip the next stitch (without knitting it), move yarn to the back of work, knit the next stitch*.  Repeat the instructions between the *’s to the end of the row.
4. Row 4:  Purl all stitches.

The yf and yb (yarn forward and yarn back) is like a half-wrap in front of the slipped stitch.

Horizontal Yarn “Bars” created by the Yarn Forward/Yarn Back in front of the slipped stitch in Rows 1 and 3.

They create the horizontal yarn “bar” in front of the slipped stitch.

Another reason this  pattern is quite simple is that Rows 1 and 3 are actually the same.

Chart for Tweed Stitch

As shown in the chart, the only difference is that Row 1 starts with a Knit 1, Row 3 starts with a Slip 1. This alternates the “bars” so that they lie over even stitches in Row 1 and odd stitches in Row 3.

Larger needles are typically selected when knitting a pattern involving slipped stitches as the fabric can be fairly dense.  With this sport weight yarn, size 7 needles were used.

Seed Stitch Edge Detail – Right Side

The scarf pattern puts 60 stitches of Tweed Stitch between edgings of 3 stitches of seed stitch (on each side).

The yarn used in the model is Punta Yarns Mericash, a sport weight cashmere and merino. Two skeins of 256 yards were used to create a 10″ wide by 6 foot long scarf.

Materials:

• 450 – 600 yards of sport weight or sock weight yarn
• Size 7 knitting needles

Pattern:

Cast on 66 stitches.

Knit first row:  *K1, P1*, repeat between *’s to end of row.

Begin Stitch Pattern:

Row 1:  Slip 1, P1, K1 (these 3 stitches are the seed stitch border), K1, *yf, sl1, yb, k1*; repeat between *’s to last 3 stitches (Row 1 of Tweed Stitch), K1, P1, K1 (seed stitch border).

Row 2:  Slip 1, K1, P1, (seed stitch border) Purl to last 3 stitches (Row 2 of Tweed Stitch), P1, K1, P1 (seed stitch border).

Row 3.  Slip 1, P1, K1(seed stitch border), *yf, sl1, yb, k1*, repeat between *’s to last 3 stitches (Row 3 of Tweed Stitch), K1, P1, K1 (seed stitch border).

Row 4:  Slip 1, K1, P1, (seed stitch border) Purl to last 3 stitches (Row 4 of Tweed Stitch), P1, K1, P1 (seed stitch border).

Repeat these 4 rows until 3 yards (meters) of yarn remains ending with a completed Row 2 or 4.

Final Row:  Slip 1, *P1, K1*, repeat between *’s to end of row.

Bind off.  Weave in ends.

Seed Stitch Edge – Wrong Side. Carry yarn is hidden under the change from Seed to Tweed Stitch.

Alternating skeins every other row will meld any hand painted yarn variations and prevent pooling (globs of colors) that can occur when knitting with variegated yarns.

Although it is tempting to alternate skeins at the edge of the scarf, it is not recommended as the carry yarn will show.

Alternating skeins between the seed stitch border and the Tweed Stitch in Rows 2 and 4 will hide the “carried” yarn.

Beautiful yarns highlighted by a simple stitch!