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IntermediateFree Scarf Knitting Pattern
You can purchase this scarf from my Etsy shop.
The Fish Tail Brioche Scarf is a rewarding project that produces a cozy, fully reversible scarf with a striking chevron pattern. This design uses two-color brioche stitch to form the repeating fish tail shapes in navy and white. The pattern gives knitters a solid chance to practice and improve their two-color brioche skills. Follow the steps to cast on, work the pattern rows, and add tassels plus buttons (for fish eyes, optional) for a polished finish.
Skills required: To knit this scarf, you need to know how to knit 2-color brioche stitch and make brioche increases and decreases.
Size: length 70” (175 cm), width 7” (18 cm)
Materials: Wendy Guernsey 5 ply 100% wool, sport weight yarn 245 yards (224 meters) / 100 gr, color Blue - 1 ball (DC)
Wendy Guernsey 5 ply 100% wool, sport weight yarn 245 yards (224 meters) / 100 gr, color White - 1 ball (LC). The scarf can be also knit in DK or worsted weight yarn.
Needles: US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles 24” (60 cm).
Gauge: 3.5” (8.75 cm) = 1 pattern repeat of 18 sts.
Please note, that 1 row of brioche consists of 2 rows: 1 row of light color (LC) and 1 row of dark color (DC)
Abbreviations
Please note that I use Nancy Marchant's terminology for brioche stitch. I highly recommend her books Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch and Knitting Fresh Brioche: Creating Two-Color Twists & Turns.
yf - yarn forward: bring the yarn to the front, between the tips of the needles.
yb - yarn back: take the yarn to the back, between the tips of the needles.
yfsl1yo - yarn forward, slip 1, yarn over: bring the working yarn between the tips of the needles to front of work, slip the next stitch purlwise, then bring the yarn over the needle and the slipped stitch. Leave yarn in back, ready to knit the next stitch.
brk - brioche knit: knit the stitch together with its accompanying yarnover
brp - brioche purl: purl the stitch together with its accompanying yarnover.
br4st-inc – brk1, yo, brk1, yo, brk1 into the same stitch: 1 stitch increased to five.
ssk – slip, slip, knit (left-slanted decrease)
brsssk (left slant 2-stitch decrease) –slip the next 2 sts (the marked st with its yarn over and the next single st) knitwise, one at a times, onto the right needle. Brk, then pass the 2 slipped sts over.
Brk3tog (right slant 2-stitch decrease) –slip 2 sts knitwise (st with yarn over and single st) and brk them together. Return this st to the left needle and pass the st (with its yarn over) over. Slip this st purlwise to the right needle.
LS – light side
DS – dark side
LC – light color
DC- dark color
k – knit
p – purl
sl – slip the first st
plm – place marker
slm – slip marker
rm – remove marker
co – cast on
work as est (work as established) - continue following the pattern you’ve been using in the previous rows, without changing.
Pattern Notes:
Two-Color Brioche Stitch – Basic Instructions
These instructions are included as a guide to the technique, and as instructions for swatching.
A single brioche row is worked in two passes, one in light color (LC) and the other in dark color (DC). Both colors are worked in one direction, then the work is turned and both colors are worked in the other direction, one by one. The light side (LS) of the project is first worked in light color (LC) yarn, then in dark color (DC) yarn. (The LS of the work is where brioche knit (brk) stitches are worked in light color (LC) yarn.
Odd number of stitches
Set-up row (LC): k1, *sl1yof, p1, rep from *, to last 2 sts, sl1yof, p1. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Set-up row (DC): sl1, yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brk1, yb, sl last st. Turn.
Row 1 (LS, LC): k1, *yfsl1yo, brk1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, yfsl1yo, k1. Do not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 1 (LS, DC): sl1, yf, *brp1, sl1yof, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brp1, yb, slip last st. Turn.
Row 2 (DS, LC): p1, *sl1yof, brp1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, sl1yof, p1. DO not turn, slide work to the other end of the needle.
Row 2 (DS, DC): sl1, yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to last 2 sts, brk1, yf, sl last st. Turn.
Chain Selvage
When working the selvage stitches at the beginning and the end of the row, at the start of the LC rows, always bring LC under the DC.
Short Overview of the pattern
The scarf is worked in 2-color brioche stitch.
Scarf
Using 2 strands of yarn (LC and DC), cast on 37 sts.
Row SR (DS LC): K1, (p1, yf sl1yo) × 17, p2. (37 sts)
Row SR (DS DC): K1, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 17, yf sl1yo, p1.
Row 1 (LS LC): Sl, brk3tog, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, br4st inc, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, brsssk, yf sl1yo, brk3tog, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, br4st inc, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 2, yf sl1yo, brsssk, p1.
Row 1 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 3, (yf sl1yo, p1) × 2, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 7, (yf sl1yo, p1) × 2, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 3, yf sl1yo, p1.
Row 2 (DS LC): Sl wyif, (brp, yf sl1yo) × 17, brp, p1.
Row 2 (DS DC): Sl wyif, (yf sl1yo, brk) × 17, yf sl1yo, p1.
Row 3 (LS LC): Sl, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 17, brk, p1.
Row 3 (LS DC): Sl, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 17, yf sl1yo, p1.
Row 4 (DS LC): Repeat row 2.
Row 4 (DS DC): Repeat row 2.
Repeat rows 1-4 (both LC and DC) to desired length.
Bind off.
Finishing
Weave in ends. Block. Sew on 2 buttons at the end of the scarf (see picture). Make small tassels (see pictures).
Enjoy!
