Colorful Cables Scarf

Free Scarf Knitting Pattern

You can purchase this scarf from my Etsy shop.

The Colorful Cables Scarf uses two contrasting yarns and slipped stitches to create a bold cable design. One yarn can be self-striping, while the other is a solid color. This combination produces a gradient effect that shifts across the scarf. You change yarns every two rows, so no intarsia or complex colorwork is needed. The result looks like advanced color techniques, but the pattern stays simple. This scarf works well for knitters who want texture and color without extra steps.

Skills Required/Techniques Used:
- Knit & purl, cast on & bind off
- Slipped sts
- Cables

Size: length 60” (150 cm), width 7” (18 cm)

Materials: Lion Brand (affiliate link) Alpine Wool bulky weight yarn (100% wool) 93 yards (85 meters) /85 g, color Black – 3 balls (MC)

Elegant Yarns Kaleidoscope bulky weight yarn (100% wool) 174 yards (159 meters) / 100 g, color #32 – 2 balls (CC)

The scarf on the pictures is knitted from bulky weight yarn. It can be knitted in aran or worsted weight yarn, but it is probably better to work 5 pattern repeats instead of 4.

Needles: straight needle US # 8 (5.00 mm), OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge: 9 sts x 20 rows = 1.5" x 1.5" (3.75 cm x 3.75 cm) 1 pattern repeat

Notions: yarn needle.

Abbreviations:
k - knit
p – purl
slip - Slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn at back.
Sl wyif - Slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front.
2/2 Sl-LC - Slip next 2 stitches to cable needle and place at front of work, slip next 2 sts from the left needle to the right needle WITHOUT KNITTING THEM with yarn at the back, then k2 from cable needle.
St, sts – stitch, stitches
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
MC – main color yarn
CC – contrast color yarn

Pattern Notes:

The pattern uses 2/2- left slip cable - slip next 2 stitches to cable needle and place at front of work, slip next 2 sts from the left needle to the right needle WITHOUT KNITTING THEM with yarn at the back, then k2 from cable needle.

The selvedge/edge stitches are worked as follows: slip the first stitch and purl the last one.


Short Overview of the Pattern:

The scarf is knitted, using 2 yarns of contrast colors and slipped stitches. It might look like it worked using intarsia technique, but it is not. You change yarns every 2 rows.

Scarf

Using MC, cast on 39 sts.

Row 1 (RS): Using MC, k38, p1. (39 sts)

Row 2 (WS): Using MC, sl, k1, (k4, p2, k3) 4 times, p1.

Row 3: Using CC Sl, (k3, sl x 2, k4) 4 times, k1, p1.

Row 4: Using CC Sl, k1, (k2, p2, sl wyif × 2, k3) 4 times, p1.

Row 5: Using MC, sl, (k3, 2/2 Sl-LC, k2) 4 times, k1, p1.

Row 6: Using MC, Sl, k1, (k2, p2, sl wyif × 2, k3) 4 times, p1.

Row 7: Using CC, Sl, (k5, sl × 2, k2) 4 times, k1, p1.

Row 8: Using CC, Sl, k1, (k2, sl wyif × 2, p2, k3) 4 times, p1.

Row 9: Using MC, Sl, (k3, sl × 2, k4) 4 times, k1, p1.

Row 10: Repeat row 6.

Row 11: Using CC, sl, (k3, 2/2 Sl-LC, k2) 4 times, k1, p1.

Row 12: Repeat row 4.

Row 13: Using MC, Sl, (k5, sl × 2, k2) 4 times, k1, p1.

Row 14: Using MC, Sl, k1, (k2, sl wyif × 2, p2, k3) 4 times, p1.

Row 15: Repeat row 3.

Rows 16-19: Repeat rows 12-15.

Row 20: Repeat row 4.

Rows 21-24: repeat rows 17-20.

Repeat rows 5-24 to desired length.

Last repeat finish at row 20.

Next row: Using MC, sl, knit to the last st, p1.
Next row: Using MC, sl, k1, (k2, p4, k3) 4 times, p1.

Bind off with MC.

Finishing

Weave in all yarn ends. Block.

Have fun!

Click image to enlarge