A Simple Crochet Stitch Can Make Many Scarves

You don't have to know any fancy stitches to make a beautiful scarf. The basic single crochet and double crochet stitches every beginner learns can be fashioned into many different looks, just by varying the number of starting chain stitches and switching colors up a bit. Using a larger or smaller crochet hook will give a slightly different effect also. A smaller hook will give you a tighter stitch, where a larger hook will result in a softer and more flexible piece.

The pattern stitch below can be used to make a more trendy, skinny scarf or a warmer, wider scarf. Go middle of the road with a neckwarmer or scarflette just long enough to wrap around your neck that begs to be secured with vintage button or brooch.

Basic Scarf Pattern

Abbreviations:
Ch = chain
SC = single crochet
DC = double crochet

Using size J crochet hook and starting chain of 20 with worsted weight yarn will result in a scarf approximately 6 inches wide.

Chain 20

Row 1: SC in second ch from hook and each stitch across (19 SC), ch 1, turn. (Working the SC in the back bump of chain will give you a cleaner look, but do it the way you're comfortable with)

Row 2 (Pattern Row): SC first stitch, *skip one stitch, SC and DC next stitch. Work from * across, end with SC in last stitch. Ch 1, turn.

Repeat pattern row until piece is the desired length.

Finish with a row of SC, or continue the pattern row down the sides and bottom of the finished scarf to complete the look.

Once you complete the first row, you don't even have to consciously count the skipped stitch. Your next cluster of SC/DC will go in the more prominent hole left by the cluster in the previous row, making this pattern work up very quickly.

A change of color can add more interest to your scarf, so experiment by making a stripe or two at both beginning and end. If making more than one stripe, try varying the width and make one wide and one skinny to mix it up a bit.

Click to see photos of various looks made from this one simple stitch.

If you want a skinny scarf, a starting chain of 10 should result in a scarf approximately 3 inches wide. As another alternative, you could make the chain as long as you want your scarf to be and work the pattern the long way for just a few rows for a skinny scarf. That would save a lot of time with having to turn at the end of each row of just a few stitches.

To make your scarf wider or narrower, increase or decrease your starting chain in increments of two; for each two chains added or subtracted, your piece will have one more or one less SC/DC cluster.

Make a hat to match your scarf either in the same colors, or, if adding a stripe, swap the main color and stripe to get a totally different, yet coordinated look. The pattern for a matching hat may be found here.