Choose your yarn before you decide on any other details of your design.
Knitted scarves can be as simple or as elaborate as you want them. You can make a whole scarf in garter stitch without even knowing purl, or you can make a lacy scarf with lots of yarn overs and slipped stitches. You can always follow a pattern -- there is no shortage of them online and in books and magazines -- but designing your own scarf and then knitting it yourself can give you a greater sense of satisfaction.
Instructions
1. Choose a yarn you want the scarf to be made out of. Starting with the yarn helps you make the other decisions about your design. Sometimes the yarn "speaks" to you and it's easier to visualize what the finished scarf should look like.
2. Decide what kind of stitches you want for the scarf. Typically, the best stitches are ones that look the same on both side -- like rib stitches and the seed stitch. Stockinette is a poor choice by this measure because it looks different on each side. It also tends to curl on the edges. If you do use stockinette, add a border of a different stitch that doesn't curl.
3. Add any other decorative elements to your scarf design -- such as stripes or rows of eyelet lace. You can also deviate from the usual rectangle scarf shape by adding decreases and increases. If your design is complicated, sketch it out on a piece of graph paper with each square representing a stitch.
4. Decide how large you want the scarf to be. Make a swatch with your yarn in the stitch you plan to use to determine how many stitches you need to cast on. If the exact width of the scarf is not important to you, skip the swatch and estimate how many stitches you need. You can always rip it out and start over if you discover it's too wide or too skinny after you've knitted a few inches.
5. Cast on the number of stitches you need and knit until the scarf reaches the length you want, adding any of the design elements you decided on. Bind off.
6. Look at your scarf and decide if it needs any finishing touches, such as fringe or tassels at the ends or a decorative edge in a different color. Add those details, if desired.
