Scarf with Fantasy Ribs in Schachenmayr Universa - S6917B - Downloadable PDF

Scarf with Fantasy Ribs in Schachenmayr Universa – Free Knitting Pattern S6917B

This free downloadable knitting pattern (S6917B) from Schachenmayr guides knitters through creating a long, elegant ribbed scarf featuring a striking fantasy rib textured panel at its centre. The finished scarf measures approximately 20 cm wide and 190 cm long, making it a generously sized accessory ideal for cooler seasons. The pattern is suitable for knitters who are comfortable working from a stitch chart and managing multiple needle sizes within a single project.

What Is Being Made

The project is a single flat-knitted scarf worked in the round on straight needles. Its design balances structured ribbing at both ends with a richly textured central panel of fantasy ribs — a repeating stitch motif that creates a dimensional, sculptural surface. The scarf is worked flat in rows from cast-on to cast-off, with no seaming required.

Design Details and Construction

The scarf is constructed in three distinct sections that flow seamlessly into one another:

• Ribbed cuffs (Bündchenmuster): Both the cast-on and cast-off ends feature approximately 4 cm of 1×1 rib (alternating knit one, purl one), worked on the smaller needle size. These neat, elasticated borders give the scarf a polished, professional finish and help the ends lie flat.
• Fantasy rib body (Grundmuster): The vast majority of the scarf — from approximately 4 cm to 186 cm in height — is worked in the fantasy rib pattern using the larger needle size. This central panel spans 50 stitches, made up of five repeats of a 10-stitch motif, as set out in the accompanying stitch chart. The pattern repeat consists of 4 rows, which are repeated throughout the length of the body.
• Framing stitches: On either side of the 50-stitch fantasy rib panel, a carefully arranged sequence of knit and purl stitches — K1, P1, K1, P2 on each side — frames the central motif and creates a smooth visual transition between the decorative panel and the selvage edges.
• Selvage stitches (Randmaschen): A selvage stitch is worked at each end of every row to create neat, stable edges throughout the scarf.

Techniques Used

• Casting on 63 stitches to begin the scarf
• 1×1 ribbing for the border sections at each end
• Chart reading: The fantasy rib pattern is presented as a stitch chart (Strickschrift). Right-side rows are read from right to left, and wrong-side rows from left to right, with every row shown as it appears on the right side of the work
• Needle changes: Knitters switch between two needle sizes during the project — smaller needles for the ribbed borders and larger needles for the body — a technique that helps achieve the correct tension and drape in each section
• Working stitches as they appear: The stitches on either side of the central panel are worked in pattern as established, requiring the knitter to read the fabric and maintain the texture without a separate chart for those stitches
• Casting off at approximately 190 cm to complete the scarf

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (rechts / K) — used throughout ribbing, framing sequences, and within the fantasy rib chart
• Purl stitch (links / P) — used throughout ribbing, framing sequences, and within the fantasy rib chart
• 1×1 rib (Bündchenmuster) — alternating knit and purl stitches across the border sections
• Fantasy rib pattern (Grundmuster) — a 10-stitch, 4-row repeat combining knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence to produce a raised, textured rib effect with decorative character
• Selvage stitch — worked at each edge to