Sugar Snap

Sugar Snap Scarf by Susan Pandorf

What is Being Made

The Sugar Snap Scarf is a light and elegant lace scarf designed by Susan Pandorf for Sunflower Designs. This accessory measures 12 inches wide by 65 inches long, making it a versatile piece suitable for layering or draping. The scarf is knit as a single continuous piece from cast-on to bind-off, creating a seamless finished garment.

Knitting Techniques

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques to achieve its delicate appearance. The scarf features lace knitting, which creates openwork patterns through strategic yarn overs and decreases. The construction begins with a ribbed section that provides structure and elasticity at the edges. Two outer stitches on each row are worked in garter stitch (knit on every row), which creates a stable, finished selvage edge that frames the lace pattern. The lace pattern itself is worked from a chart, with directional changes: right-side (odd) rows are worked from bottom to top and right to left, while wrong-side (even) rows are worked from left to right. This charted approach allows for precise stitch placement and creates the intricate openwork design characteristic of lace scarves.

Stitches Used

The Sugar Snap Scarf incorporates fundamental lace stitches including:

• Knit stitch – forms the foundation and outer edge stitches
• Purl stitch – used in ribbing and pattern sections
• Yarn overs – create the openwork holes characteristic of lace
• Decreases – paired with yarn overs to maintain stitch count and shape the lace motifs
• Garter stitch – the two-stitch selvage on each side
• Ribbing – creates the initial eight-row textured section at the beginning

The pattern repeats specific stitch sequences across the width, with stitches 1–2 and 18–23 worked only once at the beginning and end of each row, while the stitches between these (stitches 3–17) repeat to fill the scarf width.

Materials and Tools

The Sugar Snap Scarf requires 3 skeins totaling 600 yards of Fibre Co. Canopy Fingering weight yarn in the Paw Paw colorway. Fingering weight yarn (also called sock weight) is a fine, delicate yarn that produces intricate stitch definition, making it ideal for lace projects. The pattern calls for US Size 4 needles, which are appropriately sized for fingering-weight yarn. The recommended gauge is 5 stitches per 1 inch when blocked, which is typical for fingering-weight lace knitting. Blocking is essential for this project, as it opens up the lace pattern and evens the finished dimensions, ensuring the scarf reaches its intended 12 by 65 inches.

Difficulty Level

Rated as an intermediate project, the Sugar Snap Scarf is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle chart-based lace patterns. The combination of directional chart reading, yarn overs, decreases, and the need for careful tension control makes this project more challenging than basic scarves but accessible to experienced beginners willing to learn lace techniques.