Lauderdale Scarf in Rowan Alpaca Classic (Eng) - Downloadable PDF

Lauderdale Scarf in Rowan Alpaca Classic – Knitting Pattern by Georgia Farrell

About This Pattern

The Lauderdale Scarf is an elegant, intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Georgia Farrell and published by Rowan in 2020. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern produces a beautifully textured scarf with a distinctive structural twist: thanks to the stitch pattern, the finished piece naturally knits into a 'V' shape, giving it a sculptural, fashion-forward quality that sets it apart from a standard straight scarf. The pattern is part of Rowan's celebrated design collection and carries the reference code ZB278-00001-ENP.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a single, long scarf with refined cable and cross-stitch detailing. The finished dimensions are approximately 15 cm (6 inches) wide and 200 cm (78¾ inches) long, measured along the straight edge. The generous length makes it ideal for wrapping, draping, or looping, while the relatively narrow width keeps it sleek and wearable. The scarf was photographed in Green Moss 111, showcasing how the textured stitch pattern catches light beautifully in a rich, earthy tone.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Rowan Alpaca Classic, a DK weight yarn, in 5 x 25g balls. The sample was worked in shade Green Moss 111. Rowan Alpaca Classic is a luxuriously soft yarn with a characteristic alpaca halo, making it ideal for accessories worn close to the skin.
• Needles: One pair of 3¾mm (UK No. 9 / US 5) straight knitting needles.

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this pattern. The stated tension is 30.5 stitches and 29 rows to 10 cm, measured over the pattern stitch using 3¾mm (US 5) needles. Because the scarf forms a 'V' shape, the pattern notes advise knitters to measure tension across the stitches in one half of the scarf, either side of the 'V', rather than across the full width. Swatching carefully before casting on is strongly recommended, particularly for intermediate knitters working with a textured cable pattern.

Techniques and Construction

The Lauderdale Scarf is worked flat on a single pair of straight needles, cast on with 58 stitches. The construction is straightforward in terms of shaping — there are no increases or decreases for silhouette shaping — but the stitch pattern itself incorporates directional increases and decreases (Kfb, K2tog, sl 1, K1, psso, P2tog) that create the characteristic angled 'V' form organically as the work grows. The scarf is worked in a 10-row repeating pattern and continued until the piece measures approximately 200 cm, ending after pattern row 5 before casting off in pattern on the wrong side.

The making-up process involves blocking and pressing the finished piece according to Rowan's standard information page instructions, which is particularly important when working with alpaca fibres to open up the stitch definition and achieve the correct dimensions.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) — the foundational stitches forming the textured background of the pattern, including rib-like sections of (P2, K2) repeats.
• Kfb (Knit into Front and Back) — a simple increase stitch worked by knitting into the front and then the back of the same stitch, adding one stitch and contributing to the scarf's angled shaping.
• sl 1, K1, psso — a left-leaning decrease (slip one stitch, knit one stitch, pass the slipped stitch over), used in combination with other decreases to balance the directional shaping.
• K2tog (Knit Two Together) — a right-leaning decrease used within the pattern repeat.