552 Twist Scarf - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Amherst

552 Twist Scarf – Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Amherst

The 552 Twist Scarf, designed by Kirsten Hipsky and published by Valley Yarns, is a beautifully clever accessory that looks far more complex than it truly is. What appears to be an elegantly twisted, textured scarf is actually a long, seamless tube knitted in the round, with a spiraling eyelet detail that winds continuously around the entire length of the fabric. Because the tube is double-thick, the finished scarf has a satisfying weight and warmth that single-layer scarves simply cannot match. This is a wonderful project for beginner knitters who want to learn circular knitting and simple lace techniques while producing a polished, wearable result.

What Is Being Made

The finished piece is a double-thick tube scarf measuring 8 inches wide and 60 inches long. Once the knitting is complete, the open ends are sewn shut to create a traditional long scarf. Alternatively, the cast-on edge can be sewn directly to the bind-off edge to form a cowl, which adds an extra twist to the tube and creates an even more dramatic spiraling effect. This versatility makes the pattern an excellent choice for knitters who want options in how they finish and wear their accessory.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The entire scarf is worked as a continuous tube using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming along the length of the piece.
• Seaming – Once the tube reaches the desired length, the open ends are closed by sewing them shut, or the cast-on and bind-off edges are joined together to form a cowl.
• Spiraling eyelet construction – A repeating single-round pattern using yarn overs and decreases creates a continuous spiral of eyelets that travels around the circumference of the tube, giving the scarf its distinctive twisted appearance.
• Marker placement – Four stitch markers divide the cast-on stitches into four equal sections, and the eyelet repeat is worked relative to each marker, ensuring the spiral develops evenly.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (k) – The foundation stitch used throughout every round.
• Yarn over (yo) – Worked before each stitch marker to create an open eyelet and add a stitch.
• SSK (slip, slip, knit) – A left-leaning decrease worked after each stitch marker; two stitches are slipped as if to knit, then the left needle tip is inserted into both and they are knitted together. This decrease pairs with the yarn over to maintain a consistent stitch count while forming the spiral lace detail.
• Stockinette stitch – The gauge is measured in Stockinette, and the body of the tube is worked in knit stitches in the round, which naturally produces a Stockinette fabric.

Materials

The pattern calls for 4 skeins of Valley Yarns Amherst, a 100% merino wool yarn in a worsted weight, with each skein providing approximately 109 yards per 50 grams. The sample shown was knitted in the colorway Stone Blue. Merino wool is an ideal fiber choice for this project, as it is soft against the skin, has excellent stitch definition that showcases the eyelet spiral, and provides genuine warmth without excessive bulk.

The recommended needles are US size 9 (5.50mm) 16-inch circular needles, or whatever size is needed to achieve the gauge of approximately 4 stitches and 6 rows per inch in Stockinette stitch. The 16-inch circular needle length is well suited to the 64-stitch cast-on, keeping the stitches comfortably distributed around the needle as the tube grows in length.

Pattern Structure and Construction Notes

The construction is elegantly simple. Stitches are cast on in four groups of 16, with a stitch marker placed after each group, for a total of 64 stitches. The work is joined in the round, and from that point forward, only a single round is ever repeated: knit to the marker, work a yarn over, slip the marker, then work an SSK. This four-stitch interaction is repeated at each of the four markers every