Outland Scarf in Rowan Big Wool - D167 - Downloadable PDF

Outland Scarf in Rowan Big Wool – Pattern Summary (D167)

The Outland Scarf is a striking two-colour knitted scarf designed by Sarah Hatton and published by Rowan. This intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a long, textured scarf with a subtle diagonal visual effect created by alternating yarn colours across a simple four-row repeat. The finished scarf is generously sized — the designer's own version measures approximately 230 cm / 91 inches in length, though the pattern is easily adjusted to suit personal preference.

What Is Being Made

The project is a long knitted scarf worked flat on a single pair of needles. The two-colour construction gives the scarf a sophisticated, contemporary look that suits both casual and outdoor wear. The diagonal shift in the stitch pattern creates movement and visual interest without requiring complex colourwork techniques such as stranding or intarsia.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: Rowan Big Wool, a super-chunky weight yarn, used in two shades
• Shade A: 2 x 100g balls — shown in Champion 065
• Shade B: 2 x 100g balls — shown in Concrete 061
• As a helpful guide from the designer, one ball of each colour works approximately 175 cm / 69 inches of scarf length
• Needles: 1 pair of 12mm (US 15) knitting needles

Techniques Used

• Two-colour knitting worked in alternating rows, with the yarn not in use carried up the side of the work — a neat and efficient method that avoids weaving in multiple ends
• Flat knitting on a straight pair of needles, working back and forth in rows
• Shaping within the pattern row using a paired increase and decrease on every right-side row, which creates the characteristic diagonal shift in the fabric without changing the overall stitch count
• Casting on and casting off using a single yarn colour for clean, tidy edges

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (knit to end / knit rows) — used throughout for right-side rows in Shade A, creating a garter stitch texture in that colour
• Purl stitch — used in the wrong-side row of Shade B, with two knit stitches at each edge forming a neat garter border
• Knit into front and back (kfb) — a simple increase worked into the first stitch of every right-side row
• Knit two together (k2tog) — a right-leaning decrease worked at the end of every right-side row, paired with the kfb to maintain the stitch count at 19 stitches throughout
• Garter stitch border — two knit stitches maintained at each end of the wrong-side Shade B rows to prevent the edges from curling
• Cast off knitways — the scarf is finished with a knit cast-off using Shade A

Pattern Structure and Repeat

The pattern is built on a clean four-row repeat. Rows 1 and 2 are worked in Shade B, and Rows 3 and 4 are worked in Shade A. The increase and decrease pairing on Rows 1 and 3 keeps the stitch count constant while nudging the fabric diagonally with each repeat. This is an excellent technique for knitters looking to explore bias knitting in a straightforward, accessible format. The yarns are simply carried up the side between uses, making colour management easy and tidy throughout.

Difficulty and Suitability

Rated as intermediate, this pattern is well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic knit and purl stitches and have some familiarity with simple increases and decreases. The large needle size and