Alder Scarf in Rowan Alpaca Classic - RTP002-0007-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Alder Scarf in Rowan Alpaca Classic – Knitting Pattern Summary (RTP002-0007-DEP)

The Alder Scarf is a beautifully crafted double-sided knitted scarf designed by Quail Studio for Rowan. Published as a downloadable PDF (reference RTP002-0007-DEP), this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with colourwork techniques and are ready to explore the elegant world of intarsia. The finished scarf measures approximately 25.5 cm wide and 180.5 cm long, creating a generous, wearable accessory with a sophisticated graphic quality.

What Is Being Made

The Alder Scarf is a reversible, double-sided scarf constructed in two separate panels — a decorative front side featuring intarsia colourwork and a plain stocking stitch back — which are then joined together along all edges. The result is a neat, polished scarf with a clean reverse side that conceals all yarn ends and colour joins, giving it a truly finished, professional appearance. Its substantial length of over 180 cm makes it ideal for wrapping and layering throughout the colder seasons.

Design and Colourwork

The front panel of the Alder Scarf features a striking intarsia colourwork chart worked over 80 rows, which is repeated a total of 7 times across the length of the scarf. The chart uses three carefully selected shades from Rowan Alpaca Classic:

• Colour A – Snowflake White (shade 115): the main background colour, used throughout the piece
• Colour B – Feather Grey Melange (shade 101): a soft, heathered mid-tone used as an accent
• Colour C – Noir (shade 103): a deep, rich black used to create bold contrast within the pattern

The interplay of crisp white, soft grey, and deep black gives the Alder Scarf a timeless, graphic aesthetic that works equally well with casual and smart outfits. The colourwork is executed entirely in intarsia technique, meaning each colour section is worked with its own individual yarn supply rather than carried across the back of the work — a hallmark of clean, precise colourwork.

Techniques Used

Intarsia Colourwork

Intarsia is a knitting technique used to create blocks of colour within a fabric without carrying yarn across the back of the work. For each distinct colour section in the chart, a separate length or bobbin of yarn is used. When changing from one colour to the next, the yarns are twisted around each other at the join to prevent holes from forming. This technique is particularly well-suited to bold geometric or pictorial designs, as it produces a single-thickness fabric with clean colour boundaries and no unsightly floats on the reverse side. The pattern notes advise that any floats should not be carried over more than three stitches at a time, and that they should be woven in neatly on the wrong side of the work to maintain fabric elasticity and a tidy finish.

Stocking Stitch

Both the front and back panels are worked in stocking stitch (knit on right side rows, purl on wrong side rows), which provides a smooth, flat fabric surface that allows the intarsia colourwork to read clearly and crisply on the front panel. The back panel is worked entirely in plain stocking stitch using Colour A – Snowflake White, beginning with a knit row and ending with a purl row to match the length of the front panel before cast-off.

Double-Panel Construction and Finishing

Once both panels are complete, the scarf is assembled by placing the two pieces with wrong sides together and seaming along all four edges. This construction method creates a fully reversible, double-layered scarf with a clean exterior on both sides. Before seaming, the pattern instructs knitters to steam block the scarf panels, following Rowan's recommended finishing guidance, to even out the stitches and set the fabric to its correct dimensions.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch – the primary stitch used throughout both panels
• Cast-on and cast-off in