Mantra

Mantra Organic Cotton Lace Scarf by Susan Pandorf

What Is Being Made

The Mantra is an elegant organic cotton lace scarf designed by Susan Pandorf as part of her zen-inspired Sunflower Designs collection. This downloadable knitting pattern produces a finished scarf measuring 12 inches wide by 60 inches long, though the pattern is easily customizable for larger dimensions. The scarf features delicate lace patterning throughout, creating an airy, sophisticated accessory suitable for intermediate knitters.

Craft and Techniques

This project is created entirely through knitting, worked in one continuous piece from end to end. The pattern employs classic lace knitting techniques to achieve its ethereal appearance. The scarf incorporates yarn overs and decreases to create the openwork lace design, with the lace patterning concentrated on right-side rows while wrong-side rows are purled for a clean finish. The pattern includes selvedge stitches—three knit stitches maintained on both right and wrong sides—which create neat, finished edges ideal for a refined garment.

The design allows for customization: knitters can expand the finished piece by adding additional pattern repeats in increments of ten stitches, making it adaptable for different preferences or yarn availability.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (K) — the foundation stitch used throughout, including the selvedge edges
• Purl stitch (P) — used on wrong-side rows to create texture contrast
• Yarn over (YO) — creates the openwork holes characteristic of lace knitting
• Slip, slip, knit (SSK) — a left-leaning decrease used in the lace pattern
• Slip 2 stitches together, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over (S2KP) — a centered double decrease that creates the distinctive lace motifs

Materials and Tools

This pattern calls for 3 balls of Rowan Purelife Organic Cotton 4-Ply yarn, totaling 540 yards. The yarn is available in the colors Quebracho and Cuba. US Size 5 needles are required for this project. The specified gauge is 6 stitches per 1 inch when blocked, which is essential to achieve the correct finished dimensions.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle lace techniques. The combination of yarn overs and decreases requires attention to stitch counts and pattern repeats, making it an excellent project for developing lace knitting proficiency.