Sideways Striped Scarf in Caron United - Downloadable PDF

Sideways Striped Scarf in Caron United – Free Crochet PDF Pattern

This free downloadable PDF pattern from Caron guides crocheters through creating a beautifully striped scarf worked in a sideways construction — meaning the piece is crocheted lengthwise from the very start, producing clean, vertical-looking stripes along the finished fabric. Rated as a beginner difficulty project, it is an ideal choice for those who are just getting comfortable with basic crochet stitches and color changes, while still delivering a polished, professional-looking result.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a generously sized scarf measuring approximately 8 inches wide by 68 inches long (20.5 cm x 173 cm), excluding fringe. Decorative fringe is added to both ends of the scarf as a finishing detail, using cut lengths of yarn in each of the three colors. The scarf is worked in a three-color stripe sequence using Caron United™ yarn, giving it a bold, graphic look that suits a wide range of styles.

Construction and Technique

The defining characteristic of this scarf is its sideways construction. Rather than beginning at one short end and working row by row toward the other, the crocheter starts with a long foundation chain of 228 chains that runs the full 68-inch length of the scarf. Each subsequent row is then worked across this length, which means every row of crochet becomes a stripe running the full length of the finished piece. This sideways method is a clever approach that eliminates the need to count long rows and makes stripe color changes extremely simple to manage.

Color changes are made at the end of each row by breaking the working yarn and joining the next color, leaving 8-inch (20.5 cm) ends that are later incorporated directly into the fringe — a practical technique that minimizes weaving in ends and adds to the decorative finish of the scarf.

Stitches Used

• Chain stitch (ch) – used to create the long foundation chain and as part of the mesh structure within each row
• Double crochet (dc) – the primary stitch used throughout every row of the pattern
• Chain-1 spaces (ch-1 sp) – alternated with double crochet stitches to create an open, lacy mesh fabric

The stitch pattern consists of alternating double crochet stitches and chain-1 spaces, with each row worked into the chain spaces of the previous row. This creates a light, airy mesh texture that drapes beautifully and works up quickly. The recommended gauge is 13 double crochet stitches and 6 rows to 4 inches (10 cm), which is important to achieve the stated finished dimensions.

Color Sequence and Stripe Pattern

Three colors of Caron United™ are used throughout the pattern in a repeating three-row stripe sequence:

• Main Color (MC): Burgundy (06009)
• Contrast A: White (06001)
• Contrast B: Cherry (06007)

The foundation row is worked in MC (Burgundy), followed by rows in Contrast A (White) and Contrast B (Cherry) in sequence. This three-row repeat is worked a total of four times, creating a rhythmic, evenly spaced stripe pattern across the width of the scarf.

Finishing: Fringe

Once the body of the scarf is complete, fringe is added to both short ends. Cut lengths of yarn measuring 16 inches (40.5 cm) are prepared in all three colors — Burgundy, White, and Cherry. Three strands of each corresponding color are knotted into the fringe along each end, with the yarn ends left over from color changes incorporated directly into the fringe bundles. The fringe is then trimmed evenly for a neat, uniform finish.

Materials Required

• Caron United™ yarn (4 oz / 113 g; 235 yds / 215 m per skein) – an aran weight (weight category 4) yarn
• 1 skein each of Burgundy (06009), White (06001), and Cherry (06007)