Thistle Scarf

Thistle Scarf by Anna Dalvi

What Is Being Made

The Thistle Scarf is a delicate lace knit scarf designed by Anna Dalvi. This intermediate-level knitting project creates an elegant accessory with finished dimensions of 190 cm (76 inches) in length and 25 cm (10 inches) in width. The scarf features charted lace patterning that produces an intricate, openwork design suitable for those with some knitting experience.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs charted lace knitting techniques, requiring knitters to follow a detailed stitch chart to create the pattern. The design uses directional chart reading: all right-side rows are read from right to left, while all wrong-side rows (highlighted in blue on the chart) are read from left to right. This approach is common in lace knitting and allows for precise stitch placement and pattern alignment. The scarf is worked flat and requires blocking after completion to achieve the finished dimensions and to fully open up the lace pattern.

Stitches Used

The Thistle Scarf pattern incorporates several fundamental lace stitches visible in the charted rows. These include yarn overs (indicated by "y" in the chart), which create the characteristic holes and openwork of lace knitting, combined with decreases (indicated by "c" and "l" for different decrease directions) to balance the yarn overs and maintain stitch count. The pattern also uses knit stitches ("r") as structural elements throughout the design. The combination of these stitches creates the thistle-inspired lace motif that repeats across the width and length of the scarf.

Materials and Tools

• Yarn: 2 skeins (44 g total) of Luxurious Buffalo Down, which is 100% buffalo fiber with a yardage of 155-160 yards per 22 g skein. The pattern notes that Cottage Craft Angora or similar lace-weight yarn may be substituted. This is a lace-weight yarn, making it ideal for creating the delicate, openwork qualities of this design.
• Needles: 3.75 mm knitting needles for working the scarf
• Additional Tools: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends after completion

Construction Notes

The pattern specifies that 43 stitches are cast on using the knit-on cast-on method. Importantly, the designer notes that a long-tail cast-on should not be used with this particular yarn, as it does not work well with the buffalo fiber. This detail is essential for achieving proper stitch definition at the cast-on edge. The scarf is then worked following the charted lace pattern until the desired length is achieved, after which it is blocked to open up the lace and set the final dimensions.