THE PRISMATIC SCARF

This PDF is the clean versionIve taken out almost all the pictures so you can
print this pattern easily for use. Please visit the original pattern page at
http://featherandfan.wordpress.com/free-patterns/the-prismatic-scarf/ if you
want to see the uncut version with pictures showing the various design features
of this scarf.
This scarf uses an unvented stitch
pattern based on Barbara Walkers
Woven Diagonal Herringbone
stitch pattern from A Treasury of
Knitting Patterns.
I wanted to find a scarf pattern
other than the ubiquitous My SoCalled Scarf or Clapotis that would
show off a variegated yarn nicely.
Nothing wrong with MSCS (well,
its not really reversible, and Ive
heard from some people that it
curls) or the Clap (well, since its
knit on the bias, its hard to
estimate exactly how much yarn
you need to finish and knit until
you run out of yarn; also, its not
warm unless you make it big
enough to counteract the open
dropped stitches). Anyway, I just
wanted something different!
When I was back at home for Thanksgiving 2007, my mom bought me two skeins
of absolutely gorgeous Manos Silk Blend in Wildflowers.
Once I started to swatch with it I realized that it was hard to find a pattern that
would showcase the colors in the yarn there were so many different colors, the
stitch patterns I was trying out kept getting lost, and the yarn just ended up
looking like clown barf. (Albeit very expensive clown barf from a clown with a
belly full of Necco wafers.) At first, I thought the half-linen stitch would be nice,
but after knitting up an entire skein of the yarn in this stitch, I realized that it just
curled too much. It looked deceptively flat at first, but the more I knit, the more it
curled.
So that was out. I made another scarfs worth of swatches with different stitch
patterns. Even my old standby, feather and fan, looked like crap.
by orata / Huan-Hua Chye, December 2008. v. 1.2. For personal, non-commercial use only.
Please do not copy or distribute this pattern without express written permission.
http://featherandfan.wordpress.com / featherandfan@gmail.com
Page 1 of 4

I had been admiring Knitting Kninjas Dapper Herringbone Scarf pattern using
the Woven Diagonal Herringbone stitchso very dapper!so I swatched with that,
and liked it a lot. Slipping stitches is a good way to deal with variegated yarns
because of the way it lengthens color runs and breaks up the sea of blips of color.
I made a couple of little adjustments to suit my taste, though:

I wanted a stitch pattern that would lie perfectly flatthe slipped stitches
do restrain curling, but after my experience with the half linen stitch
mega-swatch, I was feeling very leery of mostly-stockinette patterns and
wanted a balanced knit/purl pattern;
I wanted a stitch pattern that would still look reversible in a busy yarn like
the Manoswhile Kristens version looks perfect in her simple, single color,
the reverse side of mine ended up just looking like reverse stockinette
stitch, as the diagonal pattern of elongated slipped stitches was lost in the
color-barf;
I wanted a very clean selvage. Mine was looking kind of wonky.

So I added purl stitches to go behind the slipped stitches, balancing the mostly
stockinette fabric, and creating a slipped diagonal rib on the wrong side; and I
added a very satisfying and clean knitted-in i-cord selvage.
Im calling the result the Prismatic Scarf, for the way it refracts the random
mixture of hues into strong, slanting rays of color.
Yarn used: Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend (30% silk, 70% merino wool; 50
grams; 150 yards) in 3113 Wildflowers, two skeins
Needle size: US size 8/5.0 mm
Finished dimensions: 5 x 65 before blocking, 5 x 68 after blocking

by orata / Huan-Hua Chye, December 2008. v. 1.2. For personal, non-commercial use only.
Please do not copy or distribute this pattern without express written permission.
http://featherandfan.wordpress.com / featherandfan@gmail.com
Page 2 of 4

Pattern:
Using the long-tail, cable, or knitted cast-on, cast on 30 stitches or another
multiple of 6 stitches plus 6 selvage stitches (3 at the beginning of the row, 3 at
the end of the row).
I dont recommend using the backwards loop cast-on, because the first row in the
pattern calls for you to slip stitches; if you really want to use the backwards loop
cast-on, work Row 12 once as a set-up row before beginning again from Row 1.
Begin working either from the written instructions below or the chart:
Row 1 (RS): k3, *sl3 pwise wyif, k3* to last 3 sts, sl3 pwise wyif. (Note that the
slipped stitches in this pattern should always be slipped purlwise, with yarn in
front; this will be referred to as just sl from now on.)
Row 2 (WS): k3, *p2, k3, p1* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 3: k3, *k1, sl3, k2* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 4: k3, *p1, k3, p2* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 5: k3, *k2, sl3, k1* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 6: k3, *k3, p3* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 7: k3, *k3, sl3* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 8: k3, *k2, p3, k1* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 9: k3, *sl1, k3, sl2* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 10: k3, *k1, p3, k2* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 11: k3, *sl2, k3, sl1* to last 3 sts, sl3.
Row 12: k3, *p3, k3* to last 3 stitches, sl3.
In other words, on every right side row, slip the purl stitches with yarn in front,
and knit the knit stitches; on every wrong side row, shift the rib pattern from the
previous row one stitch over to the right.
Knitting the first 3 stitches and slipping the last 3 stitches with yarn in front on
every row will create the i-cord selvage.
Repeat until scarf is the length you would like, and bind off. Weave in ends and
block.

by orata / Huan-Hua Chye, December 2008. v. 1.2. For personal, non-commercial use only.
Please do not copy or distribute this pattern without express written permission.
http://featherandfan.wordpress.com / featherandfan@gmail.com
Page 3 of 4

Woven Diagonal Herringbone Rib

Repeat of 6 stitches + 6 selvage stitches and 12 rows
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Symbol Key
Knit on RS, purl on WS
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Purl on RS, knit on WS
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Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front
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Pattern repeat is outlined in red

Note: Pattern updated 2008-12-01 to make various improvements, including

starting the pattern on a RS row, putting the instructions for the i-cord edging in
the main part of the instructions, and fixing the confusing symbols in the chart.

by orata / Huan-Hua Chye, December 2008. v. 1.2. For personal, non-commercial use only.
Please do not copy or distribute this pattern without express written permission.
http://featherandfan.wordpress.com / featherandfan@gmail.com
Page 4 of 4