How to Knit a Scarf for Beginners
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Learning how to knit a scarf can seem hard if you’re a total beginner. There are two needles to move around, and yarn that looks like it could snag into knots. It looks intimidating!
But the truth is that knitting is like any other skill. It’s no different than learning how to ride a bike or how to cook. All it takes is some time and practice. And the upside is that unlike riding a bike or cooking, there’s no risk of skinned knees or charred fingers. Knitting is pretty safe. In fact, knitting has several health benefits!
All you need are your hands, some yarn, and a pair of needles.
Ready to Knit a Scarf?
Yeah? Woohoo! High five!
Learning how to knit a scarf is the best beginner project because it boils down to three simple steps:
Click This: For a refresher on the basics of knitting, check out The Ultimate Guide to Knitting, my detailed guide for new knitters.
Short, sweet and very do-able. These three steps make up your scarf journey. Get them under your belt and you can officially call yourself a knitter!
How to Knit a Scarf: Watch and Learn!
This video tutorial will show you how to knit a scarf, with a few extra tips thrown in. Follow along at your own pace and re-watch sections if you need a review. This video is also close captioned. (Press “CC” at the bottom of the video to activate).
Jump around the video chapters with these timestamps:
0:32 Choosing Yarn and Needles
2:16 Cast On
7:33 Knit Stitch
13:46 Next Row and Pep Talk
16:01 How to Hold Your Needles
18:31 Slipped Selvedge
19:34 Cast Off
24:29 Weaving in Ends
What About Yarn and Needles?
I was hoping you’d ask! You can use any yarn that takes your fancy.
BUT keep in mind that the bigger the yarn, the better. My ideal yarn for beginners is a chunky weight. This yarn requires needles that are between 6-8mm. Bigger yarns are easier to grip and manipulate than lighter yarns. They’re less fiddly and they also knit up quicker. Instant gratification!
BEWARE of light-weight yarns like lace or super fine yarn. Imagine knitting with sewing thread. That’s what knitting with lace is like. Do not do it. Not if you’re a beginner. Not only will it take light years to finish your scarf, but lighter yarns require smaller needles. And smaller needles are, in general, harder to control.
So make things easy for yourself and choose a yarn that’s at least a medium weight if not larger.
Click This: my post on the yarn weight family
What about needles? Once you’ve chosen your yarn, look at the yarn label. It will give you a recommended needle size. Use this as a guide for choosing your needles. I typically go within 1mm of the recommended needle size. This means if the yarn label suggests a 5mm needle, I might also try out a 4mm or 6mm needle.
What I Used for My Scarf
- Yarn: 2 skeins of TJOCKT Martta the Merino in color Pearl (200 grams, 140m/153yds per skein)
- Similar yarns: MillaMia (2-ply merino), Lana Grossa Ragazza (1-ply merino), Malabrigo Rasta (beautiful hand-dyed 1-ply), Wendy with Wool (acrylic-wool blend, budget option)
- Needles: US 15/10mm knitting needles (similar)
Finished Scarf Measurements: width is 9.25″ and length is 65″
Making Mistakes + Helpful Links
Along the way you’ll make mistakes. It’s okay. Mistakes are part of the journey, so expect them. Embrace them. You need to make mistakes to get to your final destination (which, in this metaphor, is your scarf!).
If you drop a stitch, keep moving forward. Don’t look back. At first, the goal is to get the basic steps of the knit stitch down. Once you’re comfortable with the knit stitch, your hands will naturally settle into the rhythm of knitting and you’ll make less mistakes. Think of your first ten rows as practice.
“One who makes no mistakes makes nothing at all.” – Giacomo Casanova Tweet This
Once you’re knitting comfortably, consider ripping back your work and starting your scarf fresh. You’ll be a lot more confident, and your scarf will have less mistakes in it. Don’t think of your practice rows as “wasted.” It’s the practice that makes the perfect!
Here are some helpful links for your knitting journey:
- How to Knit
- 3 Beginner Mistakes and How to Fix Them
- How to Join 2 Balls of Yarn
- The Yarn Weight Family
Grab a Friend, Knit Together!
Learning is more fun with friends! Do you have friends who are crafty or who want to learn how to knit a scarf? Maybe you know someone like Liz Lemon who takes up knitting every two years for … a week. Help a friend out! Share this video and knit together. As the saying goes, sharing is caring!
I taught myself to knit from online sources about a year ago, and totally would have killed for his video. Pinned it though for future reference with all the awesome tips and tricks.
Thanks Sarah! Funny you should say that because most of the videos and blogs we make are driven by what we would have wanted as beginner knitters! Thanks for pinning, too! 😀
I’m so excited to get started! I’ve been wanting to knit with my daughter for so long but we always got confused, we’re going to give knitting a try again with your video. thank you!
This is exactly what I’m looking for and really helpful! Thanks!
Hey Janice and Alana! Thanks for your comment! Good luck with your knitting and let me know if you run into any hiccups!
I just purchased my first ball of yarn and needles!! This scarf is the first thing I have decided to try and so far I am loving it! Thank you so much for the video! I am on my third row of stitches and I saw the slipped selvedge technique. Do you think it is too late to add it in now?
Hey Michelina! It’s really up to you! Since you’re only on your third row, you can always rip back your work and start again using the slipped selvedge. That way your scarf will be consistent. Alternatively, if you want to keep going and start slipping on your fourth row, that’s okay too. Since it’s only three rows without the slipped selvedge, it won’t be super noticeable. Hope that helps!
I just started making a baby blanket for my nephew using a basic garter stitch and it’s my first time knitting. Your videos have been so helpful and I really like how clearly you explain things. Your common knitting mistakes video helped me to figure out how I ended up with so many extra stitches all of a sudden, and even better, how to fix them!
What a great, great tutorial! So easy to follow! Thank you so much 🙂 xx
I am starting now and I am loving your posts and videos, they’re really enlightening about how to do, what to use and everything else!!!And I would like to buy some of your yarns, the colors are amazing and the thickness it’s perfect…but they are for the moment out of stock!When are going to be available?
Thanks a lot for everything you post and do :):)!!
Hey Ester! Unfortunately, we won’t be restocking our yarns. The TJOCKT Martta the Merino can be purchased at Tjockt.com or on their Etsy store, I believe. Glad to hear that you’re enjoying the videos!
Love your videos. You explain it in simple terms . I finished my first scarf at 60 years old !!! So therapeutical. I just have one question ( for now 🙂 ) . How do you finish all the yarn left from the yarn addings.
Hey Dalva!
Awesome scarf! It looks so comfy! And those stitches look perfectly even. Great job!
To your question, you would weave in those yarn ends. It’s the same concept as weaving in ends from the video, which starts at 24:30. Instead of weaving your yarn end vertically as we do in the video, you would weave them in horizontally, going up and down into the purl bumps. Try to weave in the yarn ends at least 4-5 times so that they’re secure. Then give the fabric a light tug to make sure the yarn end is comfortably woven in (not too tight, not too loose), then snip it off with your scissors. You’re done!
thank you!
Hello, I started making your beginner scarf but I think my yarn and needles are too thin. I’d really love to buy the same yarn you used but I can’t find where to buy it and the link says page not found. Do you know if I can still buy it online?
Sorry I just read your comment above! Answers my question ?
No worries! If this is your first scarf, I definitely recommend a chunky weight or thicker yarn to start with. Your local craft store may have some in stock. If you’re in the US or Canada, I know a lot of beginners start with Lion Brand Thick and Quick yarn or Wool Ease, which can be purchased at Michael’s. Hope that helps! 😀
How do you ” uncurl” the stockinette stitch besides not knitting the first of each row. Still curls …..
Hey Dalva,
Unfortunately, stockinette stitch will curl on it’s own. The only way to prevent curling is to knit a border around the stockinette stitch. So, for example, a sweater made of stockinette stitch will usually include a ribbing, like a 1×1 or a 2×2 rib, that prevents curling. You could also knit a garter stitch rib around the stockinette stitch. Basically, any stitch that doesn’t curl can be used as a border around stockinette. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much. It’s perfect for beginners.
Thank you so much for the video Davina, I knitted as a child with my Nannan but couldn’t remember how to do it. Your video was so clear and easy to follow and my first scarf is now complete ?!! Going to attempt your cushy cowl next, wish me luck!
Your scarf looks so comfy and squishy! Great job!
Thanks Davina! My Mum in Law put it on and didn’t want to take it off! I’m knitting her another one ?
Davina, I’m learning to knit for (2) reasons…(1) a stress-reliever (I’m in law school) and (2) my mother-in-law doesn’t know how (she crochets) 🙂 I notice that my stitches are really tight (as I feel often, “wound up”). What can I do to alleviate this? Also, do you have a video to show to how to connect multiple skeins of yarn? From what I observed, it doesn’t matter what your dominate hand is when knitting, is that correct? Lastly, this is an AWESOME video tutorial….thank you
Hey Lisa! Wow! Law school! I hope you’re past your first year. I hear that’s the toughest one!
Tight knitting is down to your knitting tension. So, if you’re pulling or gripping your yarn while knitting, that will make your stitches and overall knitting tighter. Most beginner knitters are tight knitters. As you get better at knitting your hands will relax and become more confident, and your knitting will reflect this.
If you find that your hands are very relaxed and you’re not a tight knitter, then the next culprit could be the size of your needles. For instance, if you’re knitting with worsted weight yarn, which typically works best with a 4-5.5mm needle, and you’re knitting with a 3mm needle, then your knitting will be very tight no matter how loosely you knit.
So, first thing is to figure out your yarn weight and then make sure the needles you’re using are a good fit for that weight. Usually the yarn label will have a “recommended needle size” and that’s a good place to start.
For joining a new ball of yarn, you can check out this video on “joining a new ball of yarn” https://sheepandstitch.com/joining-a-ball-of-yarn/
Thank you so much!! This was my first knitting project ever and I just finished it after 4 days. Can you tell me how to wrap it to wear it the way you have in the photo?
Hey Christine! I think it was just wrapped around and around the neck, and the ends were tucked inside. Something like this: https://104.131.48.255/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/6_ways_to_wear_scarf_GM_weekender_02.png
I cast on 60 stitches is that too many? I’ve done about 15 rows.
Hi Davina!
Long time listener, first time caller here. I’ve been trying to learn to knit for the last 4 years, and every time I’ve watched a video, read a tutorial, or glanced sideways at yarn, I always end up a wooly teary mess. This sounds exaggerated, but it’s sadly not.
I stumbled across this blog post tonight, determined to learn to cast on and knit stitch… and I did. And I’m still amazed. I’ve got about 4 rows of some chunky mess on a needle, but I feel so proud of myself.
Thank you for your repetition. Thank you for not assuming every person that picks up yarn knows what they’re doing. Thank you for breaking it down. Thank you for your patience and earnestness that you somehow managed to convey in a video. Thank you for giving me the courage and the encouragement to keep trying, even if I messed up. You are a rare gem of a teacher, and I am so appreciative that you’ve shared your talents with us! I look forward to catching up on the rest of your blog.
Have a great night!
Hey N’Lou! You’re so kind and sweet. Thank you for your nice comment. It honestly made my day! I’ve always felt that being patient and encouraging go a long way in teaching. Also, repetition! Apparently, seven times of repetition is the magic number, so I try to hit that number when I’m teaching new concepts. Anyway, I’m so glad that you’re learning to knit. It’s incredibly rewarding and, like riding a bike, can become a lifelong skill. Good luck on your knitting journey!
Hi!
Did you tuck the ends in or is this scarf knitting together at the ends like an infinity scarf – if not could I do this? Thanks!
Hey Caitie! I think the scarf was just styled to have the ends tucked in. It’s not joined in the round like an infinity scarf, but if you wanted to turn it into an infinity scarf, you could easily sew both ends together.
Thank you!! I made my sister and my boyfriend scarves for Christmas and I’m really proud of it! I love to give from the heart.
I haven’t knitted since I was a kid ? This video made it so easy and fun, that it has instantly became a new hobby that will stick around for a long time.
Thank you so much
Awesome to hear, Deborah! Knitting is a super satisfying lifelong hobby!
Hi! I just found these videos and love them. Question, when do you start slipping that first stitch? Right away when you start the first row of knitting after the cast on?
Also, how do you know when the scarf is finished? Is there a specific amount of rows or is it just when you have used all of the yarn? How much yardage should you aim to have when purchasing yarn for this scarf? Ok, I guess that was more than one question but I do appreciate your help! Thank you so much!
Hey Katherine!
After you cast on, on your next row you can start slipping that first stitch.
There’s no specific number of rows you need to knit before casting off. It’s totally up to you and how long you want your scarf to be.
As for how much yardage to get, that depends on how long you’d like your scarf to be, the yarn weight that you’re using, and how wide you make your scarf (a wider scarf will require more yarn than a thin scarf).
For my scarf, using bulky weight yarn, I used about 300grams of yarn. If you’re using a worsted weight yarn, I would estimate about 300-400 yards depending on the length and width of your scarf.
Davina! You are simply the best! I wanted to knit for so long, and your videos are just awe-some!
I made this scarf for my sister for Christmas this year. She wanted a really big one, so I made one that’s about 100 inches long and 20 inches wide. I knitted every evening for a month to make it! I just finished it, and wanted to let your know. 😉
Again: I loved the videos, super easy to follow and makes knitting and a lot of fun! Thank you 🙂
Thanks Kim! What a nice comment! Thanks so much for letting me know that you accomplished your scarf goals! Your sister is one lucky gal!