A great many crocheters have made their debut with a scarf. It is a simple project that suits bold colours and a variety of stitch patterns, and it has been the way into crochet for countless people picking up a hook for the first time.
Its shape is also enormously forgiving of beginner mistakes, which is the real reason it works so well.
Why it forgives
A scarf has no fit to get wrong. If it comes out an inch wider or narrower than intended, it is still a scarf, and nobody will ever know it was not meant that way.
That removes gauge from the equation entirely, and gauge is what defeats most people on a first shaped project.
It is also flat and worked in rows, so all your attention goes on making even stitches rather than on tracking shaping at the same time.
Keeping the edges straight
The one thing that does go wrong on a scarf, and it is worth knowing in advance.
Scarves widen or narrow because of the turning chain – the chain you make at the end of a row to bring the yarn up to the height of the next one. Whether it counts as a stitch varies between patterns, and getting it wrong consistently adds or loses a stitch every row.
Count your stitches at the end of every row for the first ten rows. Once the rhythm is established you will feel when something is wrong.
Choosing a stitch
Single crochet gives a dense, firm fabric. Warm but slow, and it can come out stiff.
Double crochet is the usual choice – faster, with a softer drape.
Half double crochet sits between the two and makes a lovely scarf fabric.
Any of these worked through the back loop only produces a ribbed texture that looks more accomplished than it is.
Yarn
Softness matters more here than in almost any other project, because a scarf sits against the neck and face. Yarn that feels perfectly fine in your hands can be unbearable there.
Test it against your neck before buying enough for a whole scarf.
A scarf also uses a modest amount of yarn, so it is a good excuse for something nicer than you would buy for a garment.
Size
About six to eight inches wide, and long enough to wrap comfortably – roughly the wearer’s height is a reliable guide.
Make it longer rather than shorter. A scarf that is slightly too long is stylish; one that is too short is awkward.
Finishing
Weave the ends in properly and trim them close. This takes ten minutes and is the main visible difference between a homemade scarf and a handmade one.
Block it. Even a simple scarf looks noticeably better wetted and dried flat – the edges straighten and the stitches even out.
Fringe is optional and easy: cut strands double the length you want, fold and pull through the end stitches, then trim level once they are hanging.
