Hello there! 🖤
It's been a while since we posted on the blog but we are returning today with a super fun tutorial: a scarf with pompoms. It is a very beginner-friendly project as it is just a combination of garter stitch and stockinette, but it is also an interesting one as we get to learn a new technique: the popcorn stitch.
We have the patterns for two sizes: 6mm needles (like for our Everyday Scarf), and 10mm, which is the one we used for our model. Please note that your final scarf will not look exactly like the one in our pictures, as the final patterns are an improved version.
To be able to make this scarf, you should know how to knit and purl.
Materials
What you will need:
At least 300g of yarn. If you don't have any left from our knit kits, we recommend this yarn, or if you're going for the 10mm size, then this one.
6 or 10mm straight needles. You can get this from our website, or we recommend these ones.
Tapestry needle, like this one.
Step-By-Step Tutorial
Pattern with the 6mm needles.
Cast on 27 stitches.
Knit for 5 rows.
Row 6: on this row, we start the stockinette pattern, as well as the borders. For that, knit the 4 first stitches of the row (this will be the border), then purl the rest of the stitches except the last 4 stitches (this will create the stockinette pattern), and knit the last 4 stitches (this will be the border on the other side).
Row 7: knit all stitches.
Row 8: same as row 6.
Row 9: same as row 7.
Row 10: same as row 6 & 8.
Continue alternating the even and odd rows until you reach row 22. Remember to always knit the first 4 stitches and the last 4 stitches of an even row as this makes the border.
Row 23: it's popcorn row! Knit 6 stitches (4 border stitches + 2 knit stitches), knit a popcorn stitch, knit 5 stitches, knit another popcorn stitch, knit again 5 stitches, knit a third popcorn stitch, knit 6 stitches to finish the row. What we did here is 3 popcorns on a row, each spaced 5 knit stitches apart.
How To Knit A Popcorn Stitch - you can find our tutorial video here.
Knit one stitch without taking the stitch off the needle. Yarn over. Knit another stitch without taking the stitch off the needle. Yarn over again. Knit a third stitch, this time finish it by taking it off the needle. You have created 4 extra stitches, having 5 in total.
Turn your knit over, knit those 5 stitches.
Turn your knit over again, slip the first stitch. Knit the next 2 together, then the next 2 again together. You now have 3 stitches down from 5.
Cast off one stitch, then another one.
You are now back to 1 stitch... a big popcorn!
10. Row 24: same as an even row.
11. Continue alternating the odd and even rows until row 38. Row 39 will be a popcorn row again. For this row, knit 10 stitches (4 border stitches + 6 knit stitches), knit a popcorn stitch, knit 5 stitches, knit another popcorn stitch, knit 10 stitches until the end of the row.
By the way, see what we did here? We are spacing the popcorn rows every 16 rows.
Pattern for the popcorn scarf with 6mm needles.
Note: you don't have to count your rows all the way. We recommend you to measure the height between Row 6 (top of the border) and Row 23 (first popcorn row), and to keep the same height between all your popcorn rows. Popcorn rows are always on odd rows.
12. Continue knitting your scarf. Remember:
Odd rows are all knit rows, except when it's popcorn rows.
Even rows are always: knit the 4 stitches, purl the rest of the stitches except the last 4 stitches, knit the last 4 stitches.
Space your popcorn rows equally, about every 16 rows, always on odd rows.
Alternate your popcorn rows: one row has 3 popcorns on it, the next one will have 2 popcorns, then 3, etc.
Every time you arrive at the end of a ball, you need to join a new ball. If you don't know how to do this, we explain that in this video.
13. To end your scarf, you will need to knit a border. The border is the same as the one we made at the start, it is 5 rows in garter stitch (all knit stitches). There must be that space of about 16 rows between your last popcorn row and the border. So you will need to plan this ahead to make sure you have enough yarn left to knit the border. To do that, when you are reaching the last 1/3 of your last ball, before you make a new popcorn row, assess whether you have enough yarn to do a popcorn row and 16 more rows. If in doubt, make the border.
14. Cast off all your stitches. To see how to cast off the last stitch, click here.
Pattern variation for 10mm needles.
Cast on 19 stitches instead of 27. The rest is the same, except your first popcorn row will be on Row 17 instead of Row 23.
Row 17: it's popcorn row! Knit 5 stitches (4 border stitches + 1 knit stitch), knit a popcorn stitch, knit 3 stitches, knit another popcorn stitch, knit again 3 stitches, knit a third popcorn stitch, knit 5 stitches to finish the row. What we did here is 3 popcorns on a row, each spaced 3 knit stitches apart.
Your popcorn rows will be spaced 10 rows apart. Your next popcorn row will be on Row 27. For this row, knit 7 stitches (4 border stitches + 3 knit stitches), knit a popcorn stitch, knit 3 stitches, knit another popcorn stitch, knit 7 stitches until the end of the row.
Pattern for the popcorn scarf with 10mm needles.
To border or not to border?
You may wonder if you can knit the scarf without the borders. The simple answer is no because stockinette stitch curls. Without a border, you may end with a roll instead of a scarf! It is because of the tension that stockinette creates, and the garter stitch borders help to loosen some of that tension.
Scarf curling without a border Scarf with a border
If you still get curling despite a border, it would help to hand-wash the scarf and dry it flat.
Don't forget to tag us @knittingroomhk on Instagram to show us your finished work.