How to Knit a Scarf for Beginners

Learning how to knit a scarf is the best first project to start with. Once you’ve picked up the basic stitch, you’ll be knitting a scarf in just a few hours! In this tutorial, we’ll show you exactly how to knit a scarf from start to finish, using a super simple garter stitch to help you pick up the knitting basics. Follow our easy to follow tutorial for how to knit a scarf for beginners with step by step instructions from Katie aka The Queen Stitch.

Learn How to Knit the Basics

Materials

3 x balls Paintbox Yarn Simply Chunky in Pistachio
A pair of 6mm knitting needles
Tapestry needles for darning in ends

Choose your yarn

For this easy scarf, Katie uses 3 balls of Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky and 6mm knitting needles. What’s great with this garter stitch scarf is you can easily switch up the yarn weight to whatever size scarf you would like and then just change your needle size!

Chunky and super chunky weight yarns are perfect for beginner knitters. A bulky yarn allows you to easily see the stitches on your knitting needles and quickly spot when you’ve made a mistake!

Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky in Pistachio

$4.25

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How to start knitting a scarf

Cast on

Using the long tail cast on method, make a slip knot and cast on 25 stitches.

Knit your first row

To begin knitting your first row, insert your right hand needle knitwise into the first stitch on the left needle. Wrap the yarn around the right hand needle, and pull the needle under the left hand needle and slide the stitch to the right hand needle. Repeat until you reach the end of the row and turn your work.

Continue in garter stitch

Work all stitches in garter stitch (simple knit stitches as above) back and forth until you reach your desired length.

Bind off (cast off)

casting off the stitches at the end of the scarf

To cast off, knit the first two stitches in the row, and then on the right hand needle, lift the first stitch over the second. Knit another stitch, and repeat - lift the furthest stitch over the stitch you have just knitted. Repeat to end and finish off.

Sew in the ends

Using a crochet hook or a darning needle weave in the ends of your yarn at the start and end of your project as well as at any point you started a added another ball of yarn.

Yay, you did it! You’ve completed your first ever knitted scarf! Now you know who start and how to end knitting a scarf as well as the knitting basics from casting on to binding off!