How to Knit a Scarf for Beginners

Whether you’re a beginner DIYer or an expert crafter in search of your next project, the GH Stitch Club has you covered with crochet, macramé and knitting projects you can make at home. Follow this easy guide on how to knit a scarf for beginners using one simple stitch. It’s the perfect colorful accessory to keep you warm all season long.

In the video above, Mariana Tuma, Good Housekeeping‘s design director and textile crafts extraordinaire, demonstrates how to knit a garter stitch scarf from beginning to end. Follow our simple guide for instructions and watch the video for step-by-step visuals.

How to Knit a Garter Stitch Scarf

What You Need:

• Order our kit for all the necessary materials
• Four balls of Patons Norse yarn
• Pair of 8.00 mm knitting needles
• Scissors

Tip: On the yarn’s label, you’ll see a guide noting what size knitting needle or crochet hook to use.

Step 1: Create a slip knot.

Create a slip knot to place on your needle by making a loop with your yarn and pulling it through the tail. Insert one of your needles and tighten it slightly.

Tip: Make sure your working yarn is on the left side and your tail end is on the right side.

Step 2: Use the backward loop method.

Loop the yarn around your thumb, then insert the needle from left to right to move the loop to your needle. Do this until you have 40 stitches on your needle.

Tip: Make the stitches loose, as you have to slip the other needle underneath each loop.

Step 3: Start knitting.

• Create the first knit stitch on your right needle: Insert the needle from left to right into the first stitch. Wrap yarn over from left to right. Pull the yarn through to create a loop on your right-hand needle. Slide off a stitch from the left-hand needle. Repeat these steps until you reach the end of the row.
• Next row: Turn your work around, so that the needle with the stitches is in your left hand and the loose needle is in your right hand. Repeat the previous instructions to knit this row.
• Continue knitting each row until you’re ready to incorporate the next ball of yarn.

Tip: Knitting each row is called a garter stitch.

Step 4: Switch colors.

• Cut the working end of the yarn from the ball, leaving a tail.
• Insert your needle and loop your new color yarn over the top, making sure you’re pulling from the ball and not the tail end. Knit the stitch per usual.
• Continue the original knitting pattern until you’ve finished the new yarn.

Step 5: Cast off.

• Knit the first two stitches in your row.
• Using your left-hand needle, pull the first stitch over the second stitch on your right-hand needle and remove the left-hand needle. You should now have just one stitch on your right-hand needle.
• Knit the next stitch on your left-hand needle. Then repeat, pulling the first stitch on the right-hand needle over the second and removing the left-hand needle. You should have just one stitch on your right-hand needle.
• Repeat these steps until only one stitch remains on the right-hand needle.
• Cut the yarn away from the ball to leave a 6″ tail and pull through the last stitch to secure.

Don’t forget: Using a darning needle, weave the tail end of the yarn in and out of the stitches.