Free pattern
Simple Beginner Scarf
A long, deliberately repetitive double crochet project. The point isn't the scarf, it's the eighty-odd rows of identical work that turn double crochet into something your hands do without thinking.
- Skill level
- Beginner (comfortable with chain and single crochet, learning double crochet)
- Finished size
- About 6 inches wide by 60 inches long
- Time
- 4 to 6 hours total, usually spread across a few sessions
What you need
- Worsted weight yarn, about 500 to 600 yards (roughly 3 skeins depending on brand)
- 5mm (H-8) hook
- Scissors
- Yarn needle
Abbreviations
- ch
- chain
- dc
- double crochet
- st(s)
- stitch(es)
Instructions
- Row 1Ch 21. Dc in 4th ch from hook (the first 3 skipped chains count as your first dc) and each ch across. Turn. (19 dc)
- Rows 2 to endCh 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each st across, ending in the top of the turning chain from the previous row. Turn. (19 dc)
- Repeat Row 2until the scarf measures about 60 inches, or until you're happy with the length. This will take somewhere around 80 to 100 rows depending on your tension.
Finishing
Fasten off, leaving a 6 inch tail. Weave in both the starting and ending tails.
Notes
- The turning chain of 3 at the start of every row counts as your first double crochet stitch. This trips people up at first: remember to work your last stitch of the row into the top of the previous row's turning chain, not into thin air past it.
- Count stitches every few rows, not necessarily every single one once you're comfortable, but often enough to catch a width drift before it's ten rows deep.
- This scarf is intentionally long and repetitive on purpose. It's meant to build up your double crochet consistency through sheer repetition, not to be interesting row to row.
What to make next
Once double crochet feels solid, the simple granny square uses the same stitch with some basic shaping. If you want a shorter double crochet project first, cut this pattern off at half the length for a cowl instead of a scarf. Back to all free patterns.