I’m a sucker for hoods. If it has a hood, there’s a good chance I’ll love it. This easy knit hooded scarf is one of my favorite projects not only to knit, but to wear too!
The Garter stitch pattern uses the basic knit stitch which makes this scarf a great project for beginners and lifetime knitters alike. When I first started knitting, VeryPink Knits on YouTube was my go to “how to.” Her videos are bright and easy to follow. I suggest starting with her “Long Tail Cast-On” video.
Knitting Lingo
“K1” means to knit one stitch (or however many the number is).
“RS” is right side, typically the side that will face outward.
“WS” is wrong side, meaning the inside of the piece of clothing.
Knit Hooded Scarf
I started with a medium #4 yarn from Lion Brand Yarns (a lovely “Great Smoky Mountains”) and my good ol’ #10 needles. It took me close to 700 yards of yarn.
Cast on 35 stitches. (I like wide scarves.)
Garter stitch until the scarf is 35”-40” long.
The Hood
Here’s the fun part. Choose your “right side” and “wrong side”.
RS: K34, M1, K1
“M1” means to make a new stitch in your row.
WS: K1, M1, K to the end.
Continue this pattern until there is only one stitch left, make one, knit one on the right side; and knit one, make one, knit until the end on the wrong side pattern until you have gone from 35 stitches wide, to 55 stitches wide. Make sure you keep adding your new stitches to the same edge of the scarf. This makes a nice back to the hood.
Once you have 55 stitches, continue the Garter stitch until it is about 20 inches long (from start of the full 55 stitches).
At this point you need to start decreasing stitches, one row at a time. Again, try to keep your decreases at the back of the hood (the same side you increased on), to keep the back symmetrical. For this, I used the “Knit 2 Together.”
Finishing the Scarf
Once you are back down to 35 stitches, continue the Garter stitch until this side of the scarf is 35”-40” long (however long you made the first side).
Once this is complete, cast off and weave in your ends.
With a darning needle, sew up the back of the hood using a Mattress Stitch. Here’s a great video how to.
Fold the scarf in half and start the Mattress Stitch at the top point of the back of the hood. Continue the stitch down the hood to where your scarf is 35 stitches and tie off. Don’t forget to weave in your ends!
Like I said, I love hoods and I am so happy how this one came out! Hope you enjoy it too!
Looking for some more knitting projects? Check out our Loom Knit Pumpkins!
Hello, love this hooded scarf. My friend (non-knitter) found a yarn she LOVES and asked me to knit a hooded scarf. Problem is the yarn is fingering! I can do most of the conversions but was wondering if you could tell me the inches of your cast on edge (35 sts) and the hood section (55 sts). Thank you for your help…
Jill
It’s roughly 9 inches at the cast on edge and 15 at the top of the hood. Hope that helps!
@Amanda Idlewild, Thank you. So just be clear…It is 15 inches in width total from edge to edge (including scarf rectangle) or in additional to the 9 inches of scarf width ?
15 inches total width at the top of the hood, edge to edge.
For the Hood it only says M1, but doesn’t say if I should making a M1R or M1L, which one should I be making?
Either will actually work, just be consistent in which you chose to do.
I love how this hood looks and would love to try this, but i am having a little trouble following this. Any chance you have a pattern written up as a word doc or pdf?
@Lindsey, I agree I was hoping to find a PDF
There’s a spot right below the last video to get the printout!
Can you work this pattern on circular needles?
Yes, just don’t connect the ends. Honestly I found it easier to use circular needles due to the width of the scarf.
Hi, I wish to knit this pattern and wondered what ply the wool is. I thought it was either an 8 or a 12 ply? Looking forward to your response.
HI Anne, I used Lion Brand Heartland Yarn Great Smoky Mountains, an acrylic yarn for this pattern.
Just found this pattern and really looking forward to trying it out .
The WS makes no sense. Do I *K1, M1, K * meaning I K1, M1, K1 over & over & over, etc., or do I K1, M1, and then *K *?
Meaning K1, M1, and then knit
Do you have a downloadable pattern we can print out to make it easier to follow without using our digital devices that wear down the battery and constantly must refresh the screen? It would also be easier on my 70 year old eyes. It would be most helpful. Thanks in advance for replying, as I would like to get started.
We don’t at this time but we might in the future. Thanks for asking.
I love this hood scarf, to make sure, do I k1, mi, to end of row then knit next row and k1, m1 till I have the 55 stitches?
Once you have the side done, you add one stitch per row until you have the 55 stitches.
Very nice hooded scarf. I have some yarn that I want to use up for this project and it’s not the same weight as what you used. The yarn calls for a size 7 needle instead of size 10. Can you tell me what the width of the hood is (in inches) at it’s widest ? I can re-gauge once I know what the overall width should be. Thanks – M
The bottom of the scarf is about 10″ wide and the hood is about 16″.
From the 55 stitches, how do you decrease each row? Is it K2tog, K to the end of the row? And the following row k until 2 stitches left, then k2tog?
K2tog on the same side of the scarf as you added a stitch ad then K to the end of the row. This way the front of the hood and scarf stay nice and straight and the curve will be at the back of the hood only.
Confused at this pattern- you are continually making one so how do you Continue this pattern until there is only one stitch left?
Meaning one stitch left in that last row.
I made a word document if you would like to use it for your awesome and easy pattern.
Thanks Rani, that’s so sweet of you! Can you email it to us at rootsynetwork@gmail.com. We really appreciate it your thoughtfulness!
Thank you so much for the pattern. I used a worsted weight yarn and the correct needle size but my edges are rolling like crazy. I’m hoping to straighten by way of blocking, but generally, does this mean my stitches are too tight?? So I can adjust for future reference….
Not necessarily. It could be the yarn type, but blocking should take care of it!
Hello! What is the size of these needles in mm, needing to make a conversion! All the way from New Zealand xx when clicking the link it takes me to a 12.5mm needle but your stitches look like they’ve been done on a smaller needle just needing some confirmation please
Unfortunately I don’t remember what exact size I used, but I want to say maybe a 4mm? You could easily size it up a bit too. This pattern is very forgiving and very easy to customize!