The Emperors

New Scarf

FR E SH AI R C AR EF U LLY C AP T U R ED I N A M E SH O F D ELI C AT E
KN IT T ED FAB R I C!

INTERMEDIATE

2000 Lucy Neatby | LucyNeatby.com | Made in Canada

45 Dorothea Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B2W 5X4 - 12/14H

4 mm (US #5-6)

Sport

Price Code A

#432

The Emperors New Scarf

Easy knitting combined with intriguing engineering
creates an unusual scarf that warms and decorates.

YARN

Main Yarn: A sensual DK or Sport weight yarn,

ideally with a slight loft.
(Kimmet Croft Fairy Hare 50 g = 160 m, pictured)
Allow 150 m (164 yds) / 50 - 75 g (2 - 2.5 oz).
Adaptable to other weights of yarn with a little
experimentation.
Waste yarn: This is used as a temporary aid to
hold stitches, it is later removed. Choose a strong,
smooth, similar weight, brightly contrasting yarn.
Allow approximately 20 m / yds.
Detail yarn: Used to crochet around each of the
openings. Choose a yarn with a contrast of either
colour and/or texture. Silk or glitzy yarns make an
excellent counterpoint to a fluffy yarn. Use yarn of
equal weight or finer. Avoid yarns that split easily
as they will be difficult to crochet, experiment on
your swatch. Allow approximately 80 cm (31) per
opening x 58 openings = 47 m (150)

GAUGE

24 sts x 37 rows = 4 square, measured over the

(purl two rows, knit two rows) stitch pattern. This
was achieved with a 4 mm (US 5 or 6) needle, but
please take time to check your gauge. Gauge is
not critical other than to finished length, but it is
important that the fabric should have enough body
to support the openings. A more detailed swatch
with holes is offered on p. 3.

NEEDLES
A circular or flex needle long enough to
comfortably accommodate the scarf length;
80 -100 cm (32 - 40). Crochet hook.
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45 Dorothea Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B2W 5X4

1/5

ABBREVIATIONS

BO: Bind-off
CO: Cast-on

LHN: Left-hand needle

Pw: Purlwise
RS: Right side
Slip: Slip stitches purlwise (so as not to twist them)
from one needle to the other without working
them.
Tbl: Through back of loops
WS: Wrong side
WY: Waste yarn

NOTES

1. The Cast-Off cast-on technique is suggested

here: This cast on edge very closely
resembles a bound off edge. Use of this
method for the scarf will result in perfectly
matching sides. Although any form of
cast on that gives a supple edge will work.
Method: In working yarn make a slip-knot near
the beginning of the yarn. Place crochet hook
through the loop. Throw the yarn around the
needle, *catch the yarn with the hook in front of
the needle and bring the yarn through creating a
stitch on the needle and new loop on the crochet
hook. Take the yarn behind the needle and
repeat from *. The final stitch is made by placing
the loop from the crochet hook onto the needle.
See Diagram 1. Pull each new loop to a generous
size to ensure an elastic edge. Compare the edge
length with a bound-off edge with the same yarn
and needles. See also Note 9.

The Emperors New Scarf

2/5

5. If you do not wish to crochet around each of the

holes after knitting, use a bind-off off and cast
on alternative. On Rows 3 and 7 make a gentle
bound-off edge over the 12 sts that would have
been knit in WY. On Rows 4 and 8 make a gentle
12 st cast-on. These edges will be self-coloured
and slightly less flexible, but it saves on finishing.
The openings may be embellished with colour
later if desired.

Diagram 1 - Cast-Off Cast-On

2. When casting on a large number of stitches,

count and re-check your stitches into groups of
50; place a marker and continue casting on. This
saves many recounts later.
3. The openings for the holes are held together
temporarily by the use of waste yarn (WY). The
waste yarn is knit into position where the hole
is to occur and then the waste yarn stitches are
slipped back to the LHN. Resume work with
the main yarn, knitting into and across the
top of the waste yarn stitches. The main yarn
is never cut or floated across the back of these
stitches. (This method may also be used for mitten
thumbs, Turkish heels, pocket openings and some
buttonholes.)
4. Strand the waste yarn very loosely between
adjacent holes. Leave enough slack to create 4
tails at either side of the hole. Do do not secure
the tails, as the waste yarn will later be removed.

2000 Lucy Neatby | LucyNeatby.com | Made in Canada

45 Dorothea Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B2W 5X4

6. The scarf may be modified in length and width to

suit your taste and yarn requirements. To alter its
length, adjust the number of plain stitches in the
central section. Width adjustments need to be
made in multiples of eight rows and may result in
needing to rearrange openings; either use a chart
layout to replan or mirror image the openings
about the 1/2 width row.
7. To cast on new stitches at the end of the row by
Cast-Off cast-on: Insert a crochet hook through
a loop of the previously bound-off stitches to
create the first loop and then work as usual, see
Note 1. You may prefer to work through back
loops of the newly cast-on stitches to prevent
holes.
8. For any long bound-off edge, try substituting a
crochet hook in place of the right-hand needle
to both work the stitches and then hook the
inner stitch through the outer on the right-hand
side. Another excellent bind-off method is the
Modified Conventional Bind-Off.
9. Take care to ensure that the bound-off scarf edge
is similar in length to the cast-on edge. Should
your two edges be slightly different in length,
simply wear the shorter side at the neck edge, the
scarf will lie very snugly!

The Emperors New Scarf

64 sts

3/5

72 sts

= 4 sts width x 4 rows height

Diagram 2 - Scarf

SWATCH WITH HOLES

Use a double-pointed or circular needle.

Pay attention to the Right/Wrong Side row
indicators. You may wish to mark your fabric
accordingly. This swatch is worked slightly
differently to scarf, but is fine for practicing holes
and for more accurately estimating your gauge.
Cast on 27 sts in your working yarn.
Row 1 RS: S1, purl to end.
Row 2 WS: S1, purl to end. Let working yarn drop do not cut. Turn work as usual.
WY Set-In RS: With WY only. (Slip three stitches
purlwise unworked to right-hand needle, k9) repeat
to last three stitches, end s3. Cut off waste yarn,
leaving tail. Leave a very loose float between each
section of waste yarn. Do not turn work.
Row 3 RS: Slide the work to the opposite end of the
needle. With Main yarn, s1, knit to end. (Work both
Main and WY stitches).
Row 4 WS: S1, knit to end.
Row 5 RS: Bind off first 6 sts pw, purl to end.
Row 6: WS: Bind off first 6 stitches pw, purl to end.

2000 Lucy Neatby | LucyNeatby.com | Made in Canada

45 Dorothea Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B2W 5X4

64 sts

= 12 sts waste yarn

= 8 sts CO/BO

Let Main yarn drop - do not cut.

WY Set-In RS: With WY only. (S3 pw unworked to
right-hand needle, k9) repeat to last 3 sts, end s3.
Cut waste yarn, leaving a tail.
Row 7 RS: Slide work to opposite end of needle.
With Main yarn, s1, knit to end. Cast on 6 sts.
Row 8 WS: S1, knit to end. Cast on 6 sts. Repeat
from Row 1 if desired.

SCARF

Cast on gently 200 sts. [Notes #1 and 9]

Row 1 WS: Knit to end.
Row 2 RS: Purl to end.
Row 3: Purl to end.
Row 4: K4, ** let Main yarn drop, with WY k12,
slip the 12 WY sts back to LHN, with Main yarn
k16 (12 sts across the top of WY sts + 4sts more)
***, repeat ** to *** x 4. Cut off WY, leaving a tail.
Knit to last 64 sts, repeat ** to *** x 4, end k4. Cut
off WY leaving a tail.
Row 5: Knit to end.
Rows 6 - 7: Bind off first 8 sts pw, purl to end.

The Emperors New Scarf

Row 8: K4, (** to ***) x 3, cut off WY, leaving a tail.

Knit to last 48 sts, repeat ** to *** x 3, end k4. Cut
off WY. Cast on 8 sts.
Row 9: Knit to end, cast on 8 sts. [Note #6]
Follow either the condensed directions below, or
the row by row directions. Using chart as guide,
repeat Rows 2 - 9, four times more followed by
Rows 2 - 5 once, placing WY as shown in Diagram 2.
End by binding off gently, pw, on the following RS
row.

ROW BY ROW DIRECTIONS

Row 10 - 11: Purl.

Row 12: K4, (** to ***) x 3, cut WY, knit to last 48

sts, repeat ** to *** x 3, end k4. Cut WY.

4/5

Row 26 - 27: Purl.

Row 28: K4, (** to ***) x 2, cut WY, knit to last 32
sts, repeat (** to ***) x 2, end k4. Cut WY.
Row 29: Knit to end.
Rows 30 - 31: Cast off first 8 sts pw, purl to end.
Row 32: K4, (** to ***) x 2, cut WY, knit to last 32
sts, repeat ** to *** x 2, end k4. Cut off WY. Cast on
8 sts.
Row 33: Knit to end, cast on 8 sts. [Note #6]
Row 34 - 35: Purl.
Row 36: K4, (** to ***) x 3, cut WY, knit to last 48
sts, repeat (** to ***) x 3, end k4. Cut WY.
Row 37: Knit to end.

Row 13: Knit.

Rows 38 & 39: Cast off first 8 sts pw, purl to end.

Rows 14 - 15: Cast off first 8 sts pw, purl to end.

Row 40: K4, (** to ***) x 3, cut WY, knit to last 48

sts, repeat ** to *** x 3, end k4. Cut off WY. Cast on
8 sts

Row 16: K4, (** to ***) x 2, cut off WY leaving a tail.

Knit to last 32 sts, repeat ** to *** x 2, end k4. Cut
off WY. Cast on 8 sts.

Row 41: Knit to end, cast on 8 sts. [Note #6]

Row 17: Knit to end, cast on 8 sts. [Note #6]

Row 42 - 43: Purl.

Row 18 - 19: Purl.

Row 44: K4, (** to ***) x 4, cut WY, knit to last 64

sts, repeat (** to ***) x 4, end k4. Cut WY.

Row 20: K4, (** to ***) x 2, cut WY, knit to last 32

sts, repeat (** to ***) x 2, end k4. Cut WY.
Row 21: Knit to end.
Rows 22 - 23: Cast off first 8 sts pw, purl to end.
Row 24: K4, (** to ***) x 1, cut WY, knit to last 16
sts, repeat ** to *** x 1, end k4. Cut off WY. Cast on
8 sts.
Row 25: Knit to end, cast on 8 sts. [Note #6]

2000 Lucy Neatby | LucyNeatby.com | Made in Canada

45 Dorothea Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B2W 5X4

Row 45: Knit to end.

End by binding off gently pw on the following RS
row.

The Emperors New Scarf

Diagram 3 - Waste yarn stitches in position

Waste yarn removed

Diagram 4 - Waste yarn removed

EMBELLISHING THE OPENINGS

Practice your embellishment technique on a couple

of sample openings on your swatch before working
on your scarf. According to preference, the WY may
first be unpicked, pulled or snipped from a single
opening before crocheting the chain (speediest
method), or the chain may be crocheted prior
to the removal of the WY. The latter method is
recommended if loose stitches make you nervous
or your Main yarn is somewhat slippery in nature.
Make sure that all loops are secured.
Beginning at the upper right end of the opening,
with RS facing, use a crochet hook to pull a loop of
Detail yarn from the back of the fabric through to
the RS leaving a 10cm (3) tail. Diagram 4. Keeping
this loop on the crochet hook, insert the hook
through the next open stitch on the lower edge and
pull another loop of Detail yarn through. Bring this
new loop through the first, thus leaving one loop
on the hook.
Repeat all the way around the opening until all the
Main yarn stitches (marked x) are secure. Although

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5/5

working the stitch marked xx

is not strictly necessary, this
helps to keep both sides of the
opening of equal length and
prevents the Detail yarn from
short-cutting across the top of
the opening.
Cut off the Detail yarn on
Begin here
completion of the final stitch
and pull the tail through the
remaining loop. The beginning
and end of the Detail yarn
should cross (like a fishtail) to
End here
prevent the tails from pulling
through to the front of the
work. Darn this tail through to the WS adjacent
to the beginning point. Check that all stitches are
secure.
On the WS, secure the two tails together (with a
knot, if the yarn is slippery) and darn in the tails
along either side of the opening, stretching the
edges to maintain elasticity.
Different combinations of main and detail yarns
will give varying effects, do not hesitate to fudge as
necessary to give you the best possible finish.
Darning in the tails on completion of each opening
will keep the work tidy and prevent accidental
crocheting with errant yarn tails!

LUCYS DVD REFERENCES

Knitting Venus 2:
Waste Yarn Openings - Emperors fabric
Knitting Essentials 2:
Cast Ons - Provisional Crochet