A timeless scarf

Checkered scarf: a classic that keeps you warm with plush half brioche stitch

This thick checkered scarf is a cozy choice for cold days. It’s worked in half brioche stitch with a wonderfully soft alpaca-blend yarn, and the intarsia technique keeps color changes neat.

Author Annette Saksman

Images Essi Lyytikäinen, Annette Saksman

January 15, 2026Lue suomeksi

Size: approximately 195 cm long with fringes, and 30 cm wide.

Checkered scarf—materials

CaMaRose Snefnug yarn (55% alpaca, 35% cotton, 10% merino wool, 50 g = 110 m): 1 ball in color 7141 creme, 2 balls in color 7788 kasteniebrun, and 3 balls in color 7998 macchiato OR bulky-weight yarn.
Long or circular 6 mm (US 10) needles (40/60 cm).
Tapestry needle.

Gauge: 14 sts and 14 rows in half-patent = 10 × 10 cm.

Abbreviations

rnd: round
wyif: yarn in front
wyib: yarn in back
p: purl, purl stitch
pwise: purlwise without knitting
WS: wrong side
k: knit, knit stitch
RS: right side
st(s): stitch(es)

This scarf is knit with a soft alpaca, cotton, and merino blend that's great for sensitive skin. Its thickness keeps you warm even in harsh frost.

checkered scarf, plaid scarf — This scarf is knit with a soft alpaca, cotton, and merino blend that's great for sensitive skin. Its thickness keeps you warm even in harsh frost.

Techniques

Half brioche stitch: Row 1: Slip the first stitch pwise, knit across. Row 2: Slip the first stitch pwise, *p 1, k 1 into the stitch in the row below*. Repeat *–* until 2 sts remain. P 1, k 1.
Intarsia: Each color area is worked from its own ball of yarn. When changing colors, twist the yarns around each other on the WS so there’s no hole.

Checkered scarf—knitting instructions

1. Cast on 15 sts with dark brown yarn from ball 1 on 6 mm (US 10) needles, then 15 sts with light brown yarn, and 15 sts with dark brown yarn from ball 2.

Turn and begin the half brioche stitch from Ws. The pattern will show on the RS of the scarf.

Row 1 (WS): Slip first st pwise. K 14 sts, twist yarns (yarns in front) to change color, k 15 sts, change color, and k the remaining sts. Turn.
Row 2 (RS): Slip first st nn, *p 1, k 1 into the stitch in the previous row*. Repeat *–* until the color section ends. Twist yarns (yarns in back), repeat *–* until the next color section ends. Change color and continue *p 1, k 1 into the stitch in the previous row* until 2 sts remain. P 1, k 1. Turn.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the piece is about 15 cm long, ending after Row 1 (WS). Break the yarns.

Change the square colors. Join light brown yarn and continue the half brioche from Row 2 up to the color change. Add cream yarn, work 15 sts with cream, then finish the row with light brown. Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the squares measure 15 cm, ending after Row 1. Break yarns.

Work the next squares in this sequence: dark brown, light brown, dark brown. Then light brown, cream, light brown. Alternate these sets until the scarf is about 180 cm long. Bind off.

Tip!

If you adjust the scarf’s width, be sure to cast on an odd number of sts so each row starts and ends with a k st.

Intarsia

In intarsia, switch colors by twisting the yarns around each other once. This joins the colors so there’s no hole at the boundary.

1. Changing color on a rs row: Bring the old yarn over the new yarn, continue with the new yarn, and leave the old color behind your work.

2. Changing color on a ws row: Bring the old yarn over the new yarn, continue with the new yarn, and leave the old color in front of your work.

Here’s how to twist the yarns when changing colors

intarsia, color change, checkered scarf — 1. Bring the old yarn over the new one.

2. Continue with the new color. Tighten the old yarn slightly if needed so the join isn’t loose.

On the ws of the scarf, the intarsia join appears as a neat vertical “stitch.”

Finishing

Attach fringes to both ends. Cut 40 cm lengths of yarn. Fold each in half, pull the folded end through the edge using a crochet hook, then pull the free ends through the loop and tighten. Even out the fringe with scissors.