I like to wear smaller shawls in a bandana fashion, peak frontwards. It is a challenge to find a design with tails long enough to tie around and I am always trying new ways to fasten them. Clincher is a bandana scarf that solves this fastening problem! Shaped as an elongated triangle, the bind off edge is punctuated with a sculptural row of i-cord loops in a contrast yarn. The bias stitch pattern makes this design ideal for hand dyed yarns that will emphasized the directionality of the shawl. The loops allow for experimentation in how you wear it!

Clincher is a handsome scarf for anyone! To wear as a bandana, position the largest part of the triangle as a bib, looped border to the right, wrap scarf tail around the neck and fasten through the first 5 or 6 loops of the border at the right side shoulder. Or pull the tail through all the loops for a closer fit and a cowl look. Clincher is a great way to finally knit up that lovely ball of hand dyed sock yarn you’ve been saving and show it to the world!

It’s not very often I feel compelled to make a design multiple times, but I find Clincher to be an addictive knit. No sooner had I finished my first and I was stash diving for another lonely ball of hand dye to start another! The combination of watching the triangle shape grow and the lovely mottled colors of hand dyed yarns changing beneath my needles keep me coming back to this scarf. And I just love finding the perfect contrast yarn for the looped border! I hope you find Clincher as much fun to knit and wear as I do!

Materials:
One 100g skein of fingering weight yarn, approx 400 yards. This design is ideal for busy hand dyes and sock yarns.
Approx 50 yards of contrast fingering weight yarn in a solid color.
3.75 mm needle, straight or circular OR size to obtain gauge (if exact sample size is desired).
Wool needle
Spare needle (for final 3-needle bind-off of 4 sts together, any size close to needle size used for shawl)

Skills Used: Knit/purl , basic increases/decreases, i-cord bind-off (specific instruction given)

Finished Measurements:
Length (Tail tip to looped edge)-54”/137 cm
Height (Width of looped edge)- 18.5”/ 47 cm

Gauge:
24 sts/ 29 rows = 4 inches/ 10 cm in Stockinette stitch using 3.75mm needle or size to obtain gauge. Gauge is not crucial for this project.

Special thanks to my friends at All Strung Out Fine Yarns in Guelph, Ontario who were the first to be “clinched” by this design.

Looking for the CROCHET VERSION? Clincher

Questions or comments? Please contact Ash Kearns directly or stop by the Clincher Chat Thread in my group, Ash Kearns Handknitting !