For this scarf, you will cast on stitches across the top, and knit downwards first on one side, and then the other. Only after you reach the tip of the hood, will you knit both sides together. The result is a downward-sloping hood, with no seam across the top, or down the back. It’s an unusual construction, but my goal was to design something completely seamless. It’s a little bit fiddly and confusing at first, but stick with it, it’s worth it.

Since there is no seam across the top of the hood, it drapes nicely and there are no interruptions in the braid. It is smooth and continuous. It also means you can try the hood on as you go, and make it as long or short as you like. It is a breeze to custom-fit.

The cables are knit using a simple reversible technique that means that the scarf has two right-sides. Although they may look complicated, the cross-overs are pretty straight forward: you will cross-over the middle two strands of the braid in one row, knit three rows straight, and then cross-over the outer strands.

If you are not familiar with the cast-on for top-down knitting, or the German Short rows used to shape the hood, I have included the youtube links that I used to learn them myself. They were pretty easy to pick up, and I wish I’d found German Short Rows years ago, when I first started using short rows! So much easier and almost invisible. You’ll thank me.

You will need:

2 size 8 circular needles, one at least 36 inches
cable needle
darning needle
3 stitch markers
2 skeins Berroco Ultra Alpaca yarn (more if you want to make a longer scarf)

The pattern is available for immediate download, so if you have the materials, you can begin knitting immediately.