Polychrome is an adventurous knit, worked on the bias from end-to-end (not side-to-side) in k1p1 ribbing. This scarf gets its playful zig-zag shape from wrap-and-turn short rows worked across the 6 intarsia color stripes (worked simultaneously).

This Rainbow scarf uses about 90 yards each of 6 colors. It’s shown here in Cascade 220 Superwash colors: 855
Maroon (red), 1975 Provence (orange), 877 Golden (yellow), 1974 Spring Night (green), 856 Aporto
(blue), 803 Royal Purple (purple).

Finished length is 67.5 inches, and the scarf is adjustable in increments of 9”.

While I would rate this pattern as “difficult”, it’s more accurate to say “finicky” - there’s a lot of straightforward k1p1 in here, but you’ve got to keep your eyes on your short rows and intarsia twists, and try not to make a big tangled mess of your 6 balls of yarn. I think it’s worth it in the end! Included with the pattern download is a detailed tutorial, complete with step-by-step instructions on working intarsia color changes in ribbing, tips on yarn management (to avoid tangles and frustration!) and instructions for the special two-color ribbed increase used in Polychrome. These tips are useful for anyone who does multicolor projects, especially those that change colors and textures at the same time.

The credit for this scarf’s inspiration goes to the lovely academic knitters of ITFF, who started a conversation about nyan cats one day. I mentioned that nyan cat scarves were totally a thing, but then thought, how could I dress a nyan scarf up a little bit, to make it more business-casual? The poptart cat got lost in the end, but I encourage anyone who feels inspired to put a bird cat on it!

To purchase, please see Polychrome // Monochrome