I knit this scarf for my nephew. It’s to go with the Tri-Color Hat I made for him. Free hat pattern info here:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/kimmyz/his-tri-color-hat

I was intending to write up this pattern when finished, but it would be so hard to put into words how I did this. Therefore, I’ll just write some notes below, and hope that even I can understand them, if I ever wish to make this again. The confusion partly stems from the fact that this is a 4-row pattern repeat, but you’re only alternating 3 colors of yarn. You’ll be changing yarn colors on every row. And when I switched to the 2nd color, I joined the yarn on the opposite side of where I left off with the 1st color. So the direction you knit (which will dictate whether it’s a Knit or Purl-based row) is totally dependent on where that color yarn is located at any given time. Are you completely confused now?

The entire stitch pattern ended up looking quite random which appeals to me. The use of slipped stitches on every 3rd and 4th row, gives the stitch pattern further interest. Here’s the basic stitch pattern listed for the hat. Do with it what you will:

Row 1: Knit (or Purl when it starts on the wrong side)
Row 2: Knit (or Purl when it starts on the wrong side)
Row 3: ^(K1, SL1); Repeat from ^ across
Row 4: P1^(YB, SL1, YF, P1); Repeat from ^ across.

The above stitch pattern was for knitting the hat in the ROUND. Of course, this scarf is not knit in the round, so I didn’t follow the above directions exactly. I was just going for the same or similar LOOK.

Note that YB means to simply bring the yarn to the back, and YF means to bring the yarn to the front. You don’t do any yarnovers in this pattern.

Rows 1 & 2 will never have any slipped stitches.

Rows 3 & 4 won’t always be in the above sequence. Sometimes you’ll do two of Row 3. Sometimes you’ll do two of Row 4. Sometimes you’ll do Row 4 and then Row 3. It all depends on whether the desired color (next one in sequence) starts on the wrong or the right side of the scarf. I did keep the color sequence consistent throughout.

I slipped the first stitch of every row. I carried the different yarn colors up the edges by knitting (or purling) all the colors together on the SECOND stitch of each row. All other stitches of each row were done using only ONE color. Be sure not to twist any of your stitches.

DIRECTIONS:

With MC (Main Color), cast on 28 sts using size 7 US needles (long-tail cast on)

K2, P2 rib for 5 inches (28 rows). I slip the first stitch (knit-wise) of every row.

Row 29: Join color B. SL1, Knit the rest of the row.

Row 30: Join color C on opposite side of where you left off. SL1, Knit the rest of the row.

Continue with MC, and then other colors in sequence, following my confusing notes above.
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For an easy pattern, with more regular looking “stripes”, use this free pattern:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tricolor-striped-...