How to Knit a Chunky Scarf

It may sound obvious, but if you're going to learn how to knit a chunky scarf, you need to start with chunky yarn! Purchase bulky or, my personal preference, super bulky yarn to begin your knitting project. If you're designing a pattern yourself, it is prudent to purchase more yarn than you think you'll need so you can make sure it's all in the same dye lot.

What is a dye lot? This is a number to identify yarn that was dyed in the same batch. Sometimes purchasing yarns in different dye lots results in notable color differences throughout a project. Purchasing yarn in the same dye lot means you'll have the same color throughout because the yarn was dyed in the same batch.

If you are working off a pattern someone else wrote, simply follow the suggested yardage or number of skeins they list in the pattern.

Avid knitters know that a thicker yarn will often require thicker needles. Tinier needles will result in smaller stitches and a stiffer knit fabric when you're done, while bigger needles will make your project work up faster and allow the project to "breathe" more. 

The Craft Yarn Council has an excellent guide on the suggested needle sizes based on yarn weight. This is a good resource if you are designing your own chunky knit scarf. If you are following a pattern, the knitting pattern should specify what needles you should use. The suggested needles might be different in a pattern than those recommended on the yarn label or the Craft Yarn Council's website, which is totally fine. This will simply affect the look of the finished project and produce tighter or looser stitches as planned.

A bulky yarn and a thick pair of knitting needles are the two most important materials you'll need, and here are some additional items that might be helpful:

• Scissors
• Large stitch markers
• Yarn needles
• Point protectors

Looking for a quick snapshot of the different knitting cast on and bind off techniques? Our helpful infographic shows you in an instant what the different techniques are, as well as the advantages of each. 

Click here for the PDF download.

Casting on with a bulky yarn and thick knitting needles may be a smidge tricky if you're used to working with worsted weight yarn. Here are some tips:

1. Try bamboo knitting needles. These needles are less slippery than metal ones and may be easier to work with when knitting a bulky scarf pattern. Our editor Natalie wrote a guest post for knitting blog Pattymac Knits, and she says of bamboo needles, "I was pleasantly surprised by the warmth of the bamboo needles." (Read more about her beginner knitting experience!)
2. If you aren't following a pattern, cast on less than you'd expect to. A bulky yarn will require fewer stitches to achieve the desired width than a lighter-weight yarn!
3. Follow this video tutorial from knitting expert Heidi Gustad from handsoccupied.com for How to Work a Knit-On Cast On. This is a super popular cast-on method that will work wonderfully well for your beginner chunky knit scarf.

Explore our popular collection of 21 Free Knit Scarf Patterns Using Bulky Yarn to see what patterns you might like to try! These gorgeous big knit scarf patterns are nearly too pretty to pass up.

More chunky knit scarf patterns:

After you've completed your chunky scarf, you need to finish the project by binding off! In this video tutorial from AllFreeKnitting, learn the Lacey Bind Off method.