Easy Crochet Scarf Pattern: One Stitch, One Skein, 17 Steps

This easy crochet scarf pattern uses one stitch from start to finish: single crochet worked in the back loop only. You chain 45, work 44 stitches across, and repeat that same row until the scarf reaches about 135 cm (53 in). The back loop turns plain single crochet into soft vertical ribs that look knitted, and one skein of worsted yarn covers the whole thing with room to spare.

One detail the yarn band settles before you start: the scarf here is worked on a 5 mm hook, but the Lion Brand Pound of Love label recommends a J-10 (6 mm) hook, and the Craft Yarn Council range for medium weight yarn starts at 5.5 mm. Going down a size is a deliberate choice that makes a firmer, denser rib. It also means your scarf will come out a little narrower than the label gauge predicts, so read the width numbers below as an upper limit.

How is this easy crochet scarf pattern built?

The easy crochet scarf pattern makes a flat rectangle worked in short rows across its width. The foundation chain sets the width, and every row you add makes the scarf longer. Because each row has the same 44 stitches, there is nothing to count up or down, no shaping and no colour changes. You simply turn at the end of each row and go back the other way.

Working only into the back loop leaves the front loop of every stitch sitting on the surface as a ridge. Row after row, those ridges stack into the ribbed texture you see in the photos. The fabric also becomes stretchier along its length than plain single crochet, which helps the scarf drape around your neck instead of standing stiff.

What do you need for this easy crochet scarf pattern?

For this easy crochet scarf pattern you need one skein of medium weight acrylic, a 5 mm hook, two stitch markers and a yarn needle. The spec table below lists every number before the first stitch.

Spec	This scarf
Yarn	Lion Brand Pound of Love, 100% acrylic, medium weight (4), one skein of 1,020 yd / 932 m / 454 g
Hook	5 mm (the label recommends 6 mm)
Foundation chain	45
Stitches per row	44 single crochet, back loop only
Finished length	About 135 cm (53 in), or any length you like
Width at label gauge	About 12.6 in (31.9 cm); narrower on the 5 mm hook
Yarn used, estimated	About 599 yd (548 m), 59% of the skein
Notions	2 stitch markers, yarn needle, scissors
Skill	Beginner

Which stitches does the easy crochet scarf pattern use?

Only two: the chain and the single crochet. Crochet patterns are written in two naming conventions, and they disagree on this exact stitch. What this guide calls single crochet (sc) is called double crochet (dc) in the other convention. The movement is identical: insert the hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.

ch: chain
sc: single crochet (double crochet in the other naming convention)
blo: back loop only, the loop farther away from you as you look at the top of the row

The stitch multiple is any number. Single crochet in the back loop has no repeat to fit, so you can chain whatever count gives the width you want. The only rule is chain one more than the stitches you want, because the first chain is skipped. Chain 45 gives 44 stitches; chain 29 gives 28.

What does the crochet scarf pattern look like row by row?

Row	Instructions	Stitches
Foundation	Slip knot, ch 45 (the loop on the hook does not count)	45 ch
Row 1	Skip the first ch, sc in the back loop of the 2nd ch from the hook and of every ch across	44
Row 2	Ch 1 (not a stitch), turn, sc blo in the first st and in every st across	44
Rows 3 on	Repeat Row 2	44
Last row	At about 135 cm, finish the row, ch 1, cut and pull through	44

How do you crochet the easy scarf, step by step?

Follow the 17 steps of the easy crochet scarf pattern in order. Each photo shows the hands at that exact moment, so you can match what is on your hook to what is on the screen.

Step 1: Check the yarn band and pick up your hook

Pound of Love yarn band showing medium weight 4, 1020 yd and a J-10 crochet hook for the easy crochet scarf pattern

Read the band before you cut anything. This one gives 1,020 yd (932 m) in 454 g, a medium weight (4) symbol, and a crochet gauge of 14 stitches and 18 rows to 4 in (10 cm) on a 6 mm hook. Those three numbers are all you need to predict how your easy crochet scarf pattern will turn out.

Step 2: Keep two stitch markers ready

Two locking stitch markers used to keep the edges of the crochet scarf straight

Markers are the cheapest insurance a beginner can buy. One goes in the first stitch of every row, and it tells you exactly where the next row must stop. Without them, the most common result is a scarf with wavy, crooked edges.

Step 3: Wrap the yarn around two fingers

White yarn wrapped in a cross around two fingers to start a slip knot

Roll the yarn around your fingers so the strands cross on the front, as in the photo. Slide the hook under the first strand and catch the second one.

Step 4: Slide off and tighten the slip knot

Slip knot tightened on a 5 mm crochet hook for the easy crochet scarf pattern

Take your fingers out and pull the tail. Pull once more to snug the loop to the hook: it should slide freely but not hang loose.

Step 5: Yarn over and pull through to chain

Yarn over and pull through to make the first chain of the crochet scarf

Wrap the yarn over the hook from back to front and pull it through the loop. That is one chain. The loop still on your hook never counts as a chain, which is the single most common counting mistake.

Step 6: Chain 45

Foundation chain of 45 for the easy crochet scarf pattern laid flat on a table

Keep chaining until you have 45. Count them twice with the chain laid flat, and keep the tension even: a tight chain pulls the first row in and makes the bottom edge narrower than the rest of the scarf.

Step 7: Single crochet in the back loop of the second chain

First single crochet worked in the back loop of the second chain from the hook

Skip the first chain next to the hook. Insert the hook into the back loop of the second chain, yarn over, pull up a loop (two loops on the hook), yarn over and pull through both. That is your first single crochet.

Step 8: Mark the first stitch

Pink stitch marker placed in the first stitch of row one of the crochet scarf pattern

Clip a marker into the stitch you just made. When you come back along the next row, this marker is the last stitch you work into.

Step 9: Work back loop single crochet across the chain

Back loop single crochet stitches worked along the foundation chain for the easy crochet scarf pattern

Repeat the same movement in every chain: back loop, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through two. After three stitches, stop and check that each one sits in its own chain and none are skipped.

Step 10: Finish Row 1 with 44 stitches

Completed first row of 44 single crochet stitches on the crochet scarf

Work the last two chains and count. You should have 44 stitches, one fewer than the chain, because the first chain was skipped. If you have 43 or 45, fix it now: every later row of the easy crochet scarf pattern copies this one.

Step 11: Chain 1 and turn the work

Chain one and turn at the end of the row in the easy crochet scarf pattern

Yarn over and pull through to make one chain, then turn the scarf over so the last stitch you worked is now next to your hook. This chain only lifts the yarn to the height of the new row. It is not a stitch.

Step 12: Start Row 2 in the back loop of the first stitch

Hook inserted in the back loop of the first stitch to start row two of the crochet scarf

Skip the turning chain and put your first single crochet into the back loop of the first real stitch. Move the marker up into this new stitch. Then single crochet in the back loop of every stitch across.

Step 13: Let the marker tell you where the row ends

Stitch marker showing the last stitch of the row in the easy crochet scarf pattern

When two stitches are left, you will see the marker from the previous row. Work one stitch, take the marker out, and work your last stitch into the stitch it was holding. Chain 1, turn, and put the marker back into the first stitch of the new row.

Step 14: Repeat Row 2 until the scarf is long enough

Crochet scarf growing row by row in back loop single crochet

This is the long, relaxing part of the easy crochet scarf pattern. Every row is identical, so you can stop whenever the scarf feels long enough. The scarf in the photos stops at about 135 cm (53 in); the yarn table below shows what longer versions cost.

Step 15: Fasten off

Cutting the yarn to fasten off the finished crochet scarf

Work the last row as usual. Chain 1, pull the loop up long, cut the yarn and pull the tail all the way through. That knot locks the last stitch.

Step 16: Weave in both tails

Weaving in the yarn tail with a needle along the edge of the easy crochet scarf pattern

Thread the tail on a yarn needle and run it through the inside of the stitches along the edge, then back the other way before you trim it. Do the same with the starting tail on the foundation chain.

Step 17: Lay the scarf flat and check the edges

Finished easy crochet scarf pattern laid flat with straight edges and even ribs — Straight sides and even ribs: the sign that every row kept its 44 stitches.

Lay the finished piece on a table. Both long sides should run straight and the ribs should sit parallel. If they do, the scarf is ready to wear straight away; acrylic like this needs no blocking.

Where does a beginner crochet scarf pattern go wrong?

Three failures account for almost every disappointing first attempt at an easy crochet scarf pattern, and each has one cause.

The scarf gets wider or narrower as it grows. Cause: a stitch gained or lost at the row ends, usually by working into the turning chain or missing the last stitch. Fix: the marker method in Steps 8 and 13, and a quick count of 44 every ten rows.
The ribs disappear on one side. Cause: switching between the back loop and both loops. Fix: back loop only, every stitch, every row. The ribs appear on both faces only when you are consistent.
The bottom edge pulls in. Cause: a foundation chain made tighter than the rows. Fix: chain loosely, or chain with a hook one size up and switch back for Row 1.

Which hook size works for this crochet scarf pattern?

The Craft Yarn Council yarn weight system gives 5.5 to 6.5 mm for medium weight (4) yarn, and the Pound of Love band asks for 6 mm. This easy crochet scarf pattern goes down to 5 mm, half a millimetre under the range, which packs more stitches into each inch and makes the ribs firmer.

Which should you use? For a dense, warm scarf that holds its ribs, the 5 mm hook. For a softer, more drapey scarf that also comes out a little wider, the label’s 6 mm. Either way, the stitch count stays at 44. Only the width changes.

How much yarn does the easy crochet scarf pattern need?

About 599 yd (548 m) for the 135 cm version, or 59% of one skein. That figure is our own calculation, not a weighed scarf, and here is how it is built. At the label gauge of 18 rows to 4 in, 53 in of scarf is 239 rows. At 44 stitches a row, that is 10,516 single crochet. Across earlier guides on this site, worsted single crochet on a 5 mm hook averages 2.05 in of yarn per stitch, and 10,516 stitches at that rate come to about 599 yd.

As a cross check, that works out to 0.90 yd per square inch, inside the 0.51 to 1.18 range this site has measured across blankets in worsted and heavier yarns. It also leaves about 421 yd on the skein, which is why one skein is enough.

Scarf length	Rows	Stitches	Yarn, estimated	Share of one 1,020 yd skein
135 cm (53 in)	239	10,516	599 yd / 548 m	59%
152.4 cm (60 in)	270	11,880	676 yd / 619 m	66%
167.6 cm (66 in)	297	13,068	744 yd / 680 m	73%
182.9 cm (72 in)	324	14,256	812 yd / 742 m	80%

Even the 72 in version of this easy crochet scarf pattern fits in one skein of Pound of Love. With a standard skein of around 200 yd, plan on buying by yardage instead: add up the total, then round up to whole skeins plus one spare from the same dye lot.

Want a narrower scarf? At the label gauge of 14 stitches to 4 in, chain 22 for about 6 in (21 stitches), chain 29 for 8 in (28 stitches) or chain 36 for 10 in (35 stitches). Chain 45 gives the full width of the easy crochet scarf pattern shown here, about 12.5 in. A narrower scarf uses proportionally less yarn per row, so the table figures drop by the same ratio.

Which other free crochet scarf patterns are easy?

Five more free designs work like this easy crochet scarf pattern: simple rectangles in beginner stitches. Only three of the five print a total yardage, so the numbers below are exactly what each designer states.

Jo to the World Creations, Simple Scarf: alternating single and double crochet rows, 7 x 72 in, about 400 yd (365 m) of the same Pound of Love yarn, 6.5 mm hook.
Sarah Maker, How to Crochet a Scarf for Beginners: half double crochet in the back loop, worked lengthwise on a chain of 126, 6 x 66 in, super bulky yarn on a 9 mm hook. No total yardage printed.
Crochet 365 Knit Too, Easy Crochet Scarf for Beginners: a similar back loop rib in super bulky yarn, 6 x 58 in, 9 mm hook for the rows. No gauge and no total yardage printed.
Sweet Bee Crochet, Beginner Double Crochet Scarf: 5.5 x 54 in, about 240 yd of worsted, and like this scarf it drops to a 5 mm hook.
Annie Design Crochet, Pink Velvet Scarf: a reversible textured stitch, 9.5 x 90 in, 3 balls of aran on a 6 mm hook.

A yardage note on that last one. Its materials list gives 225 yd per 100 g ball and a total of about 700 m (765 yd). The Ravelry yarn database lists the same ball at 246 yd (225 m), so the 225 printed as yards looks like the metre figure. Three balls give about 675 m (738 yd) on those numbers, a little less than the stated total, so check the band of your own balls and keep a spare for a 90 in scarf.

For a sense of standard proportions, Lion Brand’s own Simple Crochet Scarf finishes at about 6 x 60 in (15 x 152.5 cm). The easy crochet scarf pattern in this guide is twice as wide and shorter, closer to a wrap you can fold around your neck.

Easy crochet scarf pattern FAQ

Is a crochet scarf a good first project?

Yes. This easy crochet scarf pattern repeats one stitch over and over, so by the end you will have made more than 10,000 single crochet and the stitch will be automatic.

How many chains do I need for a crochet scarf?

Chain one more than the stitches you want. This scarf chains 45 for 44 stitches. At 14 stitches to 4 in, chain 22 for a 6 in scarf or 29 for an 8 in scarf.

How long should a crochet scarf be?

Anywhere from about 53 to 72 in. The easy crochet scarf pattern here stops at about 135 cm (53 in); a classic beginner scarf runs about 60 in, and a long wrap about 72 in.

How much yarn do I need for a crochet scarf?

For this 44 stitch scarf in worsted yarn, about 599 yd at 135 cm and about 812 yd at 72 in, both inside one 1,020 yd skein of Pound of Love.

Why do my scarf edges look crooked?

You are gaining or losing stitches at the ends of the rows. Put a marker in the first stitch of every row and count to 44 every few rows.

What does back loop only mean in crochet?

It means inserting the hook under only the loop farther from you at the top of each stitch. The unused front loop becomes a ridge, and those ridges build the ribbed look of this crochet scarf pattern.

Build a Winter Set

Accessories: wearables and bags, including the free crochet head scarf pattern for warmer days
Clothes: the next step up once you are confident with rows, like the crochet pullover sweater pattern
Stitches and squares: the same ribbed family of textures, such as moss stitch crochet
Crochet hat for men: a matching hat to wear with your new scarf