Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf: Easy 22-Row Striped Pattern
This moss stitch crochet scarf is a long striped scarf worked sideways in single crochet and chain spaces, with a new colour on every row and knotted tassels at both ends. It takes one stitch pattern, three colours of worsted yarn and a 5.5 mm hook, which makes it a very good first scarf.
Below you get the whole moss stitch crochet scarf in 15 photo steps: the starting chain, the first row, the colour change at the end of each row, the finish and the tassels. Then come the usual mistakes, the yarn amount and five more free scarves.
One note before you start: this pattern gives no finished size and no gauge, and we don’t invent them. We give the figures the designer does state, one count of our own, and sizes from designers who publish theirs.
- What you need
- The stitch and abbreviations
- The plan at a glance
- Step by step
- Where it goes wrong
- Hook size
- How much yarn
- How long and how wide
- Five more free moss stitch scarves
- FAQ
- Where to go next
- Sources
What You Need for This Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf
The moss stitch crochet scarf is a scrap-friendly project. The sample uses leftover yarn from other makes, and any weight 4 yarn in colours you like will do.
| Item | What to use |
|---|---|
| Yarn | Weight 4 (worsted) yarn in 3 colours. The sample is blue, cream and taupe. |
| Yarn amount | 5.5 oz in total, about 156 g |
| Hook | 5.5 mm |
| Starting chain | 300, or any even number |
| Rows | 22, a new colour on every row |
| Tools | Scissors; a yarn needle only if you skip the tassels |
| Finish | Knotted tassels made from the yarn tails |
The Stitch Behind a Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf
Moss stitch is also called linen stitch. It is only two moves: a single crochet, then a chain 1. From row 2 on, every single crochet goes into the chain-1 space of the row below, never into a stitch. That offset gives the woven, speckled look, and with one colour per row it turns into tiny broken stripes. Our moss stitch crochet guide covers the stitch on its own, including why the chain count matters.
Crochet stitches have two naming conventions, and we give both names.
| Abbreviation | Name used here | Other naming convention |
|---|---|---|
| ch | Chain | Chain |
| sc | Single crochet | Double crochet (dc) |
| sk | Skip | Miss |
| ch-1 sp | Chain-1 space | Chain-1 space |
Stitch multiple: chain any even number. The sample chains 300 for a long scarf. Chain fewer for a shorter one, but keep the number even.
Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf: The Plan at a Glance
The scarf is worked lengthwise: the chain sets the length and the rows set the width.
| Row | Colour | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Chain | Blue | Ch 300 (any even number), then ch 2 more |
| 1 | Blue | Sc in 3rd ch from hook, (ch 1, sk 1, sc in next) across; finish the last sc in cream |
| 2 | Cream | Ch 2, turn; sc in each ch-1 sp with ch 1 between; last sc under the ch-2; finish it in taupe |
| 3 | Taupe | As row 2; finish the last sc in blue |
| 4 to 22 | Blue, cream, taupe in turn | As row 2; on row 22 fasten off instead of changing colour |
| Finish | All | Knot the tails at both ends into tassels |
Our count: 22 rows over 3 colours is 7 full colour sets plus 1 row. So row 1 and row 22 are both blue, and blue frames both long edges of the moss stitch crochet scarf. If you change the width and want the same frame, use a row count that is a multiple of 3 plus 1, such as 19, 22 or 25.
How to Crochet a Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf, Step by Step
Each step of the moss stitch crochet scarf has a photo to check your work against.
Step 1: Pick three colours
Choose three weight 4 yarns that look good side by side. A light, a mid and a dark shade show the stripes best. You can use more colours, even a new one on every row, which makes this a good way to use up leftovers.
Step 2: Make a slip knot
Start with the first colour, blue in the sample. Make a slip knot and put it on the hook, leaving a tail of a few inches. Keep it; it becomes part of a tassel.
Step 3: Chain the length of the scarf
Yarn over and pull through the loop on the hook, again and again, until you have 300 chains. That makes a long moss stitch crochet scarf. For a shorter one, chain fewer, as long as the number is even. Keep the chain relaxed.
Step 4: Work the first single crochet
Put a finger on the last chain you made so you don’t lose it. Chain 2 more, then work a single crochet into that chain under your finger, the third chain from the hook.
Step 5: Chain 1, skip 1, single crochet
Chain 1, skip the next chain and work a single crochet in the one after it. That is the whole moss stitch crochet scarf repeat for row 1: ch 1, sk 1, sc in next.
Step 6: Repeat to the end of the chain
Keep going across the whole chain. Row 1 is the slowest and tightest row, so don’t worry if it looks thin.
Step 7: Change colour on the last stitch
When one chain is left, insert the hook and pull up a loop as if for a single crochet, so there are 2 loops on the hook. Drop the blue, leaving a long tail, and pull the cream through both loops. You are now joined in cream. Chain 2 and turn.
Step 8: Single crochet into the chain-1 spaces
On row 2, find the first chain-1 space. Go into the space itself, not a stitch, and work a single crochet. Chain 1, then single crochet into the next space. Repeat across. The spaces are hard to see on this row but get easier from row 3 on.
Step 9: Cut the old colour, leave a tail
Once row 2 is under way, cut the blue you are no longer using so it doesn’t tangle. Leave a tail of several inches. Short tails are hard to knot later.
Step 10: Finish row 2 and join the third colour
At the end of the row there is one more space, between the turning chain-2 and the first single crochet of the row below. Pull up a loop in that space and finish the single crochet in taupe. Hold the cream against the work so the stitch stays snug, then chain 2 and turn.
Step 11: Keep the colour order going
Row 3 is taupe, worked exactly like row 2. At its end, change back to blue. From here the moss stitch crochet scarf is one repeat: ch 2, turn, sc in each ch-1 space with ch 1 between, last sc in the space under the turning chain, and change colour.
Step 12: Work to 22 rows
Keep adding rows until the scarf is as wide as you want. The sample stops at 22. Keep your tension even and not too tight. If you usually crochet tightly, relax your hand a little, or the fabric gets stiff and the spaces close up.
Step 13: Fasten off the last row
On row 22, work the last single crochet into the space under the turning chain as usual, but don’t change colour. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail, and pull it through to fasten off.
Step 14: Knot the tails into tassels
Each row leaves one tail at each short end, so there are 22 tails per end, 44 in all. Take about 3 tails that sit close together, make a loop and pull the ends through to form a knot against the edge. Work across the end, then do the other side. Groups of 3 give about 7 tassels per end.
Step 15: Trim the tassels
Leave the tassels loose and uneven, or cut straight across so they are all one length. If you’d rather have no tassels, weave the ends in with a yarn needle for a straight edge. Your moss stitch crochet scarf is finished.
Where a Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf Usually Goes Wrong
Three mistakes cause most trouble, and all three show within the first few rows.
- An odd starting chain. The repeat uses 2 chains at a time, so an odd count leaves the end of row 1 out of step. Count the chain before you start, or place a marker every 50 chains.
- Working into the stitch instead of the space. From row 2 on, every single crochet goes into a chain-1 space. Hooking into the top of a stitch hides the woven look and makes the edges wander.
- Tails cut too short. The tassels are made only from the colour-change tails. Cut them short and there is nothing to knot, so leave several inches every time.
Hook Size for a Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf
The 5.5 mm hook sits at the small end of the Craft Yarn Council crochet range for weight 4 yarn, which is 5.5 to 6.5 mm. Other worsted moss stitch scarves use about the same size: This Pixie Creates and MadameStitch both work the body on 5.5 mm, and Jo to the World uses 6.0 mm. None of the five scarves we checked goes outside the range for its yarn weight, so moss stitch doesn’t need an oversized hook.
Three of those designers chain with a hook 0.5 mm smaller than the one they use for the rows. With a 300-chain start, this moss stitch crochet scarf is easier with the same 5.5 mm hook throughout and a loose hand on the chain.
How Much Yarn a Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf Takes
The designer of this moss stitch crochet scarf used 5.5 oz of weight 4 yarn in total across all three colours, which is about 156 g. That is the only amount stated. Yardage per ounce varies by yarn, so check your labels.
For scale, two worsted moss stitch scarves of similar size give yardage. Jo to the World’s 70 in scarf takes about 530 yd, and This Pixie Creates’ 68 in scarf about 400 yd. MadameStitch’s 74 in scarf calls for 2 skeins of 251 yd, 502 yd bought. Annie Design Crochet gives only metres per ball, and Left in Knots’ yardage line can be read two ways. Their gauges are counted differently or missing, so they don’t compare stitch for stitch.
How long and how wide should it be?
No finished size is given for this pattern, only a chain of 300 and 22 rows. The closest match we found is MadameStitch’s linen stitch scarf. It starts with 304 chains on the same 5.5 mm hook in worsted yarn and comes out about 74 in long, so expect a long scarf from 300.
Lion Brand puts a standard adult scarf at about 60 to 66 in long. The five moss stitch scarves we checked run longer, 68 to 84 in, and narrower, 6.25 to 7 in wide. Chain fewer for a shorter scarf, and add or drop rows for width.
Five More Free Moss Stitch Scarves
Each of these is free on the designer’s own site. Four are striped, and one is solid.
| Pattern | Hook | Yarn | Finished size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Moss Stitch Scarf, Jo to the World | 6.0 mm (5.5 mm chain) | Weight 4, about 530 yd in 2 colours | 6.25 x 70 in |
| Quick and Easy Moss Stitch Scarf, Annie Design Crochet | 5.0 mm (4.5 mm chain) | DK, 4 balls of 230 m | 7 x 84 in before fringe |
| In the Book Stacks Scarf, This Pixie Creates | 5.5 mm | Weight 4, about 400 yd in 4 colours | 6.25 x 68 in |
| Faded Stripe Infinity Scarf, Left in Knots | 5.5 mm | Weight 3, 3 colours | 6.5 x 73 in before joining |
| Men’s Linen Stitch Scarf, MadameStitch | 5.5 mm (5 mm chain) | Weight 4, 2 skeins of 251 yd | About 74 x 6.5 in |
Want a different shape? Our free crochet head scarf pattern is a small triangle worked in 16 photo steps.
Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf FAQ
Is moss stitch the same as linen stitch?
Yes. Both names describe the same stitch: a single crochet and a chain 1, with each new single crochet worked into a chain-1 space of the row below.
Is a moss stitch crochet scarf good for beginners?
Yes. It uses only chains and single crochet. The hardest parts are finding the spaces on row 2 and changing colour at the end of a row, and both get easy after a few rows.
How many chains do I need?
Any even number. The sample chains 300 for a long scarf. Chain fewer for a shorter one.
How much yarn do I need?
The sample used 5.5 oz, about 156 g, of weight 4 yarn across three colours. Similar worsted moss stitch scarves list about 400 to 530 yd.
Can I use more than three colours?
Yes. Because the colour changes on every row, you can use as many colours as you like, even a new one on each row.
Can I skip the tassels?
Yes. Weave every tail into the edge with a yarn needle instead, and the short ends stay straight.
Where to Go Next
Pair the scarf with a hat: our crochet hat for men guide sizes six free hats by the inch. The crochet snowy owl pattern even has a tiny striped scarf of its own. For more, browse our accessories and every free pattern on the site.
Sources
- Jo to the World Creations, Easy Moss Stitch Scarf
- Annie Design Crochet, Quick and Easy Moss Stitch Crochet Scarf
- This Pixie Creates, In the Book Stacks Scarf
- Left in Knots, Faded Stripe Infinity Scarf
- MadameStitch, Men’s Linen Stitch Scarf
- Craft Yarn Council, yarn weight system
- Lion Brand Yarn, beginner scarf guide
Pattern credit: the Early Frost Scarf is a design by Kayla. Find more of her crochet work on her YouTube channel, Kayla (@bykaylasiler).
