Notch

Like its cousin the Thaxton Hooded Cowl, Notch is luxuriously stretchy, squishy, and toasty-warm. This is modern slip stitch crochet with taller crochet stitches added for contrast. Experiencing how the notched short-row wedges take shape is heavenly fun. They’re the textural highlights of Thaxton, repeated for decorative impact.

Notch started out as a way for me to test the Thaxton cowl and take the pattern out of “beta.” I fell in love with the long-striping yarn effects. To get notches on both sides of the scarf, I found a simple way to alternate the wedges so that the textures always face the front.

Skill Level

Intermediate. Short rows are considered an Intermediate skill. Also, although the slip stitch is elementary crochet, crocheting them with a hook-led gauge takes practice for many crocheters in my slip stitch classes.

Build up to this pattern with Luckyslip Mitts: I wrote it for my introductory slip stitch classes. Practice simple short rows with Slip Slope. View all of my slip stitch crochet patterns here.

Pattern has a color-coded stitch diagram. Included: international English equivalents for American terms.

After following this pattern you will know (if you didn’t already):

• How to crochet simple slip stitch ribbing
• How to add dramatic surface texture with short rows
• How to add designer touches to short-rowed ribbing
• How to use a hook-led stitch gauge

Finished Dimensions

Two full skeins of the yarn shown (640yd/585m) yield a scarf 8.5″ wide X 64″ long {21.5 cm X 162.5 cm}. This is a stretchy scarf. Your yarn choice may add even more. Mine stretches to 72″ {182.75 cm}. A one-skein scarf would be half as long: 32″ {81 cm}.

Materials

• Crochet Hook: Size US J/10/6 mm hook or size needed for gauge.
• Yarn Shown: Marks & Kattens Big Trend (70% Acrylic, 30% Wool, 321yd/294m per 3.5oz/100g skein), color 409; 2 skeins for full-length scarf. Substituting a yarn: The best yarns for this project are wool or acrylic blends because they add bouncy loft. Cotton yarn is just not the same for this. Long, gradual color changes in a yarn, such as Crystal Palace Mochi Plus or Noro Kureyon, or subtle tonal shades of a hand dyed yarn, work great for this! Choose a plump #4 medium-weight yarn with a crochet hook size range from US H/8/5mm-J/10/6mm listed on its label. These yarns may be referred to as Heavy Worsted, Aran, Afghan, and occasionally “Light Chunky” Weight.

• Stitch markers: Two or more until you can recognize the last slip stitch of each row.