Magpies in the Pacific Northwest have black and white plumage, but in other parts of the world they sport a variety of colors. This top-down scarf also can display a variety of hues in stripes and multi-colored yarns, as well as solid colors, but that is only one option.

It can be knit as a wide or a regular triangle in stockinette or garter stitch. The garter eyelet border is optional, and the simple feathers lace edging can end with centered picots, crocheted chains, or a plain elastic cast-off. (There is a video tutorial for centering picots in cast off.)

Since both the border and the edging can be started after any eight rows on a wide triangle or any four rows on a regular one, the size is easy to customize.

This design also is a great way to use leftover yarns, and it can be knit in a variety of handspun and commercial lace, fingering, and Shetland/sport/DK weight yarns.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size
Size can be customized. Regular triangles will measure twice as wide across top edge as their depth, and wide triangles will have less depth.

Yarn Amounts
Sample scarfs used approximately 400 yds (366 m) of lace (18+ wpi) and fingering (16-17 wpi) weight yarns. Shetland/ DK/sport (13–15 wpi) yarns also can be used and would require less yardage for the same size.

Needles & Gauge
Choose a needle size that gives the results you prefer. Knit a stockinette or garter swatch to test, or use scarf beginning for the swatch.

Samples
Black & White Magpie: stockinette stitch wide triangle with 2-row stripes worked to 235 sts, Garter Eyelet Border, 6 Feathers Edging repeats on 387 sts, and Centered-Picot Cast-off. Yarn: fingering weight (16 wpi)—150 yds (137 m) Color A black and 250 yds (225 m) Color B cream. Needles & Gauge: US size 5 (3.75 mm) needles and 20 sts = 4” (10 cm). Blocked Size: 20 x 55” (51 x 140 cm).

Multi-colored Magpie: garter stitch wide triangle worked to 339 sts with no border, 10 Feathers Edging repeats on 507 sts, and Crocheted Chain Cast-off. Yarn: lace weight (19 wpi)—400 yds (366 m). Needles & Gauge: US size 3 (3.25 mm) needles and 24 sts = 4” (10 cm). Blocked Size: 20 x 63” (51 x 160 cm).