Chestnut Street Scarf. Designed by © Alexandra Davidoff for Lion Brand
Chestnut Street Scarf by Alexandra Davidoff for Lion Brand is a handsome free cable scarf knitting pattern featuring a bold central cable surrounded by smaller cable details.
Worked flat in rows with medium-weight yarn, this is a satisfying project for knitters who already know the basics and want to practice more intricate cable knitting. Lion Brand rates the pattern Level 3 – Intermediate.
Chestnut Street Scarf Pattern Details
- Designer: Alexandra Davidoff
- Publisher: Lion Brand Yarn
- Pattern number: L60396
- Craft: Knitting
- Category: Cable scarf
- Pattern availability: Free from Lion Brand
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Finished size: About 8 × 65 inches (20.5 × 165 cm)
- Yarn: Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool
- Yarn weight: #4 Medium / Worsted
- Needles: US 8 (5 mm)
- Gauge: 27 stitches + 22 rows = about 4 inches (10 cm) in cable patterns
- Construction: Worked flat, back and forth in rows
- Instructions: Written cable instructions and charts
A Classic Cable Scarf
The Chestnut Street Scarf gets its distinctive appearance from a combination of cable patterns rather than a single simple cable running from one end to the other.
A prominent central cable creates the main visual feature, while narrower cable details frame it on both sides. The result is a richly textured scarf with a traditional knitted look.
The cable arrangement is especially attractive in a solid or lightly heathered yarn where the shadows created by the crossed stitches remain easy to see.
A 32-Row Main Cable Pattern
After the opening cable ribbing section, the scarf moves into its main decorative cable pattern.
The central design develops over a 32-row repeat, giving the scarf a much more detailed appearance than a basic two- or four-row cable.
This makes Chestnut Street particularly appealing if you enjoy watching a cable motif gradually develop as you knit.
Written Instructions and Cable Charts
One of the useful features of the official Lion Brand pattern is that the cable designs can be followed using either written instructions or charts.
If you prefer working row by row from written directions, you can use that format. If you find it easier to visualize how the cables cross and interact, the charts provide another option.
This also makes the project useful for knitters who want to become more comfortable reading cable charts while still having written directions available for reference.
Worked Flat in Rows
Chestnut Street Scarf is worked back and forth in rows.
There is no knitting in the round and no garment shaping to manage. Instead, most of your attention can go toward keeping track of the different cable crossings.
The scarf begins with 55 stitches and develops its texture through a combination of knit, purl and cable stitches.
Finished Scarf Size
According to Lion Brand, the finished Chestnut Street Scarf measures approximately:
8 inches wide × 65 inches long
(20.5 × 165 cm)
This gives you a substantial adult scarf without making it excessively wide or bulky.
Designed as a Men's Scarf
Lion Brand currently categorizes Chestnut Street as a men's knitting pattern.
Its strong geometric cables, natural wool and classic rectangular shape certainly make it an excellent men's scarf, but the design itself is versatile enough to be worn by anyone who enjoys traditional cable knit accessories.
It could also make a beautiful handmade winter gift.
The Original Yarn: Fishermen's Wool
The original pattern was designed for Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool.
This yarn is a natural-looking wool yarn that works particularly well with cables because the stitch definition allows the twists and crossings to stand out clearly.
The original version uses one ball of Fishermen's Wool.
Choosing a Substitute Yarn
If you want to substitute another yarn, look for a #4 medium / worsted-weight yarn capable of producing the required gauge and good cable definition.
Smooth yarns usually make complex cables easier to see than highly textured or fuzzy yarns.
Because the scarf contains several cable patterns, making a swatch is useful not only for checking gauge but also for seeing whether your chosen yarn shows the cable details clearly.
Needles and Cable Needle
The pattern uses US 8 (5 mm) knitting needles.
You will also want a cable needle to hold stitches temporarily while making the different cable crossings.
Straight or circular needles can be used for a flat scarf as long as you are comfortable working back and forth with them.
Understanding the Gauge
Lion Brand gives a gauge of approximately 27 stitches and 22 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in the cable patterns.
Notice that this is a cable-pattern gauge rather than a plain stockinette gauge.
Cables pull the knitted fabric inward, so measuring the actual cable fabric is more useful for this project than assuming a standard gauge based only on the yarn weight.
Skills Used in the Chestnut Street Scarf
Techniques used in this project include:
- Knitting and purling
- Working flat in rows
- Using a cable needle
- Crossing stitches to the right and left
- Working several cable variations
- Following a longer pattern repeat
- Reading written cable instructions
- Reading cable charts
- Binding off
- Blocking the finished scarf
Is Chestnut Street Scarf Beginner Friendly?
Lion Brand officially rates the pattern Level 3 – Intermediate.
The scarf construction itself is straightforward because there is no garment shaping or knitting in the round. The challenge comes from the number of cable crossings and keeping your place within the longer cable repeat.
If you have already knitted a simple cable project and want something more interesting, Chestnut Street can be a good next step.
Tips for Knitting the Cable Pattern
With a detailed cable design, keeping track of your row is often more important than knitting quickly.
A row counter, printed chart marker or simple note can help you remember exactly where you stopped.
It can also be helpful to learn how each cable section should look. Once the motif begins to develop, the knitted fabric itself can provide useful visual clues about where the next crossing belongs.
Don't Skip Blocking
Blocking can make a noticeable difference to a cable scarf.
Freshly knitted cables may pull the fabric inward and make the scarf appear narrower or more uneven than expected. Gentle blocking allows the stitches to settle and helps the cable details show more clearly.
Always follow the care instructions appropriate for the yarn you choose.
A Great Handmade Gift for Cable Lovers
Scarves are useful gift projects because sizing is much simpler than with sweaters, socks or fitted accessories.
Chestnut Street adds enough cable detail to make the finished scarf look special while retaining the practical rectangular construction of a classic winter scarf.
Choose a neutral shade for a traditional look or use a richer color to give the same cable pattern a more contemporary appearance.
Why Knit the Chestnut Street Scarf?
Chestnut Street is a strong choice when you want to move beyond basic scarf knitting and make the cables the centerpiece of the project.
The combination of a bold central motif, smaller framing cables and a substantial 32-row repeat produces an impressive result from a simple rectangular construction.
You also have the flexibility of following either the written instructions or charts, making the pattern useful for practicing cable chart reading at your own pace.
Get the Free Chestnut Street Scarf Knitting Pattern
The complete Chestnut Street Scarf by Alexandra Davidoff is currently available from Lion Brand as pattern L60396.
Get the Free Chestnut Street Scarf Knitting Pattern →
Pattern availability was checked when this article was updated. Availability and access requirements on external websites may change over time.







