The Simple Thing. Photo © vhglass
The Simple Thing by Melina Brell is
a free one-skein knitting pattern that sits somewhere between a small
scarf and a shawl. Worked entirely in garter stitch with neat I-cord
edges, it is simple, versatile and wonderfully adaptable.
The original sample uses just one skein of DK yarn,
but the design can easily be made longer, shorter, wider or narrower.
You can even use a different yarn weight or more than one skein to
create your own version.
The Simple Thing Pattern Details
- Designer: Melina Brell
- Published: December 2022
- Craft: Knitting
- Category: Scarf / small shawl
- Pattern availability: Free Ravelry download
- Yarn weight: DK / 8 ply for the original sample
- Suggested yarn: Heathland Knits BFL DK
- Yardage: Approximately 219–273 yards (200–250 m)
- Needles: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Gauge: 24 stitches × 28 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch
- Sample size: Approximately 140 × 24 cm (55 × 9.5 inches)
- Construction: Worked sideways and flat
- Main stitch: Garter stitch
- Edging: I-cord
- Finishing: Kitchener stitch / grafting
- Construction style: One piece and seamless
- Languages: English, Dutch, French and German
A One-Skein Knitting Project
One of the biggest attractions of The Simple Thing is that the original
version can be knitted from just one skein of yarn.
Melina Brell's sample uses a single skein of DK-weight Bluefaced
Leicester yarn and measures approximately
140 cm long × 24 cm wide.
This makes the design a useful choice when you have one beautiful skein
in your stash but aren't sure what to make with it.
Not Quite a Scarf, Not Quite a Shawl
The Simple Thing is deliberately difficult to place into a traditional
accessory category.
Its long, narrow shape gives it the easy wearability of a scarf, while
the gently shaped fabric gives it some of the character of a small
shawl.
You can wrap it around your neck, tie it loosely, or wear it draped like
a small shawlette depending on the dimensions you choose.
Simple Garter Stitch Construction
The body of the piece is worked in
garter stitch, making the texture simple and
reversible.
According to the designer, the basic skills required are primarily
knitting stitches, knitting two stitches together and slipping stitches.
This simplicity lets the yarn take center stage and makes the project
relaxing once you understand the construction.
Worked Sideways From Tip to Tip
Instead of casting on the full length or width of the accessory,
The Simple Thing is worked sideways in rows.
You begin at one narrow tip. The piece gradually grows wider, continues
through the central portion and then narrows again until you reach the
opposite tip.
The result is a symmetrical scarf-like shawl made continuously as one
piece.
Beautiful I-Cord Edges
A particularly attractive feature of the pattern is its
I-cord edging.
The I-cord runs along the edges of the garter-stitch fabric, giving the
otherwise very simple project a clean and polished finish.
This small detail helps the edges maintain a tidy appearance while also
adding subtle structure to the finished accessory.
An Adjustable Knitting Pattern
You do not have to reproduce the exact dimensions of Melina Brell's
original sample.
The pattern is designed so that it can be adapted to make your Simple
Thing longer, shorter, wider or narrower.
This flexibility is especially useful when working with a limited
amount of yarn because you can plan the shape around the yardage you
actually have available.
Use One Skein — Or Keep Going
Although the original sample is a one-skein project, the concept is not
restricted to one skein.
The designer specifically allows the pattern to be adapted to the amount
of yarn you want to use. A single skein creates a compact accessory,
while additional yarn can produce a larger scarf or shawl-like piece.
This also makes The Simple Thing useful for experimenting with stripes,
gradients or multiple coordinating yarns.
Can You Use a Different Yarn Weight?
Yes. The original sample is knitted in DK yarn, but Melina Brell notes
that the design can be adapted for different yarn weights.
Changing yarn weight and needle size will naturally change the scale,
drape and dimensions of the finished piece, so treat the original DK
specifications as a reference rather than a strict limitation.
This flexibility is one reason the pattern works so well as a
stash-busting project.
The Original Yarn
The sample shown with the original pattern was knitted using
Heathland Knits BFL DK, a 100% Bluefaced Leicester
wool yarn.
The pattern lists approximately
219–273 yards (200–250 metres) of yarn.
When choosing a substitute, look for a yarn that creates a garter-stitch
fabric with a drape and feel you enjoy.
Needles and Gauge
The original DK version uses
4.5 mm (US 7) knitting needles.
The listed gauge is
24 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in garter stitch.
Because the design is so adjustable, matching the original gauge is not
necessarily about achieving one rigid finished size. However, gauge
still determines how your chosen yarn behaves and how much yarn the
project consumes.
Skills Used in The Simple Thing
The project is based on a small group of useful knitting techniques:
- Knit stitches
- Garter stitch
- Working flat
- Slipping stitches
- Knitting two stitches together
- Shaping the piece from tip to tip
- Working I-cord edges
- Grafting the final stitches with Kitchener stitch
Helpful Videos From the Designer
Melina Brell provides supporting video links with the free pattern for
two parts of the project that may be unfamiliar to some knitters.
One video demonstrates the setup of the shawl, while
another shows how to graft the final stitches.
These are particularly useful if this is your first time working this
type of I-cord construction or finishing with grafting.
A Good Project for a Special Skein
Many knitters have a single skein in their stash that was too beautiful
to leave behind but has never found the right project.
The Simple Thing is particularly well suited to this situation because
the design is intentionally adaptable to the yarn available.
A solid, tonal, speckled or gently variegated yarn can all work well
because the garter-stitch body provides a simple background for the
yarn itself.
Use Your Yarn Without Playing Yarn Chicken
The sideways, adjustable construction is also helpful when you want to
make good use of a limited quantity of yarn.
Rather than being locked into one exact finished dimension, you can use
the designer's shaping method to plan the accessory around the amount
of yarn available.
This makes it particularly appealing for hand-dyed skeins, discontinued
yarns or leftovers where buying another matching skein may not be
possible.
A Simple Travel or Relaxing Knitting Project
Once the setup is complete, much of the project consists of repetitive
garter-stitch knitting.
That makes The Simple Thing a practical project for times when you want
something portable and relatively uncomplicated, while the I-cord edges
and gradual shaping provide enough structure to keep the knitting
interesting.
The Simple Thing and the Cheshire Cat Shawl
Melina Brell describes The Simple Thing as a
simplified version of her One Skein Cheshire Cat Shawl,
which she published earlier.
The Simple Thing uses garter stitch and I-cord edges. If you prefer a
related design worked in stockinette with slipped-stitch edges, the
designer points knitters toward the One Skein Cheshire Cat Shawl.
Why Has The Simple Thing Become So Popular?
The appeal is easy to understand: it combines a very simple stitch
pattern with enough clever construction to produce an accessory that
looks polished rather than basic.
It requires relatively little yarn, works beautifully as a one-skein
project and can be customized instead of forcing every knitter into one
exact size.
The combination of garter stitch, I-cord edges, tip-to-tip
construction and flexible sizing makes it a pattern that can
be knitted more than once with very different results.
Get The Simple Thing Free Knitting Pattern
The complete The Simple Thing by Melina Brell is
currently available as a free download from the designer's Ravelry
store.
Get The Simple Thing Free Knitting Pattern
Pattern availability was checked when this article was updated.
Availability on external websites may change over time.
