Toddler Keyhole Scarf Knitting Pattern

You’re going to love this toddler keyhole scarf knitting pattern—the keyhole keeps the scarf from falling off! And it’s super simple to make too.

I decided to knit a keyhole scarf for my daughter this year, and (of course) we ended up having a very warm winter in Oregon. Isn’t that how it goes? But I have comforted myself in that this little scarf is still perfect for our early morning walks when it is foggy and misty outside.

I love this scarf. It is soft and warm, and because of the keyhole, it stays around your child’s neck. But the best part is the pattern is simple enough for someone like me who enjoys staying in the knitting realm of scarves, hats, and baby blankets. The seed stitch pattern is very simple to knit but it looks complex. If you have never knitted in seed stitch before, you’ve got to try it. I love using this stitch for baby blankets—they always turn out so pretty.

How to Knit a Child’s Scarf in Seed Stitch:

For this pattern, you will need to know how to knit and purl. To knit in seed stitch, you will knit one, purl one (k1p1) until the end of the row, then purl one, knit one (p1k1)  for the second row. You will continue this pattern throughout. I like to think of it as knitting the purls and purling the knits. Doing so creates a little “x” pattern in your knitting. This stitch also makes it easy to pick up wherever you stopped your work because you don’t have a complicated pattern to remember. Just knit your purls and purl your knits. 🙂

Toddler Keyhole Scarf Knitting Pattern

To make this scarf, you will need:

One skein of yarn (I used a bulky weight yarn that had 109 yards; click here for some cute yarn options)
Size 9 knitting needles
Yarn needle
Scissors

By the way, if you need a refresher or instructions on how to knit, click here for a free CreativeBug Beginning Knitting class. It includes 44 minutes of video tutorials that will cover the basics so your project will be successful!

Cast on 14 stitches. Knit in seed stitch for 30 rows.

For the keyhole, I pulled the other end of the yarn out of the skein in order to have a new length of yarn to attach rather than use a new skein of yarn. (I know, I know, I admit I didn’t wind my yarn into a ball.) Knit in seed stitch for 7 stitches, then leave the yarn you’ve been knitting with and pick up the new length of yarn and continue in seed stitch. Doing so will leave a small hole in your work. Continue knitting in seed stitch for 10 more rows, knitting both sides with their separate ends of yarn.

Cut the yarn that you added into your piece, leaving a tail to weave in later and proceed to knit in seed stitch for an additional 100 rows. Bind off (in seed stitch) and sew in yarn ends.

I recommend measuring your scarf as it takes shape against your child and making it longer (or shorter) as needed. The scarf I knit for my daughter ended up being around 27 inches long. I wanted it short enough so I could tuck it into her coat and knew she didn’t need a big, billowy scarf that would drag behind her.

You can also cast on more stitches, knit for a longer length, and make this scarf for an adult. I made a bunch of these scarves for Christmas presents many years ago, and it was such a satisfying project.

If you’re on a roll with knitting for baby or a little kiddo, then try the Beginning Baby Bootie class pictured below. This class includes one hour of video instruction and is FREE when you try CreativeBug for their 30 day trial. How cool is that? Click here to watch the course for free.

I think these booties would make a great gift—wouldn’t they be adorable on the top of a package for a baby shower?!

Update: Here’s the link to another simple scarf I knit for my daughter. This time I made a drop stitch scarf and sewed the ends together to make a cowl. You can see it pictured below. 🙂

Have a lovely {and creative} day!