Knitting a Scalloped Edge — A Complete Tutorial
Few finishing details transform a knitted piece quite like a scalloped edge. Whether you’re adding it to a shawl, a blanket, a cardigan hem, or a delicate accessory, a scalloped border brings a soft, romantic quality that elevates handknitting from functional to genuinely beautiful. In this tutorial, inspired by the design philosophy behind La Visch Designs, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to knit a scalloped edge with confidence — from understanding how the stitch pattern creates its characteristic waves, to casting on, working the pattern, and finishing cleanly.
Take your time with this one. The scalloped edge rewards patience and attention, and once you’ve knitted your first one you’ll find yourself adding it to everything.
What Is a Scalloped Edge and Why Use It?
A scalloped edge is a series of repeating curves or “scallops” that run along the border of a knitted piece. Each individual scallop forms a small arch or petal shape, and when repeated across a row they create a flowing, decorative hem.
The beauty of a scalloped edge lies in its versatility. It works equally well on delicate lace shawls in fingering weight yarn and on chunky cozy blankets in bulky yarn. It suits classic styles and modern minimalist aesthetics alike. Because the scallops are created structurally through the stitch pattern itself — rather than through applied embellishment — the edge is completely integral to the fabric. It won’t fray, roll, or pull away from the piece over time.
La Visch Designs, the Dutch knitwear design studio run by Mariëtte Visch, has long favored clean, elegant finishing techniques that feel as good in the hand as they look on the needles. A scalloped hem is exactly the kind of detail that reflects this approach: it’s precise, it’s intentional, and it adds enormous visual value for a relatively small investment of technique.
There are several ways to create a scalloped edge in knitting. The most classic method uses a combination of increases and decreases to form the curves — typically yarn overs and double decreases. Another approach works the scallop perpendicular to the main fabric and then picks up stitches along the edge. And some designs create scallops by working a short-row shaped border. In this tutorial, we’ll focus on the most common and most satisfying version: a cast-on scalloped edge worked from the bottom up, where each scallop is shaped within the fabric as you go.
Materials and Yarn
Before you cast on, gather your materials thoughtfully. The scalloped edge shows best in yarns with good stitch definition, because the curves and points of the scallops need to read clearly.
For your first attempt, consider a smooth yarn in a light to medium weight — DK or fingering weight are ideal. Heavily textured yarns, thick-and-thin handspuns, or very fuzzy mohair blends can obscure the stitch pattern and make it hard to see what you’re doing, especially while you’re learning. Once you’re comfortable with the pattern repeat, by all means experiment with halo yarns and rustic wools — the scalloped shape will still be there, just softer and more impressionistic.
Needle size should match your yarn as usual. The scalloped edge benefits from a slightly firm, even gauge, so if you tend to knit loosely you might consider going down half a needle size for the border section specifically.
You’ll also want a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, a row counter if you find them helpful, and markers to separate your pattern repeats if you’re working a wider piece.
Understanding the Stitch Logic
The core mechanism of a knitted scallop is the relationship between yarn overs and double decreases. Here’s the basic logic:
A yarn over adds one stitch and creates a small eyelet, which becomes the widest, most open part of the scallop — the curve at the top of each arch. A central double decrease (often worked as sl2-k1-p2sso, or slip two together knitwise, knit one, pass both slipped stitches over) removes two stitches at once and creates a neat, sharp point. When you place a double decrease at each end of a scallop and a yarn over at each side of the center, you create the swell and pinch that form the scallop shape.
The standard scallop repeat uses a multiple of ten stitches plus one edge stitch on each side. A typical repeat looks something like this over ten stitches: k1, yo, k3, sl2-k1-p2sso, k3, yo, and then the pattern repeats. Over several rows you’ll see the wave emerge. The cast-on row is usually the loosest, and the scallop takes its fullest shape over five to seven rows.
Don’t worry if this sounds abstract right now. We’ll go through it step by step, and the pattern will start to make intuitive sense very quickly once you’re working it on the needles.
Casting On for a Scalloped Edge
The long-tail cast on is generally the best choice for a scalloped edge worked from the bottom up. It creates a firm, even foundation that holds the points of the scallops in place cleanly. A very loose or stretchy cast on can make the points look floppy and undefined.
For practice, let’s cast on for a small swatch. You’ll work a multiple of 10 stitches. Cast on 41 stitches: four full scallop repeats of 10 stitches each, plus 1 stitch at each end as a selvage.
If you’re adapting this to a specific pattern, check the required stitch multiple and adjust accordingly. Most scalloped edges designed in the La Visch tradition will specify the multiple clearly in the pattern instructions.
The Scalloped Edge Pattern — Row by Row
Here is the core pattern for a bottom-up scalloped edge. It works over 8 rows, though the first visible scallop shape typically emerges fully around rows 5–6.
Row 1 (Setup Row, Wrong Side): Purl all stitches.
This is simply a plain purl row that sets up the fabric. It gives you a smooth base for the scallop to grow from.
Row 2 (Right Side): K1 (edge stitch), k1, yo, k3, sl2-k1-p2sso, k3, yo; repeat from to last stitch, k1 (edge stitch).
This is the first row of the pattern proper. You’ll begin to see the increases and decreases working in tension against each other, and the fabric will start to take a slightly wavy character even at this early stage.
Row 3 (Wrong Side): Purl all stitches.
Row 4 (Right Side): Repeat Row 2.
Row 5 (Wrong Side): Purl all stitches.
Row 6 (Right Side): Repeat Row 2.
Row 7 (Wrong Side): Purl all stitches.
Row 8 (Right Side): Repeat Row 2.
After Row 8, you can continue into the main body of your project, or work one final wrong-side row before doing so, depending on what the main fabric stitch pattern requires.
By Row 8, your scallops should be clearly visible — four distinct arching curves, each one pinched at its base by the double decrease and fanned open by the yarn overs. The cast-on edge will have pulled in slightly at the base of each double decrease point, which is exactly what creates that characteristic scalloped silhouette.
Working the Double Decrease Correctly
The central double decrease is the most important stitch in this pattern, and it’s worth taking a moment to practice it before you begin.
Sl2-k1-p2sso works like this: insert your right needle tip through the first two stitches on the left needle simultaneously, as if to knit them together, but slip them both to the right needle without knitting them. Then knit the next stitch normally. Finally, pass both slipped stitches over the just-knitted stitch and off the needle tip.
This creates a stitch with a left-leaning slipped stitch on one side and a right-leaning slipped stitch on the other, with the knitted stitch sitting neatly on top. The result is a symmetrical, centered double decrease — often abbreviated as CDD in patterns — and it’s this symmetry that gives the scallop its even, professional appearance.
Two things can go wrong with this decrease if you’re not careful. First, the two slipped stitches can twist during the slip if you insert the needle incorrectly. Make sure you’re entering both stitches together knitwise — from left to right under both loops — rather than purlwise. Second, when you pass both slipped stitches over, keep the tension even and don’t pull too tightly. A too-tight double decrease will create a hard, puckered spot at the base of the scallop rather than a clean V-shaped point.
Reading Your Knitting
One of the most valuable skills you can develop while working a scalloped edge is the ability to read the knitting itself rather than relying solely on your row count. After a couple of repeats, you’ll be able to see where each yarn over falls and where the decrease sits, and you can use those visual landmarks to confirm you’re on the right row and in the right position within the repeat.
Each column of double decreases forms a vertical line of stacked V-shapes running from the cast-on edge upward. These lines are your anchors. The yarn overs on either side of each center column are the open eyelets flanking those V-shapes. Count your eyelets and V-shapes as you work along a row, and you’ll quickly know if you’ve missed a step or shifted out of alignment.
If you’re ever unsure which row you’re on, look at the fabric from a slight distance. On a right-side row, the fabric will show the purl bumps of the previous wrong-side row along the back. The right side of a scalloped edge in stockinette has a clean, smooth face, and on the wrong side you’ll see the purl bumps organizing themselves in a way that mirrors the wave shape. These are your guides.
Adapting the Scalloped Edge to Different Projects
Once you’re comfortable with the basic pattern, you can begin adapting it creatively. Here are some of the most common ways the scalloped edge appears in knitwear designs, including many La Visch Designs patterns.
Shawls and Wraps: A scalloped cast-on edge is a natural fit for shawls. Because many shawls are worked from the top down, the scalloped edge is often worked separately as a border that’s either picked up along the lower edge or worked last using a provisional cast-on at the beginning and then grafted or bound off at the end. Working the scallops last allows you to knit the shawl body to your desired length and then add the decorative border without committing to the length before you begin.
Cardigans and Pullovers: Scalloped hems on sweaters are typically worked from the bottom up, beginning with the scalloped border before transitioning to the body fabric. The scalloped edge establishes the hem, and because the double decreases pull the cast-on inward slightly, the hem lies flat without any additional ribbing or folded hem. This is one of the practical advantages of a scalloped border — it provides natural stability and prevents the rolling that stockinette hems are prone to.
Blankets and Throws: A scalloped border around the perimeter of a blanket is one of the most striking uses of this technique. For a blanket, you’d typically work the scalloped border as a picked-up edging after the main body is complete, working into picked-up stitches along all four sides. Corners require special handling — usually a small cluster of increases at each corner stitch so the border turns cleanly. Many designers work the corner stitches with a triple yarn-over or an additional short section of rows to ease the turn.
Sleeves and Cuffs: Scalloped cuffs on a sweater create a lovely finishing detail that most people notice without being able to immediately name. The scalloped edge here functions the same way as on a hem — it sits flat, has visual interest, and requires no additional finishing.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Even experienced knitters run into small issues when working a scalloped edge for the first time. Here are the most common ones and how to fix them.
The scallops are uneven in size. This almost always comes down to inconsistent tension around the yarn overs. Yarn overs can be worked very loosely or very tightly depending on how you hold your yarn, and even a small difference in tension makes the scallops look uneven side by side. Focus on keeping a consistent motion as you work each yarn over, and if necessary, work a gauge swatch and block it before starting your project — blocking will even out small inconsistencies significantly.
The double decrease points are puckering. If the base of each scallop looks tight and gathered, your double decreases are probably being worked too tightly. Consciously relax your tension as you work the sl2-k1-p2sso, and make sure you’re not pulling the yarn sharply after passing the slipped stitches over.
The scalloped edge is pulling inward or flaring outward at the sides. Lateral pulling usually means the edge stitches are being worked at a different tension than the interior stitches. Work your edge stitches as consistently as possible, and consider working them in a slip-stitch selvage (slip the first stitch of every row purlwise, and knit the last stitch of every row) to stabilize the sides.
The overall stitch count is drifting. Yarn overs can be accidentally dropped or added if you’re not careful, and because they don’t immediately create a loop on the needle in the same way a knit stitch does, they’re easier to miss. If your stitch count changes between rows, place markers at each repeat boundary from the very beginning. This lets you catch any error within the current repeat rather than discovering it several rows later.
Blocking Your Scalloped Edge
Blocking is not optional with a scalloped edge — it is the moment when the pattern truly reveals itself. Before blocking, a freshly knitted scalloped border can look somewhat flat, irregular, or unconvincing. After blocking, the scallops open up, the points become crisp and defined, and the whole border gains a crispness and elegance that the needles alone can’t create.
For wet blocking, soak your finished piece in cool water with a small amount of wool wash, then press out the excess water gently without wringing. Lay the piece flat on a blocking mat or on a towel over a firm surface. Use blocking wires or pins to open each scallop to its full width, placing a pin at the very tip of each point along the cast-on edge. Stretch gently — you want the scallops to be open and full, but not so stretched that they become distorted. Leave the piece to dry completely before removing the pins, which may take 24 hours depending on your yarn weight.
Some yarns — particularly those with a high wool content — respond dramatically to blocking and will show a transformation that feels almost magical. Silk, cotton, and linen blends also block beautifully and hold the blocked shape very well. Acrylic yarns don’t respond to wet blocking the same way, but can be steam-blocked with careful use of a steam iron held above (not touching) the fabric.
Adding the Scalloped Edge to an Existing Design
If you’re working from a pattern that doesn’t include a scalloped edge but you’d like to add one, the modification is usually straightforward. For a bottom-up project, simply work the scalloped edge pattern first, ending on a right-side row, then continue with the main pattern stitch as written. The stitch count after the scalloped edge section should match the cast-on count specified in your original pattern — since the scalloped pattern uses the same number of stitches throughout, no adjustment is needed.
For adding a scalloped edge to a completed piece, pick up stitches along the edge at a rate that produces a flat, even result (typically one stitch per row for a vertical edge, or one stitch per stitch for a horizontal edge). Work the scalloped border over those picked-up stitches, then bind off. A standard bind-off in this case should be worked loosely, or you can use a picot bind-off for extra decorative detail.
A Note on Scale and Proportion
The scale of your scallops will be determined by the weight of your yarn and the number of rows you work in the pattern section. A fingering weight yarn over eight pattern rows will produce small, delicate scallops that feel like lace. A worsted weight yarn over the same number of rows will produce larger, bolder curves that make more of a statement. Neither is better — they simply suit different garments and aesthetics.
If you want particularly deep, dramatic scallops, consider adding extra rows to
