Co-created with us, the This is Us flag represents the diverse and dynamic estranged and care experienced student community, flanked by the symbol of equality. In April, we are challenging you to knit a scarf (cotton, perfect for summer and winter) using the colours from the flag. April is Stress Awareness Month and research has shown that knitting has a measurable effect on calming anxiety and relieving stress by offering a form of escapism and boosting creativity.
Knit your very own scarf in the colours of the This is Us flag.
What you’ll need:
1 pair of 5mm knitting needles
1 x yarn needle for weaving in ends
10 x balls of Aran weight yarn in the This is Us flag colours, we’re recommending Drops Paris yarn (you can buy this here https://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-paris-all-colours) as the colours are almost a perfect match, the yarn is cotton so your scarf will be perfect for cool summer nights and cold winter days and it’s economical too, you can make the whole thing for around £10.
These are the colours (in order of appearance!):
1 x ball of shade 10, Dark Turquoise (A)
1 x ball of shade 21, Light Mint Green (B)
1 x ball of shade 31, Medium Purple (C)
1 x ball of shade 38, Raspberry (D)
1 x ball of shade 33, Medium Pink (E)
1 x ball of shade 9, Royal Blue (F)
1 x ball of shade 15, Black (G)
1 x ball of shade 35, Vanilla (H)
1 x ball of shade 26, Dark Beige (I)
1 x ball of shade 13, Orange (J)
Before you begin, if you’re new to knitting or changing colours to make stripes, you might find it useful to watch these tutorials by Wool and the Gang:
How to cast on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUCkRq0r_0A
How to knit: knit stitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9852UYvkAQQ
How to knit: purl stitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e6J19sI9vo
How to make stripes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfvQ1enQoQk (this also shows you how to weave in your ends)
How to cast off https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9b7KS9jaAo
How to make the This is us scarf:
In yarn A, cast on 40 stitches
Row 1: knit
Row 2: purl
Repeat these 2 rows 54 times (56 rows)
Change to yarn B
Knit 56 rows in stocking stitch (st st)
Change to yarn C
Knit 56 rows in st st
Change to yarn D
Knit 56 rows in st st
Change to yarn E
Knit 56 rows in st st
Change to yarn F
Knit 56 rows in st st
Change to yarn G
Knit 56 rows in st st
Change to yarn H
Knit 56 rows in st st
Change to yarn I
Knit 56 rows in st st
Change to yarn J
Knit 56 rows in st st
Cast off
Weave in your ends
Wear it!
We’ll be knitting this too and sharing our progress on social media. We’d love to see how you’re getting on, share your pics and videos tagging @thisisusatuni and using the hashtag #ThisIsUsScarfKAL