Ask Madelyn: How Long Should a Scarf Be?

Dear Madelyn,

I enjoy weaving scarves for others, but I am faced with a dilemma: What is a good length for them? I’ve looked at many scarf projects in Handwoven, and their lengths vary anywhere from 56 to 84 inches. Are there general size guidelines to follow? And how do I settle on the length of the fringe? I would love your thoughts.
–Sylvia

Hi Sylvia!

There are several considerations related to scarf and fringe length, but I don’t know of any actual rules.

I was curious, so I took all the scarves I’ve woven (they happen to be in lighweight yarns) and measured their lengths and widths. Those scarves are all 8-10 inches wide and 60-65 inches long, with 5- to 6-inch fringe. In fact, if you averaged all the scarf projects in Handwoven (most of these projects would also fall into the decorative accessory category), I bet you’d find a similar width, length, and fringe length.

The average scarf worn as an accessory may have dimensions similar to these—but good scarf sizing actually depends on the wearer, the fiber, the scarf’s width, and its purpose.

Key Scarf Concerns

Let’s think through the main scarf-sizing issues.

The wearer’s height: A general guideline I heard long ago is that a scarf should be as long as the person wearing it is tall. I’m thinking that this measurement applies to a relatively narrow scarf (6 to 9 inches wide, say) that you put around your neck and let hang. At this length, the ends would fall just below the wearer’s hips. This would likely be the kind of scarf that is a lightweight decorative accessory, rather than one intended to provide serious warmth. The City Chic Scarf, a bonus project for subscribers available here, falls into this category—it’s lightweight and sized to wear draped around the neck.

How a scarf is wrapped: What if the wearer wants to do more than drape a scarf around their neck? If they want to fold the scarf in half, and then pass (or weave) the ends through the resulting loop, a longer scarf may be in order. How much longer? That depends on how far down their body they’d like the ends to fall. A scarf-wearing friend may be a help in figuring this out. The Taste of Sonoma Scarf from Handwoven Fall 2024 is a great example of somewhat longer scarf sized for wrapping or looping (it’s 76" long).

The scarf’s purpose: Scarves that are intended to provide warmth are often wider and bulkier than the average scarf mentioned above. A wide scarf (10 inches or more) woven with thicker yarns might not work so well in loops or knots, but it could be wound around the neck once or twice for warmth. A long, wide scarf (say 12 x 70 inches) could even be worn around the neck or the shoulders, thereby serving as a shawl. The Stormy Skies Wrap from Handwoven Fall 2025 is a longer and wider piece, well-sized for wrapping (this link is to a free downloadable project PDF).

Keep in mind that, for wider scarves, proportion matters—you wouldn't want a wide but short scarf. Again, a friend may be able to help you settle on a good length for bulkier or wider scarves.

How a scarf is wrapped, part two: A reader who spends time in New England during the winters notes that her two favorite scarves are both the same length and, at 36 inches, a bit shorter than you might expect. Ginny says, “That’s because I drape them around my neck, cross them in front, and put my wool coat over it. Even cotton or silk scarves are incredibly warm that way.”

About the fringe: Generally speaking, the length of a scarf’s fringe depends on the yarns you are twisting, and on the thickness of each fringe. With silks, I tend to twist fringe to be about 6 inches long, and the bouts are not very thick. With wools, I like how their thicker fringes look when they are shorter. But I think these are personal preferences and you (or your scarf wearers) may have different fringe likes and dislikes.

When it comes to fringe lengths, the Spring 2025 issue is worth a look—it has five lighter-weight scarves and shawls with fringes ranging from 4 to 7 inches. You might also browse different types of scarves in stores or online, and pay attention to the fringe lengths you prefer for each.

The recipients: If you’re weaving scarves for family and friends, you can ask them about their preferred scarf length and size, right after you find out their favorite colors, and how they feel about cotton, wool, silk, or any of the other yarns you’re considering. If you’re weaving scarves for sale, you can’t really know the personal preferences of the buyers, so for accessory scarves made of lightweight silks and cottons, I’d weave to the average measurements above.

I hope this helps!

Madelyn

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Interested in weaving the Cool Breeze scarf shown above? You’ll find it in the November/December 2021 issue of Handwoven.

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If you have a weaving question, please email Madelyn!

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Posted August 14, 2013. Updated May 18, 2022 and September 15, 2025.

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