Crochet Janus Keyhole Scarf Pattern: Easy & Stylish Project

I’m so happy to share a new crochet pattern with you today, it’s taken me a bit of time to get it all finished off but it’s a crochet scarf pattern that’s designed to make the most of that special 50g skein of hand-dyed yarn you’ve been holding onto. You know the one: too gorgeous to let sit in your stash, but not quite enough for a big project, or perhaps the left overs from a big project…

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The Janus Keyhole Scarf crochet pattern featuring a model wearing the scarf outdoors, with close-up images of the scarf design. The pattern is easy for beginners and requires approximately 2 x 50g skeins of 4ply yarn and a 3 mm hook.

This scarf is part of my hand-dyed challenge, which you’ll be right in thinking I haven’t mentioned again since I posted about it in January. I might have been a little overconfident thinking I could manage something for every month (we’ll have to see how it goes). But at least I’ve finally got around to this one. The challenge is all about finally using my beautiful stash of hand-dyed yarn instead of just admiring (or hoarding!) it, and I have to say – it feels good to finally put some of it to work.

This pattern also fulfilled a fun little challenge I had with my crochet designer friend Fay at the start of the year. We set ourselves a mini goal to design a ‘scarf’ using no more than 100g of yarn. Fay, ever the organised one, absolutely smashed it and released her stunning design, One Way or Another, back in early April. True to her creative flair, she went above and beyond by designing not just one, but a versatile crochet pattern that covers two yarn weights and three different styles – scarf, necktie, and cowl. It’s a beautiful and clever design that’s well worth checking out!

A beautifully crafted Janus Keyhole Scarf featuring a mix of contrasting hand-dyed yarns, displayed alongside a mug of tea and decorative plants on a wooden surface.

The Janus Scarf

For my first project, I chose to make the Janus Scarf—a name that felt particularly fitting for this challenge. It’s named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, transitions, and duality, who is often depicted with two faces. Since this was my first project of the year, marking a fresh start, I decided to use two contrasting skeins of hand-dyed yarn so the the name felt just right. Plus, January itself is named after Janus, making it an even more fitting choice!

The yarns I picked had been in my stash for far too long, waiting for the right project. Working with them was a treat—the contrast between the two skeins made the stitches pop beautifully, and I loved seeing how they played together in the finished piece.

A cosy scene featuring two balls of yarn on a wooden table, with a turquoise teapot and a cup of tea in the background.

I’m using up 50g of undyed yarn left over from a blanket project (more on that later) and a 50g skein from Sable Yarns. Now sadly it doesn’t seem as if Sable Yarns are active any more (I can’t find much posted after 2022), and I’m not entirely sure where I purchased the yarn, though I’m assuming it was at a yarn show before that date. The particular colourway I’m using is called ‘Ermagerd’ which I think is supposed to be the humorous version of the phrase oh my god, that sometimes appears in memes – and I like to think of it as ‘ermagerd she’s finally using up some of her stash’!

I made a short keyhole scarflette using just the 100g of yarn, and I absolutely love how it turned out! A keyhole scarf features a slit that allows one end to be threaded through, creating a secure fit without the need for a knot. This makes it less bulky and more streamlined than traditional scarves. I designed it to be a neat, compact piece – just big enough to wrap snuggly around the neck and sit slightly across the top of the chest. It was my first time trying this style, and I really enjoyed the process of bringing my idea to life! I see more keyhole type scarves in my future!

A person wearing a colourful crochet Janus keyhole scarf, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

The pattern is very beginner-friendly—if you’re familiar with basic crochet stitches (double crochet / US single crochet, trebles / US double crochet and decreases), you should have no trouble following along and creating a scarf you’ll be proud of! In the pattern I’ve included both the written instructions and a helpful chart to guide you through the process.

❤️ SAVE JANUS KEYHOLE SCARF ON RAVELRY ❤️

The crochet Janus Keyhole Scarf pattern in now available for purchase from usual pattern platforms.

Handdyed Challenge Progress So Far

✅ 1 project complete!
🧶 Stash dented? A little—but let’s be honest, I really need to crack on with another project!

I have to say that this challenge is already helping me be more intentional with my yarn choices, and I’ve actually been enjoying diving into my stash and finding treasures!

Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx