Open Air Wrap
Although you wouldn’t know it from looking at me, I really do love clothes and style and fashion. I don’t purchase September issues or Louboutins, but I do love the human spectrum that is expressed through clothing choices (thank you, New York City!).
This Open Air Wrap would definitely catch my eye on the street, inciting a reverie about the woman wearing it. If she had paired it with a trim black dress and patent leather pumps, I would think about the artistic her making a bid for self-expression, giving a nod to the unconventional. Or if a woman were wearing the Open Air Wrap with flowing skirts and layers of linen and long necklaces, I would admire that every iota of her wants to be free.
Where do we turn for the unexpected and the singular? Easy, Habu Textiles. For this project I chose their spectacularly fascinating Silk Wrap Paper. Not really paper, but paper-like, Silk Wrapped Paper is actually a slender linen tape bound with an even finer thread of silk. Knit up, it is sculptural, featherlight and totally statement making.
The super simple Purse Stitch, which essentially creates a net-like mesh, gives the Silk Wrap Paper plenty of room to breathe and to express itself. Which brings us back to the beginning. We wear what we wear, from high tops to topsiders, to be ourselves and to tell the world who we are. So, toss your own Open Air Wrap over your shoulders and express yourself! -Whitney
Update: New Yarn
JUNE 17, 2016
Our Open Air Wrap loves a yarn with personality! The original version, in Habu’s crispy Silk Wrap Paper, was a bit sculptural, a bit outside-of-the-box. And now in Linen Quill, the Open Air Wrap reveals a whole other side, one that is soft and voluminous, refined and classic. Visit the new post for more details and additional photos of the Linen Quill version.
Update: New Yarn
November 7, 2018
Our Open Air Wrap is a familiar favorite, but it undergoes a splendid reinvention when paired with our gorgeous new Tussock! This wrap may look as diaphanous as floating mist, but don’t be fooled…It’s really a halo of soft and cozy warmth. Tussock is 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% silk, a blend that insulates with a feather-light touch and a lovely luster. Read all about our latest update here!
Update: New Version
June 17, 2021
In our Linen Quill, the Open Air Wrap achieves a lovely combination of loft and drape. A blend of fine highland wool, alpaca, and linen, there are also dozens of gorgeous colors to choose from! We used Kiln Red because its warm glow is totally lovely on almost everybody.
UPDATE: NOW IN HANDWRITTEN
JUNE 2023
The simple mesh of our Open Air Wrap is perfectly poised to feature a truly special yarn, and our Handwritten is happy to tell its story! Supple and elegant as a line of cursive, this 100% organically grown cotton is a fine, flat ribbon, a structure that gives hand knits more volume and dimension than you might expect from a laceweight yarn. Handwritten’s adorable spool holds over 900 yards of ready-to-go yarn and comes in twenty-six gorgeous colors. Choose a two-spool, two-color Open Air Wrap Bundle, and cast on for this signature wrap!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoOpenAirWrap. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 5 skeins of Habu’s Silk Wrap Paper, 99% Linen and 1% Silk. Approximately 590 yards required. This color is White Navy.
- A US 4 (3.5 mm) straight or circular needles. I used 24-inch Addi Turbo Rockets (They have great pointy tips for easy p2tog’s and very smooth shafts for speed).
Gauge
21¾ stitches = 4 inches in stitch pattern, unblocked
20 stitches = 4 inches in stitch pattern, blocked
Size
Finished Dimensions, Unblocked: 18 inches wide x 56 inches long
Finished Dimensions, Blocked: 20 inches wide x 60 inches long
Notes
Yarn Overs Before Purls
This stitch pattern requires you to make yarn overs before purl stitches, a maneuver that confuses a lot of beginner knitters. The first thing to remember is that a yarn over is simply the act of moving the working yarn from one place to another. That movement does create a stitch once you work the next stitch, but the yarn over itself does not make a stitch. Here’s how to yarn over in the case of the Purse Stitch…
The first yarn over of each row happens after a knit stitch and before a purl two together (p2tog). So, you will knit the first stitch of the row, then bring the working yarn forward into the purl position:
Now bring the working yarn up and over the right needle, wrapping the needle in an away-from-you motion and returning the yarn to the purl position, ready for the p2tog:
For the rest of the row the yarn overs occur between two p2tog’s. In those cases the working yarn is already in the forward purl position (from just having made a p2tog); and so all you have to do is bring the yarn up and over the right needle, wrapping in an away-from-you motion and returning the yarn to the purl position:
Purl Two Together (p2tog)
In this stitch pattern every p2tog is made by inserting the right needle into first the p2tog from the previous round and then the yarn over from the previous round:
Then, as with any normal purl stitch, wrap the working yarn counter clockwise around the right needle and pull a stitch through. Drop the two stitches from the left needle and get ready to yarn over!
Pattern
Cast on 98 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1: K1, *yarn over, Purl 2 Together (p2tog), repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Repeat Row 1 until you have used all five skeins, minus several yards. (For me, the piece measured 56 inches at this point.)
Bind off loosely, purling each stitch.
Weave in the ends, block the finished wrap and wear it all summer long!
Hi!
Do you think Habu’s N-85 Tweedy Silk could work for this pattern?
Thanks!
Tali
Hi Tali,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch in pattern to make sure, but it does look like it will turn out the correct gauge for this pattern!
Best,
Julianna
This is the first pattern I bought from PS. I bought the yarn too, but was afraid of messing it up I knit this in other, cheaper yarns. I love the look and drape of this. I’m making it again this summer.
Best part… this pattern is my go to for Zoom meetings.
I have 270 yards of linen. I like this wrap. How many stitches should I cast on? How many yards are on your skeins? If this is not enough yarn do you have a suggestion what I could knit with this?
Hi Sieglinde,
Thanks for reaching out! Our wrap used 590 yards of yarn, so you do have quite a bit less yardage; however, if you don’t mind a narrower wrap, you could cast on 44 stitches and still knit the wrap to the same length as ours!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello – although it’s hard to argue with free, is there a way that you could post your patterns so that they could be printed more efficiently? I’ve tried twice to print patterns from your site and I end up with pages of pictures and background story and only a page or two of what I really need to knit the pattern. Thanks for considering this!
Hi Jo,
Thanks for reaching out! You can use our print function to select which images and sections of the pattern you do and do not want to print! To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%, or to remove sections from the pattern such as the description or story, simply click on the paragraphs you wish to remove from the printed or PDF pattern.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I knit faster than I purl, so to change the pattern to knitting, I did a swatch as written, and another swatch using *rev YO, k2togtbl* which appears to replicate the pattern nicely. My only question now is, given that I’m knitting instead of purling, is it better to go with K1 for the selvages as written, or should I P1? BTW, I’m doing this in Line Weight, and I think it’s going to be scrumptious! Thanks for your help!
Hi Penelope,
Thanks for writing in, and I’m glad to hear you have found a knitted variation of this stitch that you are happy with! Since the fabric is reversible other than the selvage stitches, I don’t think it’s necessary to purl them, but I would probably try out both version of the selvage in a swatch just to make sure!
Best,
Julianna
Hi, I would like to make this shawl in white tussock for my daughter’s wedding – would like it to be a bit larger approximately 27” X 79”. Can you help me with how many stitches to cast on and how much to buy?
Thank you.
Hi Charlie,
Thanks for writing in, and what a lovely project! For a 27″ wide wrap, you will need to cast on 118 stitches, and you will need five skeins of Tussock.
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
I’m knitting this one In Tussock (3 skeins). I’m assuming:
Size 4 needles
Cast on 98 stitches
Single strand (rather than double)
Is that correct?
Hi Anne,
I am happy to help! This is all correct! For the Tussock version, you will use US 4 needles, a single strand of Tussock and the same cast on as the original pattern above!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I am knitting the Tussock version and having a real problem with the yo P2togther off the cast on edge and was wondering what you would think about doing a row or 2 straight knitting before starting the actual pattern.
Also, specifically, what US 4 needle did your knitter use?
Hi Marilyn,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, I think you could do a single knit row before starting the lace, as long as you also knit one row before casting off so the two ends match. I’m afraid I don’t know what brand of needles our sample knitter used, but I would suggest using Addi Turbo Rocket needles for this project. They have a sharper tip than regular Addi Turbo needles, which should make it a bit easier to get into those stitches!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi!
I love the colors in your sweetgrass collection! Would this yarn be suitable for the Open Air Wrap? Is it “structured“ enough to “accentuate the lace” as Cassy mentioned it should be in one of her comments for this pattern?
Thank you!
-Y
Hi Yuliya,
What a wonderful idea! Yes, I think Sweetgrass would be lovely for this wrap! The wrap won’t have the same crisp structure as the original wrap here, but the drape should be similar to our Open Air Wrap in Linen Quill!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I could really use some help. I’m a relatively new knitter. I fell in love with dah doh cotton tape yarn. I saw that someone made this wrap using this cotton tape. I’m wondering how many stitches to cast on and on what size needle? I have 688 yards.
Thanks so much for your help.
Hi Jill,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m afraid I’m not familiar with that yarn, but if it is not fingering weight, I would recommend knitting a swatch in pattern using a needle one or two sizes larger than is recommended on the label. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 18 inches and round to the nearest even number to determine how many stitches to cast on. It’s hard to say how much yarn you will need when altering the gauge of a pattern like this, but our original wrap used 984 yards. If you end up casting on fewer stitches than we did you may need less yardage, but 688 yards might be a bit short. You may want to consider making your wrap narrower so that it doesn’t turn out too short.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Do you have any recommendations for casting on? I tried using a larger size needle for my swatch, but the cast on stitches are still *way* tighter than the stitch in pattern.
Hi Monika,
Thanks for reaching out! You might want to try working your cast on over two needles held together if just moving up a few needle sizes isn’t loosening things up enough. I also often find that a long tail cast on can be manually stretched fairly easily, so you might want to try giving your swatch a few tugs to see if you can get the cast on to match the width of the stitch!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi there!
I keep making a mistake, and I’m having a really hard time “unknitting” a few stitches to see what I did wrong. As soon as I unknit the p2tog, I then lose the yarn over. I’ve been having to pull out the whole thing to start over! Any tips on not losing the yarn over when unknitting a few stitches? (I hope this makes sense!)
Thank you!
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out! It can be quite tricky to take out stitches in this type of lace! I would recommend un-knitting, or tinking, one stitch at a time, and making sure that the tip of your left hand needle is going into both stitches in the p2tog before slipping anything off the needle. Hopefully this will help you catch the yarn overs!
Best,
Julianna
This looks so beautiful. I’m a relative beginner and am wondering what length circular needles would be best to use?
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you so much for the kind words! You could use either a 24″ or 32″ circular needle for this pattern. If you are ordering a new needle, I would probably go with the 24″ needle!
Best,
Julianna
Hey, is it possible to get this pattern in german?
Hi Manja,
Thanks for reaching out! At present, our patterns are only available in English. We certainly appreciate the request!
Best,
Julianna
Can you show how to knit this left handed?
Hi Shauna,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately we don’t have a left handed tutorial for this pattern. If you’re just starting out, I would recommend trying to learn to knit the same way a right handed person would, as many left handed knitters follow the same instructions using the left hand instead. Because knitting is a two-handed activity you will still have to use your right hand either way, and as you start knitting more complicated patterns, it will probably become more and more difficult to reverse the instructions. I hope that helps!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
My left-handed mother was a self-taught knitter. She discovered in her fifties that she was knitting in the Continental style.
I knit in Continental style as well but that’s because I have crocheted for decades. I am in year 2 of knitting
Hi! what method of casting-on should I use with Tussock yarn?
thanks!
Hi Heather,
Thank you for writing in! The basic Long Tail Cast On is our cast-on method of choice for almost any project, including ones that use Tussock. Happy knitting!
Best,
Gaby
So I am what I would call a very advanced beginner – I love lace patterns and knitting in the round. This pattern has me stymied because no matter HOW carefully I count this out I always end up with one extra stitch. I’ve checked my YOs – especially the first one thinking I was somehow messing it up – but have followed your (excellent) pics and some vids. Still, that darned extra stitch. Any thoughts? I am totally flummoxed. Many thanks!
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for reaching out with this question! I would love to try figuring this out with you, but I just need a bit more information. At which row are you noticing this extra stitch? Also, until we figure out where your extra stitch is coming from there is no need to cast-on for the full pattern, a small swatch will suffice!
Best,
Gaby
Hi Gaby,
I was having the same problem and realized that I was doing a YO between the P2Tog and the last knit stitch. There is no YO here between the last 2 stitches. Hope this helps.
Hi Vanessa,
Thank you so much for the tip – hopefully this will be helpful to many other knitters!
Best,
Julianna
Hi! If I use Sweetgrass Fine for this project, do I still use a size 4 needle? Thank you!
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for writing in! Since Sweetgrass Fine is a laceweight yarn, I think this pattern would be better on a US 2 or 3, but the best way to find out is to knit a gauge swatch! Once you decide which needle size looks the best with Sweetgrass Fine, you can then measure your stitches per inch and multiply that either by 18 inches if you didn’t block your swatch or 20 inches if you did, and round to the nearest even number to determine how many stitches to cast on.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I fell in love with the open air wrap and have purchase the tussock to work this pattern. Beautiful! I have a question – I don’t see in mentioned in the pattern so I am assuming you use one strand Tussock. It is so fine I wanted to make sure I shouldn’t be knitting with two strands. Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Betty
Hi Betty
Thanks for writing in! You are correct that you only use one strand of Tussock to knit this gorgeous wrap! Hope this helps and happy knitting!
Best
Jessica
Thanks so much!
Any chance you can add a video? I’ve looked at other p2tog videos and cannot figure this out based on your directions.
Hi Jemi,
Thanks for reaching out! For this pattern, you will be working ordinary p2tog decreases, as we show in the first half of our Purl 2 Together (p2tog) + Slip Slip Purl (ssp) tutorial.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I purchased LInen Quill to make this pattern but where can I find the exact instructions for the linen Quill?
Please advise asap.
I need to make this for a gift.
Thank you!
Hi Lois,
Thanks for writing in! You can find our Linen Quill version by clicking right here! The only modifications we made were to change the needle size to a US 5 which alters the gauge slightly. Other than that, you will follow the pattern as written above!
Best,
Julianna
I bought this yarn from your shop 12 years ago! I have 2 skeins that I’d love to knit and I love this piece. It looks like I don’t have enough but is it possible to adapt this with less yarn somehow? If so can you please tell me how? Ive decided to FINALLY knit it this week!
Hi Harkamal,
So exciting to finally pick up the project! It’s never too late and if you purchased the original silk wrap paper yarn, it looks like we still carry some colors here (https://www.purlsoho.com/silk-wrap-paper-n-94.html) if you’re interested in making the full version. We used 5 skeins to make the wrap so 2 likely wouldn’t be enough to make something close to the finished size. I hope that helps with what you’re planning!
All the best,
Zha Zha
Hi. I am finally getting to the end and have a question regarding the bind off: when you say purl each stitch, does that mean that you purl each pair of stitches that you had purled as p2tog or do you purl each individual “loop”, meaning ignoring that they were purled as as pairs? I hope it makes sense… Thank you!
Hi Stephanie,
When binding off for this pattern, purl each individual loop loosely.
I hope this helps!
Oscar
I’m using Quince & Co Sparrow to make an abbreviated version of this. How do I add a new skein without it being glaringly obvious?
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for writing in! This is always a tricky problem in open lacework! I would recommend joining your new yarn at the very beginning of a row so you can weave the two tails into the selvage stitch in opposite directions to avoid creating a bulky spot.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I’m in love with this pattern! I’m considering using Posy – any thoughts?
Thanks – Constance
PS- thanks for getting me through this global pandemic. Can’t wait to come in as soon as you open up again. Big love to all of you at Purl Soho!
Hi Constance,
Thank you so much for the very kind words! The day we can safely welcome everyone back to our store can’t come soon enough! We haven’t tried using Posy yet for this wrap, but it is the correct weight and blocks out beautifully, so I think it will be really lovely. It is ever so slightly thicker than the fingering weights we have knit the Open Air Wrap out of in the past, so I would try a swatch in pattern before casting on the full wrap to see if you prefer it on a US 4 or 5!
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
I have 2 skeins of Great Adirondack Yarn Co. DK cotton that I think would look very pretty in this pattern. The yarn isn’t typical cotton, this has a nice give to it. Total is 630yd. Wondering if I need to go up in needle size to get the lace effect, as well as change the CO #. All too often I tear out a project 3-5X trying to get the right size and it would be nice to avoid that. Thoughts?
Hi Shari,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend working up a gauge swatch with the stitch pattern in the cotton and play around with the recommended needles size and maybe a size or two up to see how it works up! Depending on which you like the best and if you decide to go up in needle size you can adjust the cast on from there!
Feel free to reach out with any more questions you may have, happy knitting!
Gianna
Hello!
I’m working this in Posy. I started using a #4 needle, but the pattern is not as open as I’d like and as your photos look. I tried using a #6 needle (don’t happen to have a suitable #5) and I like the openness of the pattern better. I knit a little tightly and so the gauge is only slightly off—I’ll compensate by using 90 stitches instead of 98. My question is: how much more will Posy stretch compared to either Tussock or the Habu yarn? I’m concerned that it will stretch significantly more and I’ll end up with a wrap that has a weave that is TOO open if I use the #6 needles. Thank you for your comments, and another beautiful pattern.
Hi Karen,
Thanks for reaching out! Posy will stretch out a bit more than the Tussock or Habu yarn would, due to the springy quality of how posy is spun! I would recommend blocking your gauge swatch to see how it will look finished and post blocking, or if it will be too open so you know in advance if you need to adjust the needle.
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Would this pattern work with a worsted weight yarn? Thanks!
Hi Victoria,
Thanks for reaching out! It is possible to knit this pattern with a worsted weight, however you will need to adjust the gauge and pattern quite a bit since this pattern is written for a size 4 needle with a lace weight yarn. I would recommend working a gauge swatch with the yarn you plan on using with a needle a size or 2 up from what is recommended for the yarn. You can then you can adjust the pattern from there based on your gauge! Our tutorial All About Gauge is an excellent resource to use!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
I’d like to knit a fairly narrow scarf version in this stitch. Is a 30 stitch cast on okay?
Hi Heather,
Thanks for reaching out! Depending on how wide you want the scarf to be 30 stitches should work!
Warmly,
Gianna
Would one skein of tussock be enough for a decent length scarf using the 30 Sts mentioned above? I tend to wear scarves or even cowls more than shawls and I think this pattern would be beautiful in either. Any suggestions welcome.
Thanks.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for writing in! With a cast-on of just 30 stitches, you’ll be able to make a scarf that’s about 7 inches wide and 82 inches long with 1 skein of Tussock. I think that’s plenty long enough for a scarf!
All the best,
Lili
Is there a crochet stitch which would give a similar look?
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! We don’t currently offer a crochet version of this pattern but thank you for expressing your interest! I will be sure to pass this along to the rest of the team!
Warmly,
Gianna
I love this pattern, and I’ve yet to see another with such helpful, generous replies to comments.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for writing in and for your kind words! I am so glad to hear that you enjoy this pattern and I am always happy to answer any questions you may have going forward!
Warmly,
Gianna
Using tussock, and it is gorgeous. How do you block this scarf? Wet soak? Steam?
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for writing in! I would recommend steaming to block this finished wrap!
Warmly,
Gianna
Could you make this with Brume? I f so, how many skeins and what size needles?
Thanks!
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for reaching out. You can definitely knit this pattern in Brume! You’ll need 4 skeins, and we recommend using anywhere from size US 3 to 6 needles with Brume. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi there, do you think I could use cattail silk? The measurement I would like to do would be 25 inches by 46 inches. And what size needle please. Thank you so much.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out. You can definitely use Cattail Silk for this pattern! Since Cattail Silk is also a fingering weight yarn, you’ll can likely use the same size needles we recommend in the pattern. I would suggest knitting up a gauge swatch beforehand, just to be sure!
All the best,
Lili
Hi. Was wondering if I could do this pure stitch in knit two together instead of the purl two together, and have less stress on my fingers and joints.
Hi Jeri,
Thanks for reaching out. You can absolutely make this wrap using k2tog instead of p2tog! You would just need to switch the k1’s with p1’s as well in order to keep the pattern consistent. This is how Row 1 would be rewritten:
Row 1: P1, *yarn over, k2tog, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Do you have a printable version of this pattern? I would like to make the original pattern versus the larger new version. The one that takes three skeins of yarn. I have silk mohair yarn that I would like to use.
Hi Angela,
If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images, click the drop-down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%.
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Hi! I just bought 4 hanks, in 2 colors, of linen quill. My plan is to make 2 of these wraps . I haven’t swatched yet, but I’m wondering what you think about going up on my needle size to a 7. I know it will look different, but what are your thoughts? Thanks again for all of your time!–Karen Thiemermann
Hi Karen,
Thanks for writing in! We love to see experimentation! The Open Air wrap has been knit with many yarns on various needle sizes over the years. Sizing up to a US7 needle will make for a more open Open Air Wrap. If you’re curious, be sure to knit a gauge swatch to see how this will impact your finished measurements. I trust it will come out beautiful either way.
Happy knitting,
Carly
What number of stitches is the pattern repeat, for purposes of making this narrower or wider? TIA!
Hi Nancy!
Thank you for your question. This pattern uses any even number for a multiple, so to calculate the cast on amount for a narrower or wider wrap, you can measure how many stitches you are getting (in pattern) per inch, and then multiply that number by your desired width in inches and round to the nearest even number!
I hope this helps, and happy knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
Hi, how many skeins of 2 ply cashmere would I need to knit this wrap? Thanks!
Hi Elise,
Thanks for writing in! You will need 2 skeins of Jade Sapphire’s 2-Ply Cashmere to make this pattern.
All the best,
Lili
I have been knitting this wrap with Shibui twig, which has proven a little difficult because the yarn is so wiry. So far, my wrap has very clear vertical columns of p2tpg with open stitches between and really doesn’t resemble any of the wraps in any yarn you all have shown. Am I doing something wrong or is it because the yarn is so stiff that that stitches just aren’t relaxing? Thank you!
Hi Holly,
Thank you for your question, though I’m sorry to hear your wrap is turning out differently than expected! While the texture of your yarn may be impacting the overall lace effect, one thing to double check is that you are knitting one stitch at the beginning of each row. This will help to offset the design so that stripes do not appear, and will create a fabric that looks more like mesh than stripes.
If you are still having trouble, we’d love to see a photo of your work so far, so please feel free to send us a photo at customerservice@purlsoho.com for some extra help!
All the best,
Margaret
Hi! I’m almost finished with this wrap and have loved knitting it. Do you have any tips/suggestions as to how to block it?
Thank you!
Hi Lauren,
We recommend wet blocking this wrap and laying it flat to dry (on blocking mats, or a very large towel or piece of cardboard)! You may need to pin the edges down so that the lace pattern opens up as much as possible.
It’s also important not to stretch your project out too much while it’s soaking, so a good tip for a large project like this is to put it in a pillowcase before placing it in the water to soak so that the entire project can be removed from the water without stretching and the excess water can be gently pressed out before laying it flat to dry.
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you for these tips! In the past when blocking, I have only sprinkled a project with water. Should I fully submerge the wrap (in the pillowcase)?
Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Lauren! Yes, I’d recommend fully submerging the wrap. That will make sure the water reaches all parts of the yarn, especially the more intertwined stitches, where a sprinkle of water probably wouldn’t reach!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you!
Hello, I have read all the comments that pertain to my problem but still am not able to resolve it. I casted on 98 stitches, K1 then the wrap and P2tog over the rest of the stitches but still ended up with 2 stitches at the far end rather than one. I ended up doing a wrap and knit the last two tog but I know this isn’t how the pattern is described. Could you clarify this for me, thanks so much
Hi Pamela,
Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you may have either cast on an incorrect number of stitches, or worked a p1 instead of a p2tog somewhere in the middle of the first row! Either of these issues will result in the problem that you’re encountering. So that all of your stitches on the subsequent rows line up correctly, I’d recommend undoing your work and beginning again. I’d also recommend triple-checking your stitch count after casting on!
All the best,
Lili
What’s the best way to join two balls of Habu silk wrapped paper yarn?
Hi Carol,
Thanks for reaching out, and that’s a great question! This yarn is so unique that the best option for joining skeins is also very unique. I would recommend overlapping the ends of each skein and carefully hand-sewing them together! It’s a bit tedious, but in the end it will create a nearly imperceptible join. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hello. I’ve just finished my second Wedding Shawl – made one in Burnish and the second one in Santolina. They were both gifts, and now I’m looking for a pattern and yarn to make something for me. I’ve decided on the Open Air Wrap, but want to make it in Cattail Silk. Please advise how many skeins I’ll need to make the wrap 70” long. As always, thanks for your wonderful yarns and patterns.
Hi Diane,
You would need 2 skeins of Cattail Silk to make a wrap that’s 70 inches long in this stitch pattern!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you Lili!