For a small design team, a surprising number of us collect vintage linen tea towels. The soft, hearty weave of vintage homespun linen is irresistible, and our love for it demanded a hand-knit translation!

Peppered Stripes Wrap | Purl Soho

I turned to the aptly named Linen Stitch to imitate the flat, sturdy nature of vintage tea towels and paired it with our sumptuous sportweight Cashmere Merino Bloom. Obviously, this project would not be for drying dishes and cleaning spills!

Peppered Stripes Wrap | Purl Soho

For the majority of our Peppered Stripes Wrap we used soft and creamy Heirloom White. Peppered throughout, we placed peppery stripes, formed by alternating rows of our helix spun color, Salt + Pepper.

Peppered Stripes Wrap | Purl Soho

It seems that whatever the fiber inspiration, there’s a way to knit it. Our Peppered Stripes Wrap perfectly channels the woven heirloom feeling of vintage tea towels, but in a cozy cashmere-blend that is much happier around your neck than in the kitchen! -Laura

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoPepperedStripesWrap, and #PurlSohoCashmereMerinoBloom. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Peppered Stripes Wrap | Purl Soho
  • 5 skeins of Purl Soho’s Cashmere Merino Bloom, 75% extra fine merino wool and 25% cashmere. Each skein is 218 yards/ 100 grams.
    • Main Color (MC): 4 skeins of Cashmere Merino Bloom; approximately 839 yards required. We used Heirloom White.
    • Contrast Color (CC): 1 skein of Cashmere Merino Bloom; approximately 119 yards required. We used Salt + Pepper.
  • US 8 (5mm) straight or circular needles

Gauge

24 stitches and 44 rows = 4 inches in Linen Stitch

Size

Finished Dimensions:  14 inches wide x 72 inches long

Notes

Slip all stitches purlwise unless indicated otherwise.

Stitch Patterns

One-Color Linen Stitch

Row 1 (wrong side): P1, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), p1, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 knitwise wyib, *k1, slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), repeat from * to last two stitches, k1, slip 1 knitwise wyib.

Two-Color Linen Stitch

With CC…

Row 1 (wrong side):  P1, *slip 1 wyib, p1, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 knitwise wyib *k1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last two stitches, k1, slip 1 knitwise wyib.

With MC…

Rows 3 and 4: Repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Pattern

NOTE: What follows are exact directions for making your Wrap like ours, but feel free to place stripes wherever you want!

With MC, cast on 85 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Work in One-Color Linen Stitch (see Stitch Patterns, above) until piece measures 1¾ inches from cast-on edge, ending with a right-side row.

Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch (see Stitch Patterns, above) for approximately 2 inches, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.

With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 1 inch, ending with a right-side row.

Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately 4 inches, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.

With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 26½ inches, ending with a right-side row.

Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately 2 inches, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.

With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 14¾ inches, ending with a right-side row.

Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately 3 inches, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.

With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 1½ inch, ending with a right-side row.

Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately 1½ inches, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.

With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 3 inches, ending with a right-side row.

Join CC and work in Two-Color Linen Stitch for approximately 5½ inches, ending with Row 4. Cut CC.

With MC, work in One-Color Linen Stitch for 5½ inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

Bind off knitwise.

Weave in your ends and block as desired.

Peppered Stripes Wrap | Purl Soho