Light + Shadow Wrap
Our Light + Shadow Wrap pairs perfectly with a tall glass of lemonade and a shady perch. Its two-color play is deceptively simple, just rows of knits and purls that work up with the rhythm and flow of a porch swing!
This simple pattern involves sections of stockinette stitch punctuated by rows of contrasting garter stripes that sway back and forth, one color giving way to the other. Pick similar tones (like we did) for a soft glow, or intensify the look with a high-contrast pairing.
Purl Soho’s Field Linen infuses our Light + Shadow Wrap with a casual sophistication. Whatever linen might lack in downiness, it more than makes up for with its cool, crisp modern sensibility. An elegant, no-nonsense pattern and a fresh, summertime fiber… Kick off your sandals for a shoot-the-breeze kind of knit!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Designed for Purl Soho by Joan Forgione.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoLightAndShadowWrap, and #PurlSohoFieldLinen. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Color A: 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Field Linen, 100% linen. Each skein is 295 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 590 yards required. We used the color Queen Anne’s Lace.
- Color B: 3 skeins of Field Linen; approximately 590 yards required. We used the color Silver Thistle.
- US 5 (3.75 mm), 24-inch circular needles
NOTE: You may not need the 3rd skein of Color B. If you don’t end up needing it, you can return unwound yarn for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months, for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!
GAUGE
21 stitches and 33 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
22 stitches and 36 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch
SIZE
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 20 inches wide x 78 inches long
NOTE
Carry non-working yarn up the side of the wrap by bringing the working yarn behind, then under, the non-working yarn every right-side row.
PATTERN
With Color A, cast on 105 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Set-Up Rows 1-4: With Color A, knit to end of row.
Section 1
Row 1 (right side): With Color B, knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): With Color B, k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Rows 3-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2, ending with wrong-side row.
Rows 9 + 10: With Color A, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1-10 eight more times.
NOTE: You may notice that for our sample we repeated nine times, but to be sure you don’t run out of yarn, we suggest eight times! (Don’t worry, we adjusted the finished length to accommodate this change.)
Section 2
Row 1 (right side): With Color B, knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): With Color B, k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Rows 3-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2, ending with wrong-side row.
Rows 9-12: With Color A, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1–12 seven times more, ending with wrong-side row.
Section 3
Row 1 (right side): With Color B, knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): With Color B, k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Rows 3-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2, ending with wrong-side row.
Rows 9–14: With Color A, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1–14 six more times, ending with wrong-side row.
Section 4
Row 1 (right side): With Color B, knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): With Color B, k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Rows 3-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2, ending with wrong-side row.
Rows 9 + 10: With Color A, knit to end of row.
Rows 11 + 12: With Color B, knit to end of row.
Rows 13-16: Repeat Rows 9-12, ending with a wrong-side row.
Section 5
Row 1 (right side): With Color A, knit to end of row.
Row 2: With Color A, k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Rows 3-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2, ending with wrong-side row.
Rows 9-14: With Color B, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1-14 six more times, ending with wrong-side row.
Section 6
Row 1 (right side): With Color A, knit to end of row.
Row 2: With Color A, k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Rows 3-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2, ending with wrong-side row.
Row 9-12: With Color B, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1-12 seven more times, ending with wrong-side row.
Section 7
Row 1 (right side): With Color A, knit to end of row.
Row 2: With Color A, k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2.
Rows 3-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2, ending with a wrong-side row.
Rows 9 + 10: With Color B, knit to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1-10 eight more times.
NOTE: Again, for our sample we repeated nine times but recommend eight to ensure you have enough yarn.
Repeat Rows 1-8.
Cut Color A.
With Color B, knit 4 rows, ending with wrong-side row.
Bind off all stitches knitwise.
Weave in the ends and wet block flat.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
What a beautiful wrap! When I get back home from vacation I will definitely make this one.
Hello, this is a beautiful pattern! I have some Kalinka 100% linen yarn in my stash – would this work for this pattern?
Hi Alyson,
Thanks for writing in and for the kind words! Although you should always knit a gauge swatch when substituting yarns, Kalinka should work out perfectly for this pattern!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Thank you for this lovely linen scarf! I’ve been thinking linen and narrow stripes…..and here it is!
Julie
Hi!
I just received the Cattail Silk x2 for the Rose Stitch wrap – and was getting ready to wind it and start…..when I saw the pattern for Light+Shadow wrap! I’ve changed my mind and have just ordered Field Linen! Be in the look out for the 2skeins of silk that I’m returning. Thankfully you always provide an option to redirect the creative urge when one’s mind has changed!
Thanks again,
Brenda
Hello Brenda,
Thank you for reaching out and being so respectful of our return policy. We are always happy to help support creative urges!
Happy knitting,
-Marilla
Re: NOTE in Instructions –
Could a video re: carrying yarn up work be added as addendum to this post –
Thank you- Martha
Hi Martha,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately we don’t have the resources at the moment to do a video tutorial of this. We will keep your request in mind though for the future! Thanks!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Thank you for this gorgeous pattern. What would go well with Wheat Berry color?
Hi Tessa,
Thank you for the kind words! I think Wheat Berry would be lovely with either Natural Flax or Salt Cedar!
Best,
Julianna
Simple yet elegant. Thank you!
I love the Natural Flax color. What solid color would work well with it for a subtle, elegant complement? Would Silver Thistle be enough of a contrast, or should I go with a more definitely different color like Wheat Berry? Thanks as always for your guidance.
Hello Norma,
Thank you for reaching out! I think that Silver Thistle will be subtle, but elegant, so perhaps it would be perfect. I think It will not be high contrast, but it will give you enough contrast.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
This is gorgeous! I’m knitting it for my mom. I do have a question though. At the very beginning we are to cast on with color a and the next thing it says is set up Rows 1 -4. Does that mean under section 1 I’ll do 1 through 4 with color a and then switch to color b and do 1 through 4 and continue with section 1?
Thank you for your help!
Trisha
Hello Trisha,
Thank you for reaching out! This just means that for your first 4 rows are all “knit to the end of the row” with color A.
I hope this makes sense and let us know if it doesn’t!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Would this pattern be adaptable to a knitting machine easily?
Hi Karen,
Great question! Although I am not a machine knitter myself, I believe it is a bit tricky to create garter or reverse stockinette rows on a knitting machine without special attachments or hand manipulation, and there are garter ridges between the stockinette stripes throughout this wrap. However, if you are familiar with machine knitting and up to the challenge, that would make creating this wrap a breeze!
Best,
Julianna
Thank you. Linen scarf is very good.)))
Am I correct that section 4 has no repeats? We only knit the 16 rows once?
Thanks
Hello Nancy,
Thank you for reaching out! You are correct- section 4 is a total of 16 rows.
Warmly,
Marilla
What a beautiful design and not difficult! Always a plus for a new knitter. I have never knit with linen and I am finding that when I weave in the loose ends they do not want to stay put, any suggestions?
Thank you!
Hi Dana,
Thanks for the kind words and for reaching out! It can be extra tricky to weave in ends with fibers such as cotton, linen, and slippery silks – unlike wool, the fiber doesn’t have any barbs to grip onto itself. Any of the techniques we use in our Weaving In Ends tutorial will work, but I usually weave for a longer distance, at least 2 to 3 inches in one direction and at least half that distance in the opposite direction, when working with difficult yarns, and leave about a quarter inch when I trim the tail. If you cut it any closer you will probably find it just pops back out! After the first few washes and wears I also check to see if any tails need a fresh trim, but as long as you have woven in enough length you will have plenty of room to re-trim the tails as necessary.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi everyone,
I was wondering if someone could help me with the NOTE instructions. Do I bring the working yarn behind and over the non working yarn only at the beginning of every right side row?
I am trying to figure that out but so far to no avail…
Thank you and happy knitting everyone!
Hi Emilia,
Thanks for writing in! You are correct, you will be twisting the yarns together only once at the beginning of each right side row.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hello! I’ve never worked with multiple yarns at once so I am really confused as to how and when to load the second colour. Do I somehow knit both colours on when I knit the first row “right side” with the first colour and then keep doing that every time I reach that side of the piece? How does one add on the second colour? Do I just slipknot and knit both colours on together on that very first row or is there another preferred method? Thanks!
Hello Adriane,
Thanks for this question! There is no need to not the yarn you can just start knitting it, leaving a tail to weave in at the end. Once you have started knitting with and are switching from one color to another you will carry unused color of yarn up the side of the wrap by bringing the working yarn behind then under the non-working yarn every right-side row.
I hope this makes sense and let us know if you have any further questions!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Hi?
I’m almost finishing up with this wrap and looking ahead on how to block it. Can you describe how to do that plus can you successfully stretch it with loosing the ridges? Or, how much?
Thanks,
Brenda?
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for writing in! One of the best things about our Field Linen is that it is machine washable! Although the ridges will still stand out even after a bit of a stretch, it shouldn’t be necessary to block this wrap aggressively. I would wash it in a mesh delicates bag on a cold and gentle cycle and then lay it flat to dry and simply reshape it to have straight edges without pinning or stretching.
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Could I make this in fingering merino? I love the pattern but I’m trying to use up some yarn that didn’t work for another project.
Thank you
Hello Sue,
Thank you for reaching out! Yes, this wrap can be knit up in any fingering weight yarn.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hello!! I want to thank you for all of your exceptionally beautiful patterns and yarns. I have been a “yarnaholic” for a long time and can truly appreciate these luxurious fibers. I have never worked with 100% linen before. I know it usually gets softer after washing. Is this true of your field linen? Is it similar to Shibui linen? My concern is the stiffness of the new yarn and I’m wondering if that would affect my knitting. Again, many thanks for your lovely site!!
Hi Karen,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for writing in! Although I’m not familiar with Shibui linen, I have washed and blocked our Field Linen before and it softens up dramatically! It can be a bit of a challenge to knit with due to the stiffness of the unwashed yarn, but if you make it through, it does become dramatically softer and drapier after a trip through the washing machine. As always, you should knit a gauge swatch, since if you are unused to knitting with plant fibers, you may find that you knit tighter or looser than you usually do.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi there, this looks beautiful! I was wondering if this pattern would be easily adaptable to make it into a scarf instead of a wrap, basically, make it not as wide? What would the stitch count be if I wanted to shorten the width? Thank you!
Best,
Casey
Hi Casey,
Thanks for writing in! To determine your cast on number, you will simply need to multiply the desired width of your scarf in inches by our approximate gauge of 5 stitches per inch. This pattern works on any number of stitches so you can then round to the nearest whole number and cast on!
Best,
Julianna
Hi,
This is a beautiful pattern! I was looking to make this using the color Quail Feather. What would be the other color that you recommend to use along with it? Thanks!
Hi Manushi,
Thank you so much for the kind words! I think either Natural Flax or Silver Thistle would pair beautifully with Quail Feather.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I was wondering whether Linen Quill would work well with this pattern, or possibly Brooklyn Tweed. I would rather not use a 100% linen yarn. Thanks!
Hello Mary,
Thank you for reaching out! I think this pattern would be beautiful in our Linen Quill.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Would Cattail Silk be a good alternative choice? If so, would Wood Mouse and Porcelain White be similar to the choice above and would 2 skeins be enough? Are there other color waves you could suggest in Cattail Silk?
Thank you for beautiful patterns and incredible yarns to choose from.
Mary
Hello Mary,
Thank you for reaching out! That would be an elegantly neutral combination without loosing contrast. Additionally will be able to knit up this whole wrap with just two skeins (one of each color) in our Cattail Silk.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
What a beautiful wrap! I’ve worn your Elementary Wrap all winter and would love to wear this all summer. Can you tell me if the light color in the Blue Verbena Field Linen matches the Queen Anne’s Lace color?
thank you!
Laurie in Boston
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for reaching out! Although I do think that Blue Verbena and Queen Anne’s Lace would work well together, the lighter color in Blue Verbena is actually a yellow, not a white. Another option would be to pair Blue Verbena with Silver Thistle – it is still not an exact match, but the sage color is quite lovely with the yellow and blue.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hello!
I was wondering if it could be converted into a cowl…? It would require a provisional CO and probably adjusting the width..
I guess. ?Would you recommend it or it is better to stick to shawl version?
Love all your patterns, thank you so much ?
Hi Karo,
Great question! I think you could very easily knit this is a cowl and it would be just as lovely! Cowls are typically a bit shorter as well as narrower than wraps, so I would suggest casting on 75 stitches and working each section to about 14 inches for a total length of 56 inches. Starting with a provisional cast on and joining the two ends with kitchener stitch would create a seamless professional finish!
Happy knitting, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
I have followed this pattern faithfully using Field Linen and ran out of color B (Queen Anne’s Lace) about half way through section 5. Now it is out of stock. Very sad. 🙁
Hi Laurie,
I am so sorry to hear this! We do have Queen Anne’s Lace in stock at present! I wonder about your gauge on this project. On larger projects, being as little as a single stitch over 4 inches different from the stated gauge can result in using significantly more yarn. So long as the drape and look of the wrap is to your liking, differences in gauge will only result in differences in yarn usage.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
What color would go with prairie clover?
Thank you
Hello Paulette,
Thank you for reaching out! I think that Queen Anne’s Lace would be beautiful with Prairie Clover.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi, thank you for your beautiful patterns, i love wraps and this one is lovely, just a silly question: do you cut the yarn every time you change from color A to B and B to A?
Hi Gilda,
Thanks for the question! You will not cut the yarn each time. Rather, you will carry unused color of yarn up the side of the wrap by bringing the working yarn behind then under the non-working yarn every right-side row.
I hope that this clears things up!
Cassy
I love this pattern and plan to order 2 skeins of the Field Linen in Silver Thistle. However, I have a skein of a sequined fingering weight yarn in my stash that I would like to use as a contrast. The problem is I only have 500 yards of it. Is it possible to adjust the pattern to allow for the smaller amount of contrasting yarn?
Hello June,
Thank you for reaching out! You certainly can. Midway through the pattern the contrast color becomes the main color so you could just continue longer before this switch begins.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hello, you wonderfully creative Purl Soho folks: How do you think Sweet William Pink would pair with May Apple in the Light+Shadow Wrap? And would either of them pair with WheatBerry? The first two might be subtle (unless they are simply off when next to each other), while the second combination of Wheatberry with either Sweet William Pink or May Apple might be pleasantly dramatic. I’d love to know what you think!
Hello Sue,
Thank you for reaching out, and for your sweet words! I love the idea of William Pink with May Apple for a fun colorful option. Wheat Berry could a lovely choice as well, though it does have yellow in it which might be strange with the pink.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thanks very much for the help. I love PurlSoho!
Hello,
Could you be more specific regarding your note:
“Carry unused color of yarn up the side of the wrap by bringing the working yarn behind then under the non working yarn every right side row”
Many thanks if you can
Jan
Hello Jan,
Thank you for reaching out! This is so that your contrast yarn will be ready to knit with when it is time to stripe. You are basically carrying your non working yarn up the side.
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla
Has anyone else had trouble with the edging on this pattern? I’ve tried to be careful and not knit the edge stitches too loosely, but the edging looks messy and not very pretty. Any suggestions for a different edge?
thanks!
Hello Jodee,
Thank you for reaching out! You could add a selvedge edge to your wrap. To do this you will slip the first stitch knitwise, work to the last stitch, knit one for all right side rows. For your wrong side rows slip the first stitch purlwise, work to the last stitch, purl one.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thanks! I’ll give that a try.
Sorry for the temporary stupidity but, here goes:
I realize we cast on 105 stitches with color A but what are the set up rows 1-4. According to section 1, we are then knitting with color B.
Thanks, in advance!
Hi Cary,
Thanks for reaching out! You will continue using Color A for the set-up rows, and will then use Color B for rows 1 through 8 of Section 1. After that, just keep switching colors as indicated in the pattern.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Thank you for this site of questions and answers! I’m knitting a practice prototype of this ( without all the repeats) because I’m a new knitter and waiting for field linen and queen Ann lace to be back in stock. 🙂
In section 5, is the pattern changing sides with the stockinette stitch now on the @ wrong side, thus now becoming the right side?
Thank you in advance for your reply.
– Jan
Hi Jan,
Thanks for reaching out! Although the width of each texture stripe changes, the stockinette should always stay on the same side of the wrap, so you may have gotten off by a row somewhere if you are now finding that the right and wrong sides of the wrap have reversed. I would suggest taking out Section 5 and making sure that Section 4 ended correctly with a wrong side row.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I just happened to notice the sale….and after vowing not purchase more yarn….
What do you think of Wheat berry and Salt Cedar….or the Quail Feather and Black Willow….or Salt Cedar and Quail Feather?
Hello Elizabeth,
Thank you for reaching out! These all sound like great options, and all so distinct! It really comes down to your personal preference. I like the high contrast on Quail Feather and Black Willow.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi, I have five skeins of black willow that I bought a few years ago to make another of your scarves/wraps, but I love this one. What do you think would be a good contrast color. Thank you so much.
Hi Phyllis,
Thanks for writing in! I think Natural Flax would be just lovely with Black Willow!
Best,
Julianna
Thank you!
Hello,
I have just begun knitting the Light and Shadow Wrap. However, I currently only have straight needles rather than the circular ones called for. I can’t see any reason why I couldn’t use them – what is the purpose of the circular needles?
Thank you so much!
Mary
Hi Mary,
Great question! We are huge fans of circular needles for quite a few reasons, but for this particular project, straight needles will work just fine!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Any alternate suggestions for yarn for this project (light and shadow wrap)? Need neutral colors like in the photo – really love them but would like a different yarn. Thanks!
Hi Robin,
Thanks for writing in! I think this wrap would be positively stunning in our Spectrum Silk in Milk White and Gray Pearl! You could also substitute Cotton Pure, another of our favorite warm-weather yarns, in Heirloom White and Warm Rock, for an equally beautiful but a bit more economical version.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi Julianna —
How do you think L&S would look w/nat. flax as color B and ink and color A? I’m vacillating among that combo, or nat. flax and Queen A. Lace and or nat. flax and silver thistle. (Which reminds me: Is silver thistle as gray as it appears on the website? I saw it somewhere referred to as sage.)
Thanks for your advice. BTW I tried the flute pattern: it’s a bit much for me right now. Light and shadow more my current speed.
Hi Polly,
I’m happy to hear that you have settled on a pattern that will be a relaxing knit! Natural Flax and Ink would be quite striking together! A high contrast combination like this will make the stripes really pop and have a very graphic effect. Silver Thistle does indeed have green undertones, though I don’t think I would go so far as calling it a sage green. It’s really more of a warm green-toned gray!
Best,
Julianna
Do you suggest Queen Anne’s Lace with Natural linen colors as a good contrast choice? I’m not seeing a lot of the color references in the yarn selection so, I’m assuming unavailable. Thank you, great looking pattern!
Hi Robin,
Thanks for writing in! I think Queen Anne’s Lace and Natural Flax would be lovely together! In fact, in the pictures for our No-Purl Ribbed Hand Towels, you can see just how these colors will look next to each other, which should give you a better idea of how they will look in the wrap.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Could I join this in the round and knit this as a cowl?
Hi Liz,
Thanks for reaching out! You can certainly work this pattern in the round for a cowl! Just keep in mind that you will need to adjust the cast on for the width you would like!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi, I previously wrote in for a softer yarn to use in this gorgeous wrap. You suggested spectrum silk (milk white and gray pearl) which looked perfect but I can’t seem to find the page to order. Is it discontinued and do you have another suggestion?
thanks so much for your time.
Hi Robin,
Thanks for checking back in! I’m afraid that in the time since your previous comment, Spectrum Silk has been discontinued! While we loved this yarn, not everybody else felt the same way, so we had to make the sad decision to stop producing it. However, there are certainly other yarns and colors that will work for this design! I think that Cattail Silk in Heirloom White and Thin Cloud Gray would be a wonderful substitute! Another great option is Cygnet, which comes in five different shades of white and gray. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I’m a gal who likes to keep things simple. I want to make this pattern without switching the shades. would I just repeat section 1 six times and how would that affect amounts of yarn? I like the thistle and grey in your picture and want to make the majority of the project in the silver.
Thanks so much…
Hi Robin,
Thanks for writing in! To make this pattern working only Section 1, I’d recommend getting 4 skeins of Field Linen in your main color and 1 in your contrast color. You can repeat Section 1 6 more times, or until the wrap reaches your desired length!
All the best,
Lili
If I want to make this scarf more than 20” wide, can I add on let’s say 10 stitches or is there a multiple I should be concerned with?
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for writing in! There is no stitch multiple for this pattern since it’s just in stockinette and garter stitch. To find out exactly how many stitches to cast on for your preferred width, you can multiply the number of stitches per inch (5.25 stitches, according to the gauge of the pattern) by the width you’d like and round to the nearest whole number!
All the best,
Lili