Like a walk over irregular terrain, in knitting there are sometimes meditative rolling hills and then perhaps a mountain pass that commands your full attention. Our gorgeous Bias Wrap is this kind of journey, rich in texture and techniques!

Bias Wrap | Purl Soho

This pattern covers lots of ground, including twisted-half-rib ends, carved into chevron shapes by short row shaping. The middle section is a stockinette sprint, knit on the bias, with an increase at each edge and a double decrease in the middle that creates a pretty ridge down the length of the wrap.

Bias Wrap | Purl Soho

The pairing of yarn and project here is a natural. Our beautiful Linen Quill knits a compelling landscape of multi textured charm. We used the Vintage Celadon color, a gorgeous, watery blue-green blend, but explore the entire palette of over 30 colors, each its own adventure… Pick up four of your favorite!

Bias Wrap | Purl Soho

Cast on for your own Bias Wrap trip with our pattern, below, then kick back and take in the view. Wrap yourself in it!

Bias Wrap | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Adam Aronowitz.

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

MATERIALS

Bias Wrap | Purl Soho
  • 4 skeins of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. Each skein is approximately 439 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1520 yards required. We used the color Vintage Celadon.

NOTE: You may only need 3 skeins, so if you leave the 4th unwound you can return it for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months, for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!

GAUGE

28 stitches and 38 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on smaller needles

36 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in half-twisted rib stitch on larger needles

SIZE

Finished Dimensions: 20½ inches wide by 72 inches long

NOTES

Construction

You work this piece from one short end to the other. You’ll work short rows to shape ribbing at the
ends, and in the middle, you’ll increase at selvages and decrease at center to create biased knitting.

Special Instructions

SLIP STITCHES

Slip stitches knitwise with yarn in back unless directed otherwise.

SHORT ROW SHAPING: WRP-T (WRAP AND TURN)

On the right side: Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to back. Turn work so wrong side is facing you.

On the wrong side: Keeping yarn in front, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to back. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to front. Turn work so right side is facing you.

For more help with this technique, please visit our Short Rows Tutorial.

LIFTED INCREASES

RLI (Right Lifted Increase): Lift right leg of stitch below next stitch on left needle onto left needle and knit it. [1 stitch increased]

LLI (Left Lifted Increase): Lift left leg of stitch 2 rows below last stitch on right needle onto left needle and knit it through back loop. [1 stitch increased]

For more help with this technique, please visit our Lifted Increase Tutorial.

S2KP (SLIP 2 KNITWISE, KNIT 1, PASS)

Slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over knit stitch and off right needle. [2 stitches decreased]

For more help with this technique, please visit our Slip Slip Knit Pass Tutorial.

PATTERN

Cast On

Using a basic Long Tail Cast On, cast 85 stitches onto larger circular needles, place marker (pm) for Center, cast on 84 more stitches. Do not join for working in the round. [169 total stitches]

Bottom Ribbing

NOTE: Throughout pattern, slip Center marker when you come to it.

WORK RIBBING EVEN

Set-Up Row (wrong side): K2, *p1 through the back loop (p1 tbl), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.

Row 1 (right side): Slip 1 (see Special Instructions), *p1, k1 through the back loop (k1 tbl), repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, *k1, p1 tbl, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, p1.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 2 inches from cast-on edge, ending with a wrong-side row.

SHAPE RIGHT RIBBING

NOTE: In this section, you will work Right Ribbing from right selvage to Center marker only. You will work back and forth in short rows, turning the work partway through each round. For extra help, see Special Instructions.

Short Row 1 (right side): Slip 1, *p1, k1 tbl, repeat from * to 2 stitches before Center marker, wrp-t (see Special Instructions).

Short Row 2 (wrong side): *P1 tbl, k1, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.

Short Row 3: Slip 1, *p1, k1 tbl, repeat from * to 2 stitches before previous wrap, wrp-t.

Repeat Shorts Rows 2 and 3 thirty-nine more times, then repeat Short Row 2 once more. [Right selvage measures approximately 12¼ inches from cast-on edge, and 3 stitches remain unworked to right of last wrapped stitch.]

Next Row (right side): Slip 1, work in established pattern to Center marker, purling wrapped stitches with their wraps, slip marker (sm), work in established pattern to last stitch, p1

SHAPE LEFT RIBBING

NOTE: In this section, you will work Left Ribbing from left selvage to Center marker only. You will again work back and forth in short rows.

Short Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1, k1, *p1 tbl, k1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before Center marker, wrp-t.

Short Row 2 (right side): *P1, k1 tbl, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2.

Short Row 3: Slip 1, k1, *p1 tbl, k1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before previous wrap, wrp-t.

Repeat Short Rows 2 and 3 thirty-nine more times, then repeat Short Row 2 once more. [Left selvage measures 12¼ inches from cast-on edge, and 2 stitches remain unworked to left of last wrapped stitch.]

Next Row (wrong side): Work in established pattern to end of row, purling wrapped stitches with their wraps through the back loops.

Bias Knitting

Switch to smaller circular needles.

Row 1 (right side): Slip 1, [p1, k1] 2 times, LLI (see Special Instructions), knit to 2 stitches before Center marker, s2kp (see Special Instructions) removing marker, replace marker, knit to last 5 stitches, RLI (see Special Instructions), k1, p1, k1, p2. [2 stitches increased and 2 stitches decreased]

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, k1, p1, k1, purl to last 4 stitches, [k1, p1] 2 times.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures

Top Ribbing

NOTE: In this section, you will again be working back and forth in short rows. When working wrapped stitches with their wraps on the right side, make sure wraps fall behind stitch and that stitch maintains its twist. To do this, slip wrapped stitch to right needle purlwise through back loop, return it to left needle in
new orientation, insert right needle tip under wrap and into wrapped stitch, then knit them together.

SHAPE RIBBING, BOTH SIDES AT ONCE

Switch to larger circular needles.

Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 1, *k1, p1 tbl, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, p1.

Short Row 1 (right side): Slip 1, *p1, k1 tbl, repeat from * to Center marker, sm, p1, wrp-t.

Short Row 2 (wrong side): K1, sm, p1 tbl, wrp-t.

Short Row 3: Work in established pattern to Center marker, sm, work in established pattern to previous wrap, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap through back loops (see Note, under Top Ribbing, above), p1, wrp-t.

Short Row 4: Work in established pattern to Center marker, sm, work in established pattern to previous wrap, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, p1 tbl, wrp-t.

Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 thirty-nine more times. [3 stitches remain unworked on Right Side to right of last wrapped stitch; two stitches remain unworked on Left Side to left of last wrapped stitch.]

Partial Row (right side): Work in established pattern to end of row, working wrapped stitch with its wrap through back loops as before.

WORK RIBBING EVEN

Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 1, *k1, p1 tbl, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, p1 tbl, k1, p1.

Row 1 (right side): Slip 1, *p1, k1 tbl, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, *k1, p1 tbl, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, p1.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for 2 inches, ending with a wrong-side row.

Bind off loosely in pattern, without knitting through back loop.

Finishing

Weave in all ends and block as desired.

Bias Wrap | Purl Soho