Elementary Wrap In Tussock
If you’ve ever savored the first sip of strong steaming coffee or celebrated the discovery of a twenty in an old jacket pocket, then you know that joy can be found around any corner. Our Elementary Wrap in our newest yarn, Tussock, celebrates simple surprises and uncomplicated pleasures.
Holding two strands of our mohair-silk Tussock together, this knit flies off your needles in a glowing, soft halo. We love using two different colors for a marled texture that adds depth to an otherwise super simple flat piece.
In our version, brilliant Bright Thistle glimmers through rich Ripe Boysenberry, but we also love combos like Blue Lagoon and Balsam Green, as deep as the ocean, and Orange Pekoe with Wild Guava for a reflection of fall’s beauty.
Often, simple doesn’t mean easy, but with our Elementary Wrap in Tussock you get both. For yourself or a loved one, this wrap is rich and deep, curiously luminous and absolutely beautiful!
Originally designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoElementaryWrap, and #PurlSohoTussock. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Color A: 3 skeins of Purl Soho’s Tussock, 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% silk. Each skein is 328 yards/ 25 grams; approximately 924 yards required. We used Bright Thistle.
- Color B: 3 skeins of Tussock; approximately 924 yards required. We used Ripe Boysenberry.
- US 6 (4 mm) straight or circular needles
And four more color combinations that we think are just as pretty!…
Color A: Pink Joy; Color B: Wild Guava
Color A: Orange Pekoe; Color B: Wild Guava
Color A: Squash Blossom; Color B: Lightning Yellow
Color A: Blue Lagoon; Color B: Balsam Green
Gauge
24 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, holding Colors A and B together
Size
Finished Dimensions: 18 inches wide x 73 inches long
Notes
Throughout this pattern you will hold two strands of Tussock together as you work. The easiest way to do this is to pull from two balls at once.
Pattern
Holding Color A and Color B together, cast on 108 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1 (wrong side): K1, p1, k1, purl to last three stitches, k1, p1, k1.
Row 2 (right side): K2, p1, knit to last three stitches, p1, k2.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures approximately 73 inches, ending with a wrong-side row.
Bind-Off Row (right side): Bind off in pattern.
Weave in the ends and wet block flat.
Hello, is it possible to make this with just one strand of yarn?
Hi Ang,
Great question! Yes, I think it would be lovely to knit this wrap at a smaller gauge using a single strand of Tussock! I would recommend following the pattern for our Elementary Wrap in Linen Quill, which is written for a single strand of fingering weight yarn.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
The 2 color combos spectacular! Don’t see any comments about claret pink – looking to use for hummingbird pullover – liking a contrast, thinking pinks or orange – bright thistle vs pink joy? wild guava? Anjou pear and orange pekoe gorgeous but thinking would give a more tonal effect. No bad choices, just need to make a decision 😉
Hi Jen!
So many combinations to choose from! I think Claret Pink and Bright Thistle would be lovely, or Claret Pink and Wild Guava if you wanted to go more orange. I hope this helps!
Best,
Cassandra
My husband just gifted me this lovely yarn and I’m excited to begin the elementary wrap. Perhaps a silly question, but is it safe to wind this fine, gorgeous yarn on my yarn-winder? I’ve not yet used my winder and swift on such delicate yarn.
Hi Corie,
Thank you for reaching out! It should be just fine to wind your Tussock on a standard ball winder. Although it is a very fine yarn in terms of weight, the twisted silk core does lend quite a bit of strength to this yarn!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Is it safe to use a swift and winder with Tussock or is it better to wind it by hand? Thank you!
Hi Ash,
Great question! As long as you go slowly and take care when opening up the skein, it’s perfectly fine to use a swift and winder with Tussock. That’s how we wind it at our shop and warehouse, but you can certainly wind it by hand if you prefer!
Best,
Julianna
I love this pattern. I was thinking of making one that goldish. I was thinking of the golden lichen. What do you suggest would be a good pairing color?
Hi Laura,
Thanks for writing in! I think Golden Lichen would be gorgeous with either Tawny Dune or Orange Pekoe!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
WHAT WOULD LOOK GOOD WITH EITHER CERULEAN SEA OR BLUE FJORD?
Many thanks!
Hi Jill,
Thanks for reaching out! I actually think Cerulean Sean and Blue Fjord together would create a gorgeously subtle tone-on-tone shading in this wrap! Some other options would be to combine Cerulean Sea with Bright Verdigris, or Blue Fjord with Marble Gray.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
if i wanted to make this wrap in DK weight how do I calculate how much yarn I would need? Also, would I simply follow the pattern as written just with a larger needle?
Thanks so much!
Ingrid Simmons
Hi Ingrid,
Lucky for you, we originally made the Elementary Wrap in one of our DK weight yarn, Understory. Here is a link to the Elementary Warp in Understory pattern. But to answer your question, normally, if you are following a pattern and working with a thicker yarn, you will need more yardage than the pattern states. Usually, an extra skein will be enough.
I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Oscar
Am just about to embark on this project. Which cast on method would you recommend ? Thank you.
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for reaching out! We use and recommend a long-tail cast on for most of our projects, but you could also use a cable cast on for this wrap if you prefer!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Would it be possible to also incorporate a strand of the Mineral Silk in this wrap, along with the two strands of Tussock, for a wee bit of shimmer? I know there’s a separate Elementary Wrap In Mineral Silk + Tussock, but that is knit on size 2 needles which is a bit daunting for me. Thank you!
Hi Anjor,
Thanks for reaching out again! Yes you can absolutely add Mineral Silk into this pattern as well!
All the best,
Gianna
Thank you for your prompt and helpful reply. Can you tell I’m a wee bit smitten with Mineral silk right now, LOL?!
Hi,
Can I replace the ripe boysenberry used here with the Brume, since you are out of this color, combining it with Tussock Bright Thistle?
Would there be any changes re needle size or instructions?
Thanks!
Hi Faye,
Thanks for reaching out! You can certainly use Brume and Tussock together! Following the pattern as written will result in a bit more dense fabric and it wont be quite as open, it will actually look more similar to our Elementary Wrap in Brume! Both of these pattern use a US 6 needle so if you like how the fabric looks in the Elementary Wrap in Brume I would recommend staying with the US 6, if you would like the fabric to be a bit more open like the Elementary Wrap in Tussock then I would suggest going up in needle size. In that case I recommend working a gauge swatch with a US 7 or 8. You can then calculate your cast on amount from there!
I hope this helps and please let us know how this turns out!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi there!
Would using a single strand of Tussock work on size 6 needles? (I saw the Elementary Wrap pattern in Linen Quill uses size 4, but I’m trying to use the needles I’ve got.)
Thank you!
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out! For this version of the Elementary Wrap we used 2 strands of Tussock on a US 6. You could certainly use a US 6 with a single strand of Tussock, just be sure to keep in mind that this will change the gauge a bit compared to using 2 strands, and result in a more open knit fabric!
I recommend working a gauge swatch on a US 6 and you can adjust your cast on from there!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
What would be a good color blue to go with Fresh water blue to make the elementary wrap in Tussock? I would like to keep it blue or something bright.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend pairing Freshwater Blue with Cerulean Sea, Partly Cloudy Blue, Deep Sea Blue for a beautiful blue combination. For a bright pop I would recommend pairing it with Bright Thistle or Bright Verdigris!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hello – I have purchased 4 skeins each of Tussock Blue Fjord and Partly Cloudy Blue for an Elementary Wrap size 18” x 73”. Do I have enough yarn or do you recommend purchasing an additional skein of each? Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Hi Brynn,
Thanks for writing in! That sounds like a beautiful combination! For the warp you only need 3 skeins of each color, so you will have plenty to finish, plus a skein of each leftover!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thank you, Gianna. I meant to ask if I needed additional yarn for an Elementary Wrap size 28” x 73”. Oops!
Hi Brynn,
Thanks for your response! Oh, no worries! If you would like to make the wrap a bit wider to 28” x 73” I think an additional skein of each (4 skeins of each color) should be plenty!
Also in response to your other comment, no you don’t need to re-fix the dye for Tussock, this is more of a necessary procedure with hand-dyed yarns (which tussock is not!) so you are good to go!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Hello – I’m back – per your tutorial do you recommend setting the color for Tussock before knitting? Just checking.
I am hoping to knit eight of these in all different color combinations for a group of my friends. It looks like you have a lot of new colors in Tussock, and I wondered if you could suggest some combinations for me. I really like the colors Anjou pear, cloud blue, blue fjord, cerulean blue, pink fog and alpine phlox but I’m not sure about pairings for those. I would be so grateful for any suggestions!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for reaching out! That sounds like such a fun and special gift! I would love to suggest some combinations for you!
Based on your colors, I recommend pairing Anjou Pear with Ripe Boysenberry or Tea Rose. Cloud Blue, I would pair it with Partly Cloudy Blue or Silver Needle. For Blue Fjord, I would also pair it with Partly Cloudy Blue or Blue Black. Cerulean Sea, I would pair with Blue Lagoon or possibly Bright Jade. Pink Fog I would pair with Bright Thistle or Apple Blossom. Finally, I would pair Alpine Phlox also with Bright Thistle or Pale Orchid!
A few other combinations that I love, to help you get to 8 different options are Bright Jade and Balsam Green, Bright Verdigris and Cypress Green, Lapis Lazuli and Partly Cloudy Blue, and Pink Joy and Bright Thistle!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any other questions and which combinations you end up going for!
Gianna
Thank you so much!
Good morning! Would you please recommend a color to pair with the Bright Verdigris Tussock? My daughter adores turquoise/green shades and I’d love to use the 3 skeins of Tussock in Bright Verdigris from my stash paired with another complimentary color to knit this up? I’d just love a recommendation for a tonal pairing from the creative and knowledgeable Purl Soho team. Thanks so much! Have a great day 🙂
Hi Megan,
Thanks for writing in! There are a couple of colors of Tussock that I think will pair nicely with Bright Verdigris. For an option that will give the project a lighter shade, you could consider Cloud Blue. Alternatively, if you want something that will lean more towards green, take a look at Cypress Green. I hope these suggestions give you inspiration!
All the best,
Lili
I have never knit with two strands of yarn held together before. Are there any special tricks or tips?
Thanks,
Carla
Hi Carla,
Thanks for writing in! One thing I’d definitely recommend when knitting with two strands held together is to have a way of keeping the two yarns separate enough while you knit so they don’t get twisted together. For example, you could place them in separate bowls or bags. Other than that, knitting with two strands is surprisingly similar to knitting with just one! Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Good morning –
I have Tussock in Claret Pink. I was thinking of combining it with Cattail Silk in Pale Rose. First of all, would those two yarns work together? And second, how would the Claret Pink and Pale Rose be together? Is there something else you might recommend either yarn-wise or color-wise? Thanks.
Hi Dyan,
I think that Tussock and Cattail Silk would make a lovely knit fabric together! In terms of color though, I’d recommend using Cattail Silk in Rose Madder instead of Pale Rose. This color is quite close to Tussock in Claret Pink, so it will create a more cohesive looking wrap. If you use the lighter pale Rose though, that will created a marled look, with each of the strands being much more noticeable. Either look would be interesting, so it’s up to your preference which you go with!
All the best,
Lili
I would like to pair the Tussock with another yarn in the heirloom white for a wedding shawl to be worn with the evening dress, not the bridal gown. I wanted it to be simple and yet elegant and the wedding is in October in Minnesota so I wanted a more substantial weight while maintaining the mohair fluffy halo effect. Unfortunately you no longer have some of the other dk weight yarns you paired it with which I really liked. What would you suggest I try? I really still think the Tussock alone with two strands is too thin for what I want. Thank you so much.
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out! If you want to pair Tussock with a DK weight yarn, then I’d recommend either Cashmere Merino Bloom, Nigh DK, or Knitting Yarn. These yarns are all made of very warm fibers, and should give you the thickness you’re looking for!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I don’t have blocking mats. Is there another way I can block this so the edges don’t curl in?
Hi Jenny,
I always used cardboard to block my projects before I finally bought blocking mats! If you deconstruct a cardboard box or two, you should have enough to lay out underneath the entire length of the wrap.
All the best,
Lili