No-Purl Ribbed Wrap
Casting on for our No-Purl Ribbed Wrap is like embarking on a little knitting vacation: lots of beauty to discovery without a lick of purling!
This lofty ribbed fabric alternates between just knit and slip stitches, wonderful for beginners who get a little overwhelmed juggling purl stitches and seriously relaxing for everyone else.
This beauty uses four skeins of our gorgeous Line Weight yarn, a pure and simple single-ply merino wool lightweight enough to serve all three scarf seasons and cozy enough to feel good anytime.
And best news… Line Weight just arrived in 17 stunning new colors, from good-time Bright Flamingo to shadow-y Frond Green and everything in between. We knit up our No-Purl Ribbed Wrap in our latest obsession, Reed Gray, an oaty neutral with warmth and depth for miles… Choose the same or pick your favorite and enjoy your vacay!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoNoPurlRibbedWrap, and #PurlSohoLineWeight. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 4 skeins of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino wool yarn. Each skein of this fingering weight yarn is 494 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1,820 yards required. We used Reed Gray.
- US 3 (3.25 mm) straight or circular needles
Gauge
44 stitches and 60 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
Finished Dimensions: 13¼ inches wide x 75 inches long
Notes
Slip all slipped stitches purlwise.
This stitch pattern works over a multiple of 4 + 3 stitches.
Pattern
Cast on 147 stitches.
Row 1 (wrong side): K3, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), k3, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): K1, *slip 1 wyif, k3, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1 wyif, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 70 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 1.
Bind Off (right side): K1, *p1, slip first stitch over, [k1, slip first stitch over] 3 times, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p1, slip first stitch over, k1, slip first stitch over.
Weave in ends and block as desired.
LEARN ABOUT LINE WEIGHT + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Line Weight is a lovely choice for this project because it is sumptuously soft with a subtle luster. A lithe single ply of 100% merino wool, this fingering-weight yarn knits up into a smooth fabric that blooms beautifully when you hand wash it. Enjoy 494 yards of beautiful knitting with every 100-gram skein and choose from over 20 riveting colors!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Line Weight patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop merino wool yarn
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!
Hi,
I love the ease of this stitch/pattern. I was wondering how it could be done in the round. Could I just keep repeating row 1 – or should it be row 1, close the stitches into a round and then keep doing row 2? Thanks so much.
Hello Kieran,
Thank you for reaching out! Knitting this pattern in the round would necessitate altering it to include purling. Because you will always be on the right side rather than alternating, your row two will need to be purls rather than knits and for the slips the yarn will need to be in the back rather than the front.
I hope this helps and happy kitting!
-Marilla
Thank you! I will try that.
I’m very excited to try this however am looking for a yarn that contains no wool, alpaca, etc. to substitute. Can you recommend one? Thanks
Hello Joyce, thank you for reaching out! I think this pattern would be beautiful in our Cattail Silk. We love using it for light weight wraps!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
I’d like to do this with another number of stit ches. Is it a multiple of 4 plus 1, or ?
Hello Jean,
Thank you for reaching out! This stitch pattern works over a multiple of 4 + 3 stitches.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I apologize but I have a question about a Sock pattern I’m hoping you can help me with. The pattern says to – Skip- slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in back, knit 1 stitch, yarn over, pass slipped stitch over the last 2 stitches (k1 and yo) so my question is is the instructions in parentheses in addition to the skip instructions? Thank you, Judy
Hello Judy,
Thanks for reaching out! It is hard to say without seeing the pattern, but this looks like the “(k1 and yo)” is explaining which stitches to pass over and is not in addition to.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
What a wonderful pattern – two questions…
1. so you will bring the yarn in front and then essentially wrap it around the front of the slip stitch so that you can continue to use the knit stitch? that is brilliant.
2. Opinion on if this scarf would look good worked horizontally instead of vertically – kind of like the ticking stripe wrap? I was thinking I could cast on 427 stitches and work it that way for a different look and add different colors of the line weight for long stripes of color.
Hi Ginger,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for writing in! Yes, you will bring your yarn to the front of the work for each slipped stitch and return it to the back for the knit stitches to mimic the look of ribbing without ever purling! I also think this would be a great option for a striped scarf that is cast on at the long edge instead of the short edge – if you give it a try, please do let us know how it turns out!
Best,
Julianna
Hi, did you end up doing it horizontally?! How’d it turn out as am considering it…
Good morning! Can you tell me if so can knit this in cotton pure? Would I have to adjust the cast on stitches or needle size?
Also, when will all the colors of cotton pure be back in stock???
Thank you!
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out! I think Cotton Pure would be a wonderful yarn to use for this wrap! Since it is a thicker yarn than Line Weight, you will want to increase the needle size to a US 6 and knit a gauge swatch in pattern to determine how many stitches to cast on.
At this time we are expecting a new shipment of Cotton Pure some time this summer; however, we have moved our production to a new mill, and although it is being made to the same specifications as our original Cotton Pure, the color range will be different. We are very excited for the reworked yarn to arrive, so please keep any eye out for an announcement later this year!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Can this pattern be used with a larger size needle and if so what yarn.
Thank you,
Marion
Hi Marion,
Great question! You can certainly knit this stitch pattern up in just about any weight of yarn! I would suggest choosing a needle size that is on the larger end of what is recommended – for instance, our Worsted Twist calls for a US 7 to 8 needle, so I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch in pattern on a US 8 or 9 to see which needle size gives you a fabric you are happy with.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Love the simplicity of this pattern with a classic result! Thinking about a gray scarf and looking for a cool gray vs. a warm one. Is cinder gray cooler than dove gray? Or is there another cool gray you recommend? Many thanks!
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, Cinder Gray definitely leans more towards cool tones than Dove Gray! It is quite a bit darker than the colors you chose, but Fieldstone Gray also would make a lovely cool gray wrap.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I would love to do this wrap a little wider. Do I increase in multiples of (four and add three at the end) or is each multiple (four plus three.)
Thank you in advance,
Susan
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! You will increase the cast on number by multiples of four, and then add 3 stitches to that number. For instance, you could increase it to 183 stitches because 180 is a multiple of four, plus 3 extra stitches.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
is there a link to a video to show me how to slip with yarn in front
thank you
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately we do not have a video for this technique, but it’s quite simple! When you come to a slip 1 wyif, you will bring your working yarn forward between the needles as if you were going to purl, slip the next stitch purlwise without working it, and then return your yarn to the back of the work in order to knit the next stitch.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I would like to knit this wrap . 147 stitches – is this for length or width?
I’m a huge fan of your ‘free patterns.’
Thank you so much for sharing.
ST
Hi ST,
Thanks so much for the kind words! You will be casting 147 stitches to make the width of the scarf, which is 13 1/4 inches.
Best,
Julianna
Can this pattern be knit in a heavier weight yarn, e.g., worsted, and still get a lofty look?
Hi Barbara,
Great question! While this pattern looks lovely in a worsted or aran weight yarn, much of the lofty look of this version is due to the feather-light nature of Line Weight. Our original No-Purl Ribbed Scarf is worked in aran weight Alpaca Pure, and as you can see, it has a very cozy, hearty appearance.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Would this pattern work with your linen quill yarn? Thank you!
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, Linen Quill knits up to the same gauge as Line Weight, so it is an excellent substitute for this wrap!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Question
This scarf looks like it lies flat and drapes easily.
But does it have a tendency to curl, on either the sides or at the bottom?
Hello Barbara,
Thank you for this question! As long as your gauge isn’t to tight you shouldn’t have a problem with curling. If you do have curling it will be minimal and will be eliminated with blocking.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi,
I’ve been working on a gauge swatch and have been confused. I’m a beginner at knitting so there’s probably a simple answer. I keep ending up with an extra stitch at the end of each row. The directions for the gauge are for 44 stitches and 60 rows. Should I have cast on 43 or 47 stitches to get the pattern to come out correctly? Thanks!
Hi Gretchen,
Thanks for writing in! This stitch pattern is worked over a multiple of 4 plus 3 stitches, so your cast on for the gauge swatch will also need to be a multiple of 4 plus 3 stitches. ecause you will always get a more accurate gauge measurement by knitting your swatch a little larger than indicated, I would suggest casting on 51 stitches.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello
The pattern says Gauge “44 stitches and 60 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern” For my gauge swatch, do I knit in the 2 row pattern? If yes, how many stitches do you recommend I cast on? I’m new to knitting gauges swatches, so this might be a basic question?!
Thanks Suzanne
Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for reaching out! Since the gauge measurement indicates it is “in stitch pattern,” yes, you should knit your gauge swatch in the No-Purl Rib pattern. This stitch pattern is worked over a multiple of 4 plus 3 stitches, so because you will always get a more accurate gauge measurement by knitting your swatch a little larger than indicated, I would suggest casting on 51 stitches.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Thank you!
My shawl using the yarn called for in the pattern is coming out wider than 13 1/4inches casting on 147 stitches. Should I change needle size or cast on less stitches?
Thank you!,
Hello Kathy,
Thank you for writing! This is up to you- it sounds like your gauge is to large so to get the correct gauge you should go down in needle size. This will also tighten up your stitches, so if you are liking the tension you are getting with the larger gauge you can cast on less stitches. You will just want to be sure that your cast on is a multiple of 4 + 3.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hello
Is the suggested gauge based on washing the swatch or just knitting the swatch without washing? Thanks!
Hello Suzanne,
Thank you for this great question! The swatch that we knit up is unblocked.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thank you!
What an elegant pattern! Reminds me of dornik herringbone. The pattern is easy to memorize & knit – which makes this a good project to take along on my travels. Scarf in progress is as beautiful on the back as on the front. My one minor concern is that four skeins will produce 70”. I’m using the beautifully soft Line Weight; at 10” so far, I don’t think the first skein will get me a quarter of the way toward 70”. Thank you for a well designed pattern and exquisite yarn!
Hello Donna,
Thank you for reaching out and for your kind words! Our sample is 13¼ inches wide x 75 inches long and weighs approximately 335 grams so there should be plenty of yarn to complete this project. Could your row gauge be off? We got 60 rows per 4 inches in stitch pattern.
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Marilla ~
My gauge is right on; that’s why I’m surprised. I don’t want to start again with a size 4 needle. The drape is perfect as is. So… would you possibly have one more skein of the Line Weight in plum – color 410 heather/lot 4010 heather?
Thank you!
Donna
Hi Donna,
Thank you for all these details- this is very mysterious indeed! I would reccomend contacting [email protected] and letting them know your situation- they will be able to further assist you.
Warmly,
Marilla
I love this scarf and have knit one for me and working on one for my son. What do you think would be a good width for a men’s scarf. Should I make it a bit narrower? Thanks for your advise.
Hello Jeannie,
Thank you for reaching out! I agree that this will make a lovely scarf- I think a 10″ scarf would be a nice width. To achieve this width I would reccomend casting on 111 stitches.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi there!
I was just curious- how long did it take you to knit this project?
Thanks!
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m not sure how long it took our sample knitter to complete this project, but the amount of time it takes to knit something varies greatly from person to person and depends on a lot of your level of comfort and speed with the techniques used. This is a fairly straightforward stitch and, for most people, the lack of purls would mean it goes at least a little faster than most patterns!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
HI,
I’ve hit a road block – I started with Cattail Silk in Flower Field Charcoal to knit the Little Ladders scarf for a friend. Unfortunately I don’t like the feel of the Cattail (wouldn’t want that around my neck) and the pattern is almost completely lost with the dark color. OK, regroup – I’ve decided to try the No Purl Ribbed Wrap and think the Fieldstone Gray would be lovely for this particular friend…and you’re out of stock in the Fieldstone Gray…suggestions?
many thanks,
Susan
Hello Susan,
Thank you for reaching out! This project can be knit up in any fingering weight yarn, so you might like Brooklyn Tweed’s Peerie, or Woolfolks Tynd!
Hpapy knitting,
Marilla
I love the pattern and didn’t buy enough yarn. I’m doing a service project for a 2nd grader. So, I thought, Rather than buy more yarn, I’ll make a cowl and the child may not loose it.(ha ha). I am at the end and don’t know which bind off/join I should use. I looked thru the book of Cast on /Bind Offs and did not see one that really applied for a rib join. I don’t mind if it is a little bulky. The child won’t care.
Do you have any thoughts?
Hi Kehaulani,
Great question! I would suggest casting off using the method we describe in the pattern above, as it will match the No-Purl Ribbing stitch the best. You can then join the two ends using the variation of mattress stitch we show in our Seaming Stockinette Stitch Horizontally tutorial.
Best of luck and I hope that helps!
Julianna
Can I make this scarf with green black merino and silk
Hi Marie,
Thanks for writing in! I think this wrap would be just lovely in Mulberry Merino, but since it is a heavier weight yarn than Line Weight, you will have to make a few adjustments to the pattern! I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch in pattern on a US 6 needle and then multiplying your stitches per inch by 13 inches. You can then round that number to the nearest multiple of 4 plus 3 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello, I am a very inexperienced knitter (this will be my first real project) and I need to purchase new needles. For your Line Weight yarn, do you recommend the size 3 needle (saw the comment about using a little larger needle)? Any chance you would point me in the direction of which circular needle I might prefer for this project? Using size 8 bamboo for practice with acrylic has been great, but I am thinking for a thinner yarn like this, a little slicker surface would be easier? Thank you.
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for reaching out! You only need to change your needle size if you are also changing your yarn, so if you are using Line Weight, I would recommend using US 3 needles. Which type of needles you choose is entirely up to your personal preference! I personally am a fan of Addi Turbo Rockets, but they are quite slippery. If you are used to slightly grippier bamboo needles, you won’t have any issue using them with Line Weight!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi
I like the ribbed look of this scarf but I’m a beginner and want to knit on bigger needles ( size 7 or higher). What yarn would work and how many skeins would I need?
Hi Kathrine,
Thanks for reaching out! You may be interested in our original No-Purl Ribbed Scarf, which is knit in aran weight yarn on a US 8! Unfortunately, Alpaca Pure has been discontinued, but this scarf would be just as lovely in either Worsted Twist or Cashmere Tend.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi, I am fairly new at knitting and started this project – I am at row 4 but somehow it doesn’t look at all like on the picture. The knitting stiches (the “v”) are a lot more visible on my project. Should I tighten my stiches?
Hi Emma
Thanks for writing in! Without being able to see your work, it’s a little hard to say here. If you think your stitches are too visible, it is much easier to adjust your needle size down than to try to adjust the way you knit. I definitely would recommend doing a gauge swatch to see if you’re getting the 44 stitches and 60 rows for 4″. And if you are only 4 rows in, it may be difficult to see if your pattern is really matching the pictures yet. Try a few more rows and see if the pattern starts to emerge. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting
Jessica
Thanks for your suggestion, I started to look into the gauge concept and I see there is a whole new world out there :). Still struggling a bit with the swatch as the yarn is a lot thinner than I am used to but I won’t give up. My last project (the mistake rib scarf in green) turned out beautiful and this stich at pattern is not more complicated. I feel like I have to adapt to the new yarn and smaller needles.
Hi, my name is Paulo, I’m from Brazil. I’d like to clarify some doubts regarding this pattern. When you say to slip a stitch with the yarn in front, that stitch will be sliped as purl, and the yarn will pass over the needle, creating a loop over the sliped stitch. So on the next row this loop should be knitted as knit together with the sliped stitch on the previous row, and it will be the second of the 3 indicated knit stiches, is that correct? I hope I made myself understood, I apologize because I’m a brazilian knitter man and I don’t speak english well. Thanks in advance.
Hi Paulo,
Thanks for reaching out! Actually, you do not need to knit this loop at all. The presence of these loops on the front and back of the fabric are essential in creating the effect of ribbing in the scarf! I hope that clarifies things, but please let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Lili
Thank you! 🙂
I would like to knit this scarf with the Simply Camel yarn, and have it be about 18 inches wide. What size needles would I use and how many stitches would I cast on? Thank you.
Hi Maureen!
Thank you for your question! The best way to determine what size needles to use and how many stitches to cast on for an 18″ wide scarf would be to knit a gauge swatch in Simply Camel to see how many stitches you are getting per inch in this stitch pattern. Then, you can use that measurement to calculate how many stitches you would need to cast on. I think a gauge swatch on size 3 needles would be a good starting point!
Simply Camel is a fingering weight yarn, which means it knits up at around 6.5-7.5 stitches per inch. Based on this ratio, I think you will need to cast on somewhere around 126 stitches to reach 18 inches wide, however with the stitch multiple of this pattern being a multiple of 4 + 3, you would need to cast on 127 stitches. Knitting a gauge swatch will be the best way to figure out how many stitches to cast on, though, because every knitter has a different tension, and the stitch pattern greatly affects how many stitches you will need. We have a tutorial called All About Gauge if you are interested in learning more!
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Margaret
I’m using a DK yarn and the gauge is 5.5pinch. To make the scarf in the same size, I’m casting on 77 with is divisible by 7. I can get the 4+3 on row two But I can’t get the 4+3 on row one. What do you think is wrong.
Hi Milann,
Thanks for your question! The stitch pattern multiple actually refers to a multiple of 4 and then plus 3 to that total, rather than being a multiple of 7! For example, the original cast-on number of 147 works because it is 144 (which is 36 x 4) plus 3 more at the end. I recommend casting on either 75 or 79 stitches instead to make your scarf depending on how wide you’d like it! I hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
Hi, as a relatively new knitter, could you help guide my needle selection for this project? There are many options on your site. I am planning to use the yarn recommended, I’m just not quite sure what the length of the size 3 needle should be, whether circular needles are preferable, and if circular, which ones? I have knitted one project using circular needles so feel comfortable using them. Thanks very much.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for reaching out! For this pattern, I would recommend a 16″ or 24″ cord. This will be enough to comfortably knit back and forth without too much extra cord getting in the way. This project can also be made on straight needles but we find that the circular needles allow the weight of your scarf to not put too much tension on your hands or wrists. I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Bonjour. Ma question porte sur la maille glissee du rang 2. Faut-il la faire comme au rang 1 avec le fil devant ou simplement la glisser comme si on allait la tricoter à l’endroit avec le fil à l’arrière ? Merci pour votre aide
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for writing in! All the slipped stitches in this pattern, including those in Row 2, are slipped with yarn in front. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! I would like to knit this with purl stitches (i knit in the portuguese style). Do I just stick to the pattern but do purls instead of knits? Or do I need to change something else?
Thank you very much
Hi Beatriz,
Thank you for writing in! Yes, that is correct, to knit this pattern in Portuguese style, you will purl each time the pattern says to knit and slip the stitches with yarn in back instead of in front. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella