Ocean Currents Wrap
Turn the tides in your favor with our Ocean Currents Wrap! An easy-lace layer that’s both elemental and effervescent, it carries the calm beauty of a seascape and the drama of the ocean’s surprises.
To suggest the subtle shifts of color and texture in ocean depths and crests, we put together a sublime combo of yarns: earthy Cattail Silk for a grounding beach walk and wild Tussock for windswept surf.
Chart your (color) course with our Ocean Currents Wrap Bundle (no longer available), which comes in six wide-ranging palettes. Here we used Cattail Silk’s light-filled Willow Tea green with the bright blue blast of Tussock’s Cerulean Sea.
The lace pattern is a simple 4-row repeat, ideal for knitters who are new to stitch patterns or anyone who prefers their lacework less intricate. Barbara Walker, who wrote the definitive stitch pattern logs, calls it Bead Stitch. But we see those beads as drops in the ocean, and many drops make this wonderful, watery wrap!
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 + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoOceanCurrentsWrap, #PurlSohoCattailSilk, and #PurlSohoTussock. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Yarn A: 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Cattail Silk, 100% silk. Each skein is 618 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1,095 yards required. We used the color Willow Tea.
- Yarn B: 4 skeins of Purl Soho’s Tussock, 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% silk. Each skein of this fingering-weight yarn is 328 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1,184 total yards required. We used the color Cerulean Sea.
- US 4 (3.5 mm) circular or straight needles
Here are five more pretty palettes (NOTE: the Ocean Currents Wrap Bundles are no longer available.)…
Moon White + Gray Quartz
Yarn A: Cattail Silk in Moon White; Yarn B: Tussock in Gray Quartz
Porcelain White + Yellow Mimosa
Yarn A: Cattail Silk in Porcelain White; Yarn B: Tussock in Yellow Mimosa
Pale Wisteria + Bright Thistle
Yarn A: Cattail Silk in Pale Wisteria; Yarn B: Tussock in Bright Thistle
Rabbit-Ear Pink + Ripe Boysenberry
Yarn A: Cattail Silk in Rabbit-Ear Pink; Yarn B: Tussock in Ripe Boysenberry
Flower Field Gray + Bright Jade
Yarn A: Cattail Silk in Flower Field Gray; Yarn B: Tussock in Bright Jade
Gauge
25 stitches and 38 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern, holding together a strand of Yarn A and a strand of Yarn B
Size
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 15 inches wide x 70 inches long
Note
Stitch Multiple
This stitch pattern works over a multiple of 7 + 2 stitches.
Pattern
With one strand of Yarn A and one strand of Yarn B, cast on 93 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Row 1 (right side): *K2, knit 2 together (k2tog), yarn over (yo), k1, yo, slip slip knit (ssk), repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
Row 2 (wrong side): P1, *purl 2 together through back loop (p2tog tbl), yo, p3, yo, purl 2 together (p2tog), repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
Row 3: *K2, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
Row 4: P1, *p2, yo, purl 3 together (p3tog), yo, p2, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
Repeat Rows 1-4 until piece measures 70 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 4.
With the right side facing you, bind off knitwise.
Weave in the ends and gently wet block.
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!
I just started to knit again after many years. I love this wrap but would like it to be about 20 inches wide. How many stitches should I cast on to increase to 20 wide and how much of your beautiful yarn should I purchase?
Hi Teresa,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! To make this lovely wrap 20 inches wide, you will want to cast on 121 stitches. You will need 3 skeins of Cattail Silk and 5 skeins of Tussock.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Do you have any thoughts on using a Mineral Silk and Burnish combination for this wrap? Thank you for another beautiful pattern.
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for reaching out, and what a wonderful idea! I think Burnish and Mineral Silk held together could be absolutely beautiful for this wrap; however, I would recommend knitting and blocking a gauge swatch in pattern to see what size needle you will need to use. Burnish and Mineral Silk are both a bit heavier weight than Cattail Silk and Tussock, so you may need to move up a needle size or two the create the same open, lacey fabric.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Why do you use less of one color? Also could you make using just one color? and if so do you still double it? thanks.
Hi Lydia,
Thanks for reaching out! We actually use the exact same amount of each strand; however, Cattail Silk has much more yardage per skein, so you don’t need as many skeins to get the same yardage. You could certainly use a single strand of fingering weight yarn for this pattern! In a solid color, the lace stitch would stand out even more and be much crisper. However, I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch to see if you will be happier with the fabric on a US 3 if you omit the Tussock.
Best,
Julianna
What a beautiful wrap. I think I found my Christmas gift for my mom. Do you have a purple color suggestion? What would you suggest for a scarf sized? She’s only 5ft and I am afraid 70 in would swallow her whole.
Kat
Hi Katrina,
Great questions! I love the idea of a purple combination! I would suggest Cattail Silk in either Pale Wisteria or Lavender Daybreak with Tussock in Alpine Phlox. Both Cattail Silk options would would look lovely with Alpine Phlox!
Length is a bit more tricky. We like a scarf or wrap of around 70 inches because it will wrap once around the neck and hang in front without being so short that it will slip off. It also wraps nicely around the shoulders. Our shorter scarves and wraps come in at 55-65 inches. This short length might work well for your mother as it should offer a bit less bulk so as not to swallow her up!
I so hope that this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions!
Cassy
Beautiful design! How would it look with one strand of fingerling weight rather than hold two strands together?
Hi Mary Jane,
Thank you so much for the kind words! You could certainly use a single strand of fingering weight yarn for this pattern! In a solid color, the lace stitch would stand out even more and be much crisper. However, I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch to see if you will be happier with the fabric on a US 3 if you omit the Tussock.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I love this pattern so much and I purchased the rabbit ear pink/ raspberry bundle but I have a problem and I hope you can offer a suggestion. I have Parkinson’s Disease and have lost a lot of my fine motor skills in my hands. I can still knit, just slower. I was wondering if there was another stitch I could incorporate to replace the p2tog tbl. I just can’t get my fingers and hands to manipulate the needle to pick up that second leg into the front leg (rear) purl-wise and complete the stitch. I have tried 3 times ( meaning 3 swatches and three times unraveled. A lot of the issue is with the finer yarn. It breaks my heart – I think I could manage it with a single strand worsted and bigger needles – – but I love the two yarns and colors together. Any suggestions would be welcomed. Thank you!!
I LOVE your products!
Hi Linda,
Thank you so much for reaching out and for your kind words! I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble completing the p2tog tbl and would love to help find a solution so you can enjoy your lovely Rabbit-Ear/Boysenberry colorway. I do know of one stitch technique that mimics p2tog tbl and is much easier, involving passing the 2nd stitch over the first, similar to how you would when binding off! See below:
1. Purl 1
2. With yarn still in front, slip the purled stitch back to your left needle.
3. Pass the next stitch over your purled stitch and off the needle.
4. Slip the completed decreased stitch back to your right needle.
Please let me know if this works for you, and happy knitting!
Gaby
Thank you for the suggestion! I am using it and it is working beautifully. It’s great to know there is a way to improvise!
I want use Sweetgrass Fine in Beech Bark with Tussock in Lightening Yellow to make this Pattern and would like your opinion on color and yarn combinations. I hope this will be an all season wrap.
Thank you for your help since I cannot feel and see yarns in person and I value your opinion.
Pat Fenoglio
Hi Pat,
Thanks for writing in! Since Cattail Silk is a fingering weight yarn, I think Sweetgrass Fine will be a little bit too thin for this pattern, but our original Sweetgrass should be an excellent substitute, and I love the idea of holding it along with Tussock! This combination should block out beautifully in this lace pattern. If you prefer to use Sweetgrass Fine, you could use it held double along with a strand of Tussock to get the correct weight and gauge.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Why do get 2 skeins of one color and four skeins of the other if the pattern has you hold one of each together? There wouldn’t be enough of the lighter color or too much of the darker color.
Hi Christine,
Our Cattail Silk skeins are larger, 618 yards, than our Tussock skeins, 328 yards. You would only have a little bit of the Tussock left over.
Happy knitting,
Oscar.
Marvelous pattern,thanks from Lima Perú
Do u include free printed pattern for the Ocean Currents Wrap when ordering this yarn bundle? Thank u.
Hi Conny,
Great question! We don’t automatically include a printed copy of the pattern with the bundle, since it’s always available for free right here, but if you leave us a note in the order comments, we would be happy to print one for you!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I might just be dense but if a strand of yarn A and a strand of yarn B are used together for this wrap why would we have two skeins of A and 4 skeins of B.
Again, I am probably misunderstanding something.
Hi Christine,
Our Cattail Silk skeins are larger, 618 yards, than our Tussock skeins, 328 yards. You would only have a little bit of the Tussock left over. Don’t worry! To the naked eye, the skeins look the same size
Happy knitting,
Oscar.
Why do you need only 2 of the contrast color but need 4 of the main color?
If the scarf is requires two colors throughout wouldn’t you need the same number of both colors?
Hi Rhonda,
To the naked eye, the skeins of yarn look the same size but the Tussock has about half the yardage of the Cattail Silk. At the end of the project, you’ll only have a little more of the Tussock leftover.
Best,
Oscar
I tried calling your store then realized you were closed. I wanted to make this but need a substitute for the tussock can you suggest a different yarn with the same color in a cotton or acrylic combination for the tussock.
Hi Maria,
The Tussock is a very light yarn and has very little effect on the gauge when held with another yarn. That is the most important quality for looking for a substitute for Tussock in the design. I would suggest taking a look at our Mineral Silk. This yarn is a very lightweight lace yarn with a metallic shimmer. The Mineral Silk would work great for the Ocean Currents Wrap and will give it a subtle shimmery quality.
I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Oscar
I am not clear about the yarn for this project (Ocean Currents wrap). It appears that you knit both colors together throughout the project. If that is true, then how is it that you purchase 2 skeins of one color and 4 of the other?
Thanks much,
Lauren Schreiner
Hi Lauren,
Great question! Cattail Silk has significantly more yardage than Tussock. At 618 yards per skein, it’s almost double the 328 yards in each skein of Tussock! Although you will be using the same yardage total for each yarn, you will need more skeins of Tussock due to this yardage difference.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hi, are comments now hidden from view? I am looking for the comments as someone might already have asked my question:
what happens to the selvedge stitches?
Thanks,
Dagmar
Hi Dagmar,
Thanks for writing in! This wrap doesn’t include any special selvage stitches. The beginning and end stitches are in ordinary stockinette stitch!
Best,
Julianna
What method do you recommend for joining new yarn in this pattern? I don’t think I’ve made anything in a lace patten that’s been more than a one-skein project. Will the yarn stand up to doing a Magic Knot so I don’t have to work in the ends? Or should I do a Twist and Weave, and if so, is there a trick to hiding the ends so they don’t wiggle out?
Thx.
Hi Shelly,
Thanks for writing in! I don’t think I would recommend a Magic Knot as both yarns in this wrap are quite delicate, and if it were to come undone in this lace pattern, the results would be disastrous! It’s also difficult to do any tricky joins while knitting lace, so I would suggest simply dropping the old yarn and starting to knit with the new yarn, as we show in our Adding a Ball of Yarn tutorial. You can then weave in the tails using duplicate stitch, which we do show in our Weaving in Your Ends tutorial, but is a bit more complex in lace. Essentially, you will trace along the path of one strand of yarn with your tapestry needle so the end blends seamlessly into the stitches!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Thanks so much! Looks simple in the instructions… 😉
I have ordered from you quite frequently and love your yarns and patterns. However, at the beginning of our national lock-down, I ordered 3 sets of yarns from you to make 3 of these scarves and have now completed 2 of them. For both I followed your directions: 93 stitches, size 4 needles, 70 inches long. I have not needed even all of the 3rd skein of Tussock, let alone the 4th skein. So I don’t understand why you would recommend purchasing 4 balls of that yarn. Did anyone actually knit this scarf using your recommended yarns? Because I had all of yarns wound, I now have 3 skeins of Tussock that I can’t/won’t need and cannot return them to you – a waste of $60.
Hi Michaelene,
Thank you so much for reaching out, please email us at [email protected] and we can help you directly from there.
Best,
Gianna
My ability to concentrate has suffered so much this year that I cannot continue this beautiful pattern because of all the mistakes I make. Can you suggest an easier pattern for his beautiful yarn combination?
Hi Dorthee,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend our Elementary Wrap in Tussock pattern but instead of holding 2 strands of Tussock together like we did in the pattern, you can hold 1 strand of Tussock and 1 strand of the Cattail Silk together! This pattern is very simple and easy to follow and a great project that doesn’t require too much concentration but still results in a beautiful wrap!
I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any more questions!
All the best,
Gianna
That’s what I thought you might suggest, and I started that pattern already. Thank you. But it is disturbing to see the decline in the ability to concentrate. Not a good year for us all. Stay safe.
Dorothee
If you make the Elementary Wrap pattern using Tussock and Cattail Silk held together- would you also use a size 6 needle as recommended for the Elementary Wrap pattern?
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for reaching out! Since the Elementary Wrap is a simple stockinette stitch and not a lace pattern I would actually recommend using a US 4 or 5 needle for Tussock and Cattail Silk!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi,
I would like to knit this scarf for my sister & am wondering if you could tell me if the Cattail Silk “Flower Field Charcoal” & Tussock “Cerulean Sea” would coordinate well? It is difficult to see the variation of color in the “Flower Field Charcoal” on the website.
Can you recommend another Tussock color that would work well? I also saw the earlier comments suggesting the Mineral Silk as a substitute for the Tussock. Again selecting a coordinating color is difficult, any recommendations?
Thank you.
Hi Vicky,
Thanks for reaching out! Flower Field Charcoal is a rich charcoal color with little flecks of white and rainbow shades throughout, so there are many ways you could go that would work well and help make the different color flecks pop! Depending on which color you would like to bring out the most, Cerulean Sea would be beautiful and make the blue flecks pop! I would also recommend Cypress Green, Claret Pink, or Bright Jade! If you wanted more of a monochromatic look then I would recommend Gray Quartz!
You could use Mineral Silk in place of Tussock, in that case I would recommend Obsidian Black, Opal Blue or Clover Quartz!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any other questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi, I was wondering which cattail silk would go well with tussock in orange pekoe for this pattern? Thanks!
Hi Teresa,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately Orange Pekoe has been discontinued, but I am happy to suggest a different combination if you are interested!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi,
I have never held two yarns together before. Are there any tips or tricks? Do you twist the two yarns together, or just hold them next to one another as you knit?
Thanks,
Carla
Hi Carla,
Thanks for writing in! Although it may seem intimidating, it is actually pretty easy! I would suggest just holding them together side by side, and when you insert the needle just be sure to pick up both strands of yarn.
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna