Botanical Lace Wrap
Now seems like a pretty good time to focus on a little challenge whose reward is pure beauty.
Like an heirloom piece of lace that you might discover in an old chest in the attic, our Botanical Lace Wrap is mind-bogglingly gorgeous… And it’s even more mind-boggling to think you can actually make it with your own two hands!
We know about this stitch pattern through Barbara Walker and her classic Treasury Of Knitting Patterns. She calls this historic stitch Frost Flowers. She also points out that it’s a lot easier than it looks, just requiring you to keep track of some basic decreases and yarn overs. Testimony to the miracle of knitting!
You’ll need a yarn with enough integrity to honor this extraordinary pattern. We recommend our brand new Sweetgrass Fine. The same organic cotton and superfine alpaca blend as our Sweetgrass but in an exquisite laceweight, the Fine version comes in the same six undyed shades, just how nature grew them.
We love using such an unadulterated fiber with such a complex pattern. The combination feels timeless and place-less, like the Botanical Lace Wrap could have as easily been made on the western frontier as on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
You’ll just need two skeins of Sweetgrass Fine to cast on for your own Botanical Lace Wrap. We’re not saying you’ll whip this one up, but we are guessing that its beauty will bring you joy well worth the effort!
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 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, #PurlSohoBotanicalLaceWrap, and #PurlSohoSweetgrassFine. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Sweetgrass Fine, 65% organic cotton and 35% superfine alpaca. Each skein is 930 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1,463 yards required. We used the color Pale Sesame.
- US 2 (3 mm) circular or straight needles
Gauge
31 stitches and 42½ rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
Finished Dimensions: 18 inches wide x 72 inches long
Notes
Stitch Multiple
This stitch pattern works over a multiple of 34 + 2 stitches.
Pattern
Using a basic Long Tail Cast On, cast on 138 stitches.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): K1, purl to last stitch, k1.
Now follow either the Pattern Chart or Written Instructions below…
Pattern Chart
NOTE Begin this chart in the bottom right corner. Right-side rows are odd numbered and read right to left. Wrong-side rows are even numbered and read left to right. Work your way up the chart to the top line.
Want to see it bigger? Click here and view the chart as a PDF!
Written Instructions
Row 1 (right side): K1, *k3, knit 2 together (k2tog), k4, yarn over (yo), p2, [k2, yo, slip slip knit (ssk)] 3 times, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k3, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 2 (wrong side): K1, *p2, purl 2 together through back loop (p2tog tbl), p4, yo, p1, k2, [p2, yo, purl 2 together (p2tog)] 3 times, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p2, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 3: K1, *k1, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, [k2, yo, ssk] 3 times, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 4: K1, *p2tog tbl, p4, yo, p3, k2, [p2, yo, p2tog] 3 times, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Rows 5-12: Repeat Rows 1-4 two more times.
Row 13: K1, *yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 14: K1, *yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p4, p2tog tbl, p4, yo, p1, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 15: K1, *yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k2, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 16: K1, *yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog, p2tog tbl, p4, yo, p3, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2, repeat from * to last stitch k1.
Rows 17-24: Repeat Rows 13-16 two more times.
Repeat Rows 1-24 until piece measures approximately 72 inches long.
With right side facing you, loosely 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!
Hello from Ireland,
What a beautiful pattern! I can’t resist it even though I don’t buy from you nowadays because of the cost of carriage to Ireland on top of costly yarn.
It will stretch my ability, as only today did I learn how to do the necessary stitches, and follow a lace pattern chart.
It is just the thing to make for my daughter who is nursing Covid 19 patents in a hospital in England. My making it for her represents the faith we have in there being a future.
Could you please tell me the European equivalent of
US 2 needles ? Thank you so much.
Hi Eileen,
Thank you for being in touch! What a lovely idea- this pattern will make a beautiful light and warm wrap for your daughter in any lace weight yarn. You’ll need a 2.75mm needle to complete this project. We would love if you would share a photo when you’re finished!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Thank you Gaby, I will order the needle with the yarn now.
Thank you also to those who have sent me kind messages.
God Bless your precious daughter and all who are warriors in this pandemic. I know though the time is hard, this heirloom for her will be treasured for years for her and the generations to come later. Prayers be with all affected, living and passed. #stayhomesavelives
Eileen,
You are so sweet to make this for your hero daughter! It will be good for both of you and I’m sure she will treasure it always:)
Lovely pattern! Looking forward to trying it, but have my Linen Quill project up first.
I am confused about your instructions for rows 17-24. The chart looks like repeats of rows 13-16. What am I missing?
Hi Susan,
Great catch! This was a typo in the written instructions, and you are correct that you should be repeating rows 13 through 16 for rows 17-24. This has now been updated in the pattern. Thank you so much for pointing this out!
Best,
Julianna
hi Lili, but is the drawn scheme correct? thanks
Hi Roberta,
Yes, I can confirm that the chart is correct!
All the best,
Lili
Prachtig echt mooi de sjaal TOP
Would this work in linen quill? I love the linen quill colors and texture!
Hi Mandy,
Thanks for reaching out! You would have to change the gauge of the pattern somewhat, since Linen Quill is a fingering weight yarn and we wrote this wrap for lace weight Sweetgrass Fine, but it shouldn’t be too difficult! I would recommend knitting and blocking a gauge swatch in the Frost Flowers pattern using Linen Quill on a US 4 needle. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 18 inches, and round to the nearest multiple of 34 plus 2 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I know this pattern as Spanish Lace, & I’ve made several baby blankets with it. It makes a beautiful scarf. I will have to try it.
Hi Patti,
Thanks for writing in with this interesting bit of info! I’m so glad to hear you’re already excited about this wrap. Please do share a photo with us when you’re done!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Just gorgeous! Thanks for the pattern.
Hello, This is a lovely pattern. If I wanted to make it a bit narrower, would it work to cast on 104 stitches for 3 repeats of the 34 stitch pattern (=102 stitches) plus 2 stitches? Thanks! I’ve done some lace before but still consider myself a novice.
Hi Karen,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you have calculated the repeat correctly! Since you are already familiar with lace knitting, I think this wrap will be a great next step, as you can practice a moderately complex lace stitch in a simple rectangle. If you run into any problems, we are always here to help!
Best of luck, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Thank you for the beautiful pattern!
What a beautiful pattern! I always wanted to make a lace. Would this work with a weight 4 yarn and larger needles, like size 8?
Hi Alanna,
Thanks for the kind words and for reaching out! As long as you choose a needle size suited to your yarn, yes, I think this stitch would look amazing on a larger scale! Please do let us know how it turns out!
Best,
Julianna
Can you use stitch markers, if so where?
Hi Mindy,
Great question! This pattern has a 34 stitch repeat, so you can place stitch markers every 34 stitches, beginning after the first stitch and ending directly before the last stitch. This also corresponds with the red outline on the chart that indicates the repeat. Hopefully this will help you stay on track!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
What a great idea! I already ordered the yarn and can’t wait to start! I get distracted easy so this will help.
Mindy, bless you for this sanity saving idea. I thought this pattern was going to beat me, but the stitch markers helped me establish the pattern and now I’m, well, not cruising, but getting it.
How long should the cord for size 2 circular needles be for this pattern? At least 20 “? I’m a little new to using circular needles. Thank you!
Hi Jo,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend using either a 24″ or 32″ needle for this pattern. Although the stitches would probably fit on a 20″ needle, most knitters find knitting on a 24″ needle much more comfortable, and you wouldn’t have to be at all concerned about your stitches slipping off the needle tips between rows.
Best,
Julianna
Would I be able to knit this lovely wrap in Cattail silk ?
Hi Sally,
Great question! You would have to change the gauge of the pattern somewhat, since Cattail Silk is a fingering weight yarn and we wrote this wrap for lace weight Sweetgrass Fine, but it shouldn’t be too difficult! I would recommend knitting and blocking a gauge swatch in the Frost Flowers pattern using Cattail Silk on a US 4 needle. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 18 inches, and round to the nearest multiple of 34 plus 2 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Beautiful pattern…any chance you have something similar in crochet?
Thank you!
Hi Elaine,
Thank you so much for the kind words! We do not have any crochet patterns similar to this one, but I will be sure to pass your request along to the design team!
Best,
Julianna
Could this be made with a US 4 needle? Would I just need to cast on less stitches (ie, 104 stitches)? I’d love to give this pattern a try but don’t want to buy any more needles!! Thank you.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out! I would recommend knitting and blocking a gauge swatch on the larger needles to see how it turns out. Sweetgrass Fine is a very delicate and thin lace weight yarn, so we felt that it looked the best on US 2 needles. You may find that, on a larger needle, you start to lose some of the stitch definition as the fabric will become even lacier and more open, even in the solid areas. However, it’s certainly possible that you will still be happy with it! This will also allow you to measure your gauge and compare it to ours so you can decide if you want to cast on fewer stitches.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Great pattern! One question:
Comparing the chart to the written instructions, wouldn’t rows 17-24 be a repeat of rows 13-16 (two times), and not a repeat of rows 5-8?
David
Hi David,
Great catch! This was a typo in the written instructions, and you are correct that you should be repeating rows 13 through 16 for rows 17-24. This has now been updated in the pattern. Thank you so much for pointing this out!
Best,
Julianna
While this yarn looks lovely, I would like to make this in turquoise. Can you suggest a yarn substitute?
Thank you, Maryellen
Hi Maryellen,
Thanks you so much for the kind words and for writing in! Although you will have to alter the gauge of the pattern, I think this wrap would be lovely in Linen Quill in True Tourquoise! To adjust the pattern for a fingering weight yarn, I would recommend knitting and blocking a gauge swatch in the Frost Flowers pattern using Linen Quill on a US 4 needle. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 18 inches, and round to the nearest multiple of 34 plus 2 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Thank you for this beautiful pattern. I’d like to make this using the original version of sweetgrass. Maybe a 5 or 6?? Can you recommend a needle size and how many skeins I will need? I’ll probably just cut down on the bumper of repeats across. This seems like the perfect long-term pattern to have on your needles for when you need a little focus and concentration.
Hi Nancy,
Great question! Our original fingering weight Sweetgrass is heavier weight than Sweetgrass Fine, but not by a lot, so I would recommend using a US 4 needle. To alter the gauge, I would recommend knitting and blocking a gauge swatch in the Frost Flowers pattern using Sweetgrass on a US 4 needle. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 18 inches, and round to the nearest multiple of 34 plus 2 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on.
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
I prefer written lace to pattern grid. There is an error for rows 17-24. Should be repeat rows 13-16, rather than repeat 5-8. I missed this…. so am ripping back 7 rows. 🙁
Otherwise, beautiful.
Hi Sheri,
Oh no, I’m so sorry that this error in our pattern tripped you up! This was a typo in the written instructions, and you are correct that you should be repeating rows 13 through 16 for rows 17-24. This has now been updated in the pattern. Thank you so much for pointing this out!
Best,
Julianna
Hello,
I will be making this for my sisterinlaw to wear with her gold dress as the mother of the bride.
She loves the pattern.
Would you please tell me the colorway that the model is wearing? Do you believe the models color would be appropriate for a light shimmery gold?
Hi Susan,
What a lovely occasion for this wrap! Our sample is knit in Pale Sesame, and while it’s hard to say without seeing the exact color of the dress, a creamy neutral like this will go with most golden tones.
Best,
Julianna
Thank you so much for sharing some awesome patterns – as this e.g. – with the community for free!
Gives great ideas and projects in these worrisome times.
I find, knitting or crocheting is a good way to move one’s concentration into different paths 😉 And, as most often, onto beautiful things!
Take care and stay healthy!
Hello! What at beautiful pattern! I have a question about p2tog tbl. In the link it shows Slip Slip Purl (ssp). I read above the video that they are about the same, except something about how it twists the stitches. Which one is best to use in this pattern?
Thank you for fabulous patterns!
Nina
Hi Nina,
Thanks for reaching out! If you are using our video for guidance, you will not be slipping the two stitches knitwise, but will be purling them together through the back loop without taking any extra steps. A ssp leans the wrong direction for this lace, so I would recommend using a p2tog as written!
Best,
Julianna
Ok thank you! The link shows shows Slip Slip Purl (ssp, thats why I asked. I will try the beautiful pattern for sure.
Sorry one more comment. I meant purl 2 together through back loop. Not purl 2 together. How should I do while purlig trough back loop? Not any slip stich? You have linked Slip Slip Purl (ssp).
Hi Nina,
This pattern includes both a p2tog and a p2tog tbl, which lean in different directions, so you should work whichever one is indicated. For a regular p2tog, you will purl the stitches together just as you would normally purl, but for the p2tog tbl, you will follow the second half of the ssp demonstrated in the video to purl them together.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Pretty new to increases and decrease like these. So to k2tog tbl I would follow the ssp in the second half of the video linked? Thanks!
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for writing in! There aren’t actually any k2tog tbl’s in this pattern, but perhaps you’re asking about the p2tog tbl? In that case, yes, like Julianna wrote, you’ll just need to follow the second half of the ssp in our tutorial!
All the best,
Lili
I love this and would like to make it in the original fingering weight Sweetgrass. I’m thinking of using maybe a 5 or 6 needle and reducing the number of repeats across. Can you help me figure out how many skeins I would need of the original Sweetgrass if I want it maybe a tad narrower but the same length?
Also, I’m wondering if the Beech Bark colorway is grayish.
Thank you for the pattern and your advice.
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out! I apologize that I missed your question about the Beech Bark color! It is a lovely medium to dark gray with very neutral undertones.
Best,
Julianna
Thx for the great advice! One last question. I wild like to order the original fingering weight sweetgrass and make it in a slightly larger gauge as you suggested. But Can you please give me guidance about how many skeins of original sweet grass I should order?
Thank you!
Hi Nancy,
It’s a bit tricky to estimate yardage when altering the gauge like this, but you will need 3 or 4 skeins of our original Sweetgrass. I would recommend ordering 4 skeins to be on the safe side, and as long as the last skein hasn’t been wound, you can return it for store credit if you don’t need it!
Best,
Julianna
Thanks again!
Can you use a size 4 on the sweet grass yarn and can someone from your shop wind it for me.
Thx
Hi Roberta,
Thanks for writing in! Our original fingering weight Sweetgrass would be wonderful for this pattern on a US 4 needle. To alter the pattern, I would recommend knitting and blocking a gauge swatch in the Frost Flowers pattern using Sweetgrass on a US 4 needle. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 18 inches, and round to the nearest multiple of 34 plus 2 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on. Unfortunately, due to physical distancing measures and school closures, we are working with very limited staff at our warehouse and are unable to wind yarn at this time – I’m so sorry about hat! We do have a helpful tutorial on winding yarn yourself!
Best,
Julianna
What color is the model wearing?
Hi Sata,
Thanks for reaching out! Our sample is knit in Sweetgrass Fine in Pale Sesame.
Best,
Julianna
I think I’d want to use safety lines as well. How well would this beUtiful pattern show up in the grey/silver color?
Hi Eleanor,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, a lifeline or safety line would be an excellent idea in case you make a mistake! As with all complex lace patterns, the darker the yarn, the less clearly the pattern will show up, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice if it’s your favorite color. Beech Bark is several shades lighter than black, so you may not see the details clearly from a distance, but you will still see the overall lacy ethereal openness of the stitch, and the lace will be mysteriously lovely up close.
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
Thank you for the pattern
Thank you for the beautiful pattern – it’s so delicate. Could this be done with a 100% cotton yarn if allergic to wool/alpaca? What yarn would you suggest as an alternative to the Sweetgrass Fine?
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, I think a lace weight 100% cotton would be fantastic for this pattern! Unfortunately, the only lace weight cotton we carry is Habu Nerimaki Slub, which has a thick and thin texture that would detract from the lace and make it a bit more difficult to knit. You might consider Mineral Silk for a wool and alpaca free option!
Best,
Julianna
This is absolutely gorgeous and I am very tempted. I have never done lace with a cotton yarn before though, and I’m wondering how well it retains the openness of the blocking, if you get my point?
Hi Meegan,
Great question! Having already knit and blocked a lace shawl in Sweetgrass, I can assure you that it holds blocking extremely well! Because cotton and alpaca fibers don’t have any crimp or bounce, they tend to stay in the same shape they were blocked, often even better than a wool yarn would.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi,
I realize that the gauge is different, but if I wasn’t bothered about the finished size do you think this pattern would work in your spun silk? I bought a bunch of it when it was on sale and have been waiting for the perfect pattern. I love this pattern
Hi Elizabeth,
Great question! The chart is 34 + 2 stitches, so can be easily adjusted for different yarns and gauges. I would definitely swatch a pattern repeat to see what works for you, and on which size needles, to get a fabric that looks and feels good to you!
Happy Knitting!
Cassandra
Beautiful pattern! Would love to see a triangular shawl version. Do you think that could be possible at some point?
Thanks!
Hi Nini –
Thanks for reaching out! I’ll definitely pass on your request for a triangular shawl version to our design team to consider for the future.
Happy Knitting!
Cassandra
This pattern is beautiful. If I read correctly, this are all natural colors- so if I knit in the lightest color, could I ombré die with indigo.
Hi Sherry,
Thanks so much for the kind words, and what an amazing idea! Yes, the cotton and alpaca fibers in Sweetgrass Fine are completely natural and undyed, so it should take indigo dye beautifully. Please do let us know how it turns out!
Best,
Julianna
I am so so grateful for this beautiful lace work pattern. After sheltering in place for the last 26 days, I feel my brain has become mush. This pattern is a work of art so thanks Jake Canton for your artistic creative ability! And thanks to EVERYONE at Purl Soho for your amazing patterns and your patience and kindness answering our knitting questions. And of course thank you to the warehouse staff who keep all of your Purl Soho loyal patrons stocked with the items we need to keep us happy and busy. I wish all of you safety and good health!
Hello from Germany
sorry for my bad English:( I hope you can understand me.
I love this pattern and I`m trainig it since a few days. It’s really a big challenge for me. My biggest problem is finding a suitable yarn here in germany. it seems to be no alpaca cotton of this strength.
Can I buy your yarns anywhere online in Europe? The shipping cost from USA are really to high for me.
Best regards!
Kathrin
Hi Kathrin,
Thank you so much for the kind words and for writing in! At this time, we don’t have a wholesale program, so our yarns are only available here on our website. Even if you can’t find a yarn that is the exact same content, you could certainly knit this wrap in any lace weight yarn that is available to you!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi, I’ve just completed row 1 but instead of completing up to the second *, I’m part way through the [k2, yo, ssk] part and I cannot see how that could be right. Please help, this is my first lace project. I have cast on 138 st.
Thanks!
Anita
Hi Anita,
Thank you for writing in! I’m sorry to hear you’re having some trouble with the first row of this pattern! There should be 4 full pattern repeats (from the *) in Row 1, so it does sound like something may have gone wrong, either with the cast-on or set-up row. At this point since you are not too far in, your best option would be to start again (it happens to the best of us).
A helpful tip to keep track of your stitch count for the cast-on is to place a small stitch marker at regular repeats: for this pattern I would place a stitch marker after the first stitch and then after every 34th stitch to the end. You should end up with 1 stitch at the beginning and end of your cast on and 4 sets of 34 stitches in between. You can even leave these markers in for the set-up row and take them out as you come to them in Row 1. I hope this is helpful!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Hi Gaby, thanks for your reply. But on row 1 I counted in the instructions 38 +2 instead of 34 +2. I only see 34 +2 on rows 2 and 4. Im sorry if im being dumb, still new to this!
Hi Anita,
No problem at all! I’m more than happy to help figure this out with you, lace can be pretty tricky at first! Because no increases or decreases were made in the set-up row, we know that Row 1 will definitely have the same number of stitches as your cast-on, 138 stitches. If you’d like to count another way, the pattern chart provided above is an easy way to check. Moving across Row 1 each square counts as one stitch except for squares with slashes (these are 2 stitches) and squares with open circles (don’t count these). You should get a 34 stitch pattern repeat, plus 2 for the stitch at the beginning and end of the row. I hope this makes sense but please let us know if you have any more questions!
Best wishes,
Gaby
Please how do you do ask do you slip one then another then knit the next love this lace pattern I am going to use pure mulberry silk in fingering and adjust the tension regards jill
Sorry typo error meant to say ssk regards jill
Hi Jill,
Thanks for reaching out! You can learn how to work a ssk with our Slip Slip Knit tutorial!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Thank you for bringing Barbara Walker’s Frost Flowers lace so beautifully and temptingly on the scene!
But once again, you’ve indicated the NEEDLE SIZE only in U.S.2 – whatever that is. Please consider that you have international customers and admirers – in a world much bigger than the USA! That world long ago progressed to using the metric system, measuring knitting needles in millimeters. My Olde Conversion Toole tells me you could easily have added “2.75mm”. Why stay so disconnected??
Hi Ila,
Thanks for writing in! We totally hear you regarding metric sizes and measurements. This is something that is currently under consideration, so we really appreciate your input!
Best,
Julianna
So, p2tog tbl is the same as ssp, yes?
Love this pattern. I’m learning new stitches. Don’t love the isolation, but love the time to learn new skills. Love the sweet grass yarn as well. Many thanks!
Hi Joan,
Thank you for writing in and for your kind words! We’re so happy to hear you’re enjoying your time with this pattern and our new Sweetgrass Fine! You’re correct that p2tog tbl and ssp are nearly the same, the only difference being that p2tog tbl twists the stitches. We go over this a bit in our tutorial as well!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
So for this patter does I matter if we p2tog tbl or ssp? What is recommended?
Thanks! 🥰
Hi Ashley,
While the pattern is written for p2tog tbl’s, you could certainly use ssp’s instead if you’d like! As Gaby wrote, the only difference between these two methods of decreasing is that p2tog’s twist the stitches, while ssp’s do not. If you want to test out both of these stitches, I’d recommend swatching a bit so you can visualize the difference and decide which you want to use. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I just received my Sweetgrass Fine yarn today, and I am very excited about starting this project. However I have a (probably stupid) question about the yarn itself. Is the thread a double twisted thread? or do I need to separate the 2 threads that are coming out of the skein? (I am asking before starting doing a ball, as checking the full length of 930 yards would be quite consuming. Thank you!
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for writing in! This is a great question. Sweetgrass Fine is comprised of two 2-ply strands twisted together, so as these strands naturally come apart at the ends they may look like they can stand on their own. You should be holding all of these threads together to get the full weight of this yarn. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Alas, I cannot, for the life of me, get this pattern to work. I have no idea what i’m doing wrong after 7 attempts. In the interest of isolation sanity, would you be so kind as to recommend another pattern that I could knit using the two lovely skeins that I purchased…perhaps a simpler lace project…or not lace…just so i don’t have to purchase additional yarn. Thank you.
Hi Joan,
Thank you for writing in! I’m sorry to hear this pattern isn’t working out for you. Luckily I have a few other project recommendations for your Sweetgrass Fine! The Little Ladders Scarf and Open Air Wrap would look lovely in this yarn. For slightly more adventurous projects, the Whisper Wrap is knit horizontally but easy to follow once you get going, and the Checkerboard Lace Scarf is a cool and modern take on lace. I hope one of these catches your eye!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
This is my first lace project and I’m also having problems getting this pattern to work out. I will keep trying but, as a backup, I may try the checkerboard Lace pattern that you suggested. Using my 2 skeins of Sweetgrass Fine yarn, would i use #2 needles as for the botanical lace pattern or #4 as the checkerboard lace pattern suggests? Thank you.
Hi Maryellen,
Thanks for writing in! I would recommend trying a swatch in the Checkerboard Lace pattern to see what needle size you will be happiest with, but I suspect a US 2 or 3 will be best!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello! When you say u your I’ll need two skeins to cast on, does that mean the yarn is doubled in the pattern? Please advise!!
Hi Cindy,
Thank you for reaching out! Sorry for any confusion! This is just a creative way of saying the pattern requires two skeins total to complete; you’ll be holding the yarn single for this wrap.
Happy knitting!
Gaby
The gauge swatch states to cast on 31 stitches. Should it be 32?
Hi and thanks for writing in!
This is a great question! The gauge for this pattern is correct at 31 stitches per 4 inches, but I think you’d be much more comfortable casting on 36 stitches. This way you’ll be able to get one full repeat of the pattern and will be measuring inside your swatch rather than edge-to-edge, which is a generally preferable way to get your gauge. I hope this was helpful!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Kia Ora from New Zealand!
I am going to knit this for my sister’s 81st birthday coming up in July, thanks Purl Soho for this beautiful pattern it is just what I have been looking for to give her. I decided to purchase the Sweetgrass Fine as even with postage added from the UK it is less expensive than purchasing the equivalent yarn in NZ! We go to Level 3 for two weeks from tomorrow (27April) so the yarn will be here in time for when we (hopefully) go to Level 2 and the Postie can deliver to the letter box again. Kia Kaha (Stay Strong). Jan
OMG, this yarn is thinner than kite string. What did I get myself into? I’ve started the wrap twice already and have made mistakes along the way. I don’t end up with the correct stitch count at the end of row 2 for some reason. I’m going to keep at it.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m sorry to hear that the yarn is presenting a challenge, it is quite thin and can take some getting used to knitting with laceweight. If you let me know where you think you’re having difficulty on Row 2, I’d be happy to try to help!
Best,
Cassandra
Hi!
Love the pattern but I think it may be too difficult for me. Is there another pattern perhaps a bit easier that I could use for the 2 skeins I purchased?
Thanks so much. Lynn
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for reaching out! If you’re looking for another lace project that uses a similar weight yarn but is a bit easier, I’d suggest the Checkerboard Lace Scarf. If you’re not in the mood for lace right now, the Little Ladders Scarf might be a good option. I hope this helps! Happy Knitting!
Best,
Cassandra
Hi! If I do the checkerboard lace scarf pattern with Sweetgrass Fine, would I still use size 2 needles or the 4 that is suggested in the checkerboard pattern? I’ve tried the Botanical Lace pattern four times and it’s been so challenging. Thanks!
Hi Lauren!
I would advise swatching, but you might be able to work with a size 2 or size 3 with Sweetgrass Fine for that pattern. The difference is that Tussock has a halo, which creates a bit of a “filler” effect with that yarn. I hope this helps!
Best,
Cassandra
I am really enjoying this pattern! Something not mentioned in the yarn description is that it is very loosely 2-plied so I have to be careful to get both plies in each stitch. The pattern is actually quite repetitive so I have begun to remember it without even trying. Also, using Heirloom White, I can see the pattern emerge and “read” what I have already knit so it is easier to catch mistakes sooner. Thanks again for a delightful project!
Hi! I love this pattern and have tried three times already but keep having to start over. But I’m committed to figuring it out! Question: on the chart, for Row 2 (and other wrong side rows), it looks like the first time you purl 2 together it is just p2tog. But in the written directions it says p2tog tbl. And then towards the end of the 34 stitch pattern, it is reversed in the chart and written directions again. Am I missing something or misunderstanding? I’m new to lace! Thank you.
Hi Lauren!
This is a great question! This pattern includes both a p2tog and a p2tog tbl, which lean in different directions, so you should work whichever one is indicated. For a regular p2tog, you will purl the stitches together just as you would normally purl, but for the p2tog tbl, you will follow the second half of the ssp demonstrated in the video to purl them together. You might find it easier to follow the written directions until you get comfortable with the flow of the pattern and then jump to using the chart. When you read the chart, the wrong side rows are read from left to right. A handy way to remember is that the 2 row is numbered on the left. I hope this helps!
Happy Knitting
Jessica
Thank you!! This is so helpful- I was reading the chart the wrong way for the wrong side row. Thanks, Jessica!!
Just started this beautiful wrap and am working with the written pattern. I noticed that the chart pattern switches between purl and knit the first and last stitch however the written pattern says to knit only the first and last stitch on both right and wrong side. Thank you!!
Hi Karen,
Thanks for writing in! Our chart is actually correct! Because this wrap is knit back and forth in rows, some of the chart symbols mean different things depending on whether you are on the right or wrong side. The empty squares are knits on the right side and purls on the wrong side, while the black dots are purls on the right side and knits on the wrong side. Since the selvage stitches alternate between empty squares on the right side rows and dots on the wrong side rows, you will always be knitting them, even though the symbols are different!
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
I want to make this beautiful pattern for my daughter in Mineral Silk. We like the Micah Gray but are wondering if it has a green undertone — hard to be sure online. If so we’re thinking of crystal pink instead.
My daughter also likes Beech Bark in Sweetgrass Fine but I worry that it is too dark to show the lace in the finished garment.
Your advice?
Hi Cheryl
Thanks for reaching out! The Micah Gray might be a little touch towards the green undertone, so the Crystal Pink might be a better option for you. With all complex lace patterns, the darker the yarn, the less clear the pattern will show but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice if it’s your favorite color. Beech Bark is a medium to dark gray and you may not see the details clearly from a distance, but will still be quite beautiful up close. I hope this helps you out!
Happy knitting
Jessica
I am loving the Botanical Lace Pattern however, I am finding the Sweetgrass Fine, much finer than fingering yarn I am used to knitting and having problems with the splitiness of the 2 plies. I am using Addi Lace needles and wondering if you have any special techniques to keep the plies from separating. I was knitting from the outside of the skein and now knitting from the inside, which is a little better, but I need some helpful hints. I have started over about 5 times and am determined to get this lace yarn on a roll. At one point I had knitted up to 31 rows and had to frog it for a new start.
Hi Deborah
Thanks for writing in! I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble with the Sweetgrass Fine. One thing that might help with splitting yarn is to use a duller needle. The original Addi Turbo needles have a less pointy tip than Addi Lace or other similar sharp needles, which helps get the tip of your needle into the stitch instead of the middle of the yarn! I hope this trick works for you!
Best
Jessica
Even if I am not at these steps yet, I am wondering about
1) the best way to join a new ball for this lace project. As weaving the ends does not seem easy with lace, would techniques like the russian join or spit splice work?
2) Do you have good feedback about the blocking wires you sell on your website? Did you have any issues with rust? I don’t want to end up with rusty stains on my lace, particularly after the amount of time this piece with take me to complete. Thank you so much for your advice.
Hi Catherine,
Great questions! It can be tricky to weave in ends seamlessly in open lacework like this! I would recommend joining new yarn at the beginning of a row so you can hide your ends in the selvage of the wrap. If you prefer, you can use duplicate stitch to invisibly weave in your ends in lace, by carefully tracing along the path of a single strand of yarn on the wrong side and taking extra care to never go directly across a yarn over hole. A Russian Join or spit splice won’t work in a cotton-based yarn like Sweetgrass Fine as there just isn’t enough grip or feltable fiber, and I usually don’t recommend them in lace anyway as the thick area can be hard to disguise. You have much more control if you take the extra time to weave in your ends! Our blocking wires are designed expressly for the purpose of blocking knits, so they are rust-resistant. I have used them many times myself and haven’t experienced any issues with rust spots and we have never had any complaints, so I don’t think you have anything to worry about, but please let us know if they give you any problems!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Thank you so much Julianna. this is really helpful!
Sweet Grass Fine.
I have (partially) swatched the chart 3 times. Stitch count = fine BUT the texture is so very fine, I wonder, did you really use the ‘fine’ version of the yarn?
I love the image not only for the design but also for the beautiful yarn and have decided to save my SGF for a more whisper light project. What yarn replacement do you recommend for the Botanical Lace Wrap?
Thank you for all of your trouble.
Barbara M. Toner
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, we did knit our sample in Sweetgrass Fine! Have you tried blocking your swatch? The stitches should open up and relax after wet blocking to get the airy effect you see in our images. However, if you prefer, you could use just about any lace weight yarn for this wrap! Jade Sapphire 2-Ply Cashmere would be a stunning alternative to create an extra luxurious version.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Thank you. Your reply helped. I will continue with the Sweet Grass Fine and will keep the 2-ply cashmere in mind – I may have enough of this stashed.
This is a magnificent design. I must knit it. It looks like it could be an heirloom!
Would knitting it in Burnish be suitable? If so, using which size needle? And how many skeins?
Hi Wendy
Thanks for writing in! The Burnish would be beautiful but a touch thicker than the original pattern. You would have to change the gauge of the pattern some, so I would recommend knitting and blocking a gauge swatch in the Frost Flowers pattern using Burnish on a US 4-5 needle. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 18 inches, and round to the nearest multiple of 34 plus 2 stitches to determine how many stitches to cast on. I estimate 3-4 skeins for the wrap. I hope this helps and happy knitting!
Jessica
Do you think this scarf would look good in mineral silk, or is that yarn just too shiny, or not soft enough?
Thx, Thea
Hi Thea,
Great question! We haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but I think Mineral Silk could be an amazing choice for this wrap! In general, lace patterns usually turn out gorgeous in silk, as it blocks out very well and the sheen tends to highlight and emphasize the texture. The extra sparkle in Mineral Silk might detract slightly from the pattern, especially in the darker colors where it contrasts more with the silk fibers, so I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch in pattern to make sure you will be happy with it, but I the pattern should still be quite apparent – and quite stunning!
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
Hello! I just wanted to share that after close to 10 attempts at this scarf (trying for several rows and then taking them out), and even attempting a different pattern with the yarn, I was determined to understand the pattern and now I’m about less than 1/4 of the way in and loving it! There was a previous comment about using safety lines, and that has helped me a lot. It’s really a beautiful pattern, and I am so excited to be figuring it out!
Beautiful…..
I’ve just ordered 4 skeins in 2 different colors and am excited to knit for either my 2 daughters or 2 granddaughters! Decisions decisions. I’m sure I will be checking back to see if I’m doing it correctly once I start! Excited!
Hi! I love the pattern in that original color, it is out of stock and will wait till is back in stock. I order the needle.
My question: is the written pattern in PDF so that I may save it in my Knit Companion. Thank you so much for your help. ??
Hi Maria,
I’m glad you are so excited to make the Botanical Lace Wrap! You can easily save the pattern as a pdf by clicking the print link on the pattern page. A window will pop up where you can find the option to save it as a pdf.
I also encourage you, if you haven’t already to sign up for a notification on the Sweet Grass Fine product page and we will send you an email as soon as the Pale Seasame is back online.
I hope this helps!
Happy crafting!
Oscar
This is such a beautiful pattern! Thanks for sharing. Could I use your Baby Yak yarn for this pattern?
Hi Vanessa,
Thank you so much for the kind words! Yes, mYak Baby Yak Lace would be a perfect fit for this wrap! You will need just a hair over four skeins, so you might want to make the wrap a single pattern repeat shorter, or purchase five skeins and leave the last one un-wound. If it turns out you don’t need it, any unused yarn that hasn’t been wound can be returned for store credit!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Can you suggest another yarn that would work with this pattern? I love the heirloom white and pale sesame but they are both currently out of stock 🙁 I look forward to hearing back from you! Thanks for all you ALL do!!!
Hi Angela,
Thanks for writing in! I’m so glad you’re inspired by our Botanical Lace Wrap! I think it would work up beautifully with our Cattail Silk. It is a 100% silk yarn making it a great substitute for the Sweetgrass. I think you’ll find that the colors Moon White, Porcelain White, and Wood Mouse are similar to Heirloom White and Pale Seasame.
I hope this helps,
Oscar
Hi, Oscar
How many skeins of Cattail would you need for this? Cattail is less yards than Sweetgrass. Would it be fine to just get two skeins of Cattail and end up with a shorter wrap or would you even notice a big difference?
Hi Christina,
Thanks for reaching out! Cattail Silk would be a beautiful option for this warp and since it is a fingering weight compared to a lace weight like Sweetgrass Fine is you can adjust the gauge a little bit and use a slightly larger needle and wont need as much yarn since the gauge will be bigger! So 2 skeins of Cattail Silk should be good!
All the best,
Gianna
I can’t access the comments. Please help me. I like to read the comments because it gives me new ideas.
Hi Sharon,
Thank you so much for getting in touch, and I apologize that our comments aren’t available at the moment! We are experiencing a few technical difficulties with our site right now, but our web team is hard at work to get everything restored as quickly as possible. The comments should be back in the next day or two, but if you have any questions in the meantime, please let us know!
All the best,
Julianna
I am loving every minute I am knitting this beautiful pattern.I have finished about 24″ in teal colour silk. It is my Covid sanity activity because it requires concentration and produces beauty! Thank you for this lovely pattern.
I feel exactly the same, it has definitely stretched my knitting muscles😀😀
Hello Purl Soho!
I have just finished my Botanical Lace scarf as a trial working on Field Linen, and I am satisfied and ready for the next scarf on Sweetgrass Fine color Walnut Shell. One question though: the start of the scarf shows a nice “wave” border, while the end does not finish with the same look, and appears “straight”. Any suggestion? Maybe I should knit in 2 parts and join in the middle?
Many thanks, you are my continuous source of inspiration.
Daniela from Italy
Hi Daniela,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so happy to hear that you are loving our yarn and patterns! The boarder forms due to the nature of the lace pattern, and when you block the wrap you can go in and form the boarder to be more wavy and consistent on both ends of the wrap!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
All the best,
Gianna
Is the Sweetgrass Fine in Beech Bark EVER going to be back in stock???? I love it & am waiting patiently, well, not so patiently now,lol!!!
Thanks for any news!
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for writing in! We will certainly be getting more Sweetgrass Fine back in stock, unfortunately due to the current circumstances we are all experiencing, we are expecting delays in restocking some of our yarns. While we do not have a firm ETA I would expect it to be available towards the end of December. You can sign up to be notified when we get it back in stock and to do so, go to the product page, select the color that you are interested in and enter your email address. When that yarn and color arrives, we will email you right away!
All the best,
Gianna
Does anyone have any suggestions for placing beads? I suppose they could easily be added to every other row in those columns where the dots are shown on the repeats, but I wonder if someone sees a more interesting way to go. Thanks!
Hi Liz,
Thanks for reaching out! I haven’t heard of anyone placing beads on this wrap before, but I think placing them every other row in the columns would look very nice!
Please let us know how this turns out!
All the best,
Gianna
Just bought the bundle and printed pattern I notice in the Pattern Chart notes it says “odd number rows read right to left ,even numbered rows read right to left. Should the even numbered rows be read left to right as this is how the numbers are on the chart?
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for reaching out! As we have written in the notes under the PATTERN CHART section, for this chart the right-side rows are odd numbered and read right to left and the wrong-side rows are even numbered and read left to right, and the chart is written to reflect that!
I hope. this clarifies things, happy knitting!
Gianna
I may be seeing things but the written pattern does not seem to match the chart. Look at line 2, for example. This is wrong side. Chart reads k1, p2, p2tog. Written instructions read k1, p2, p2tog back loop. Which is correct? These discrepancies are making it difficult for me to start this project. I am practicing the pattern but I get a different look from the chart and from the written. Do these stitches lean in the same direction or opposite? Should the chart legend be changed to read:
/= k2 tog (RS), p2tog thru back loop (WS)
\= ssk, p2tog
Please advise. I may just be confused.
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for reaching out! Even though the pattern has different written instructions than what appears in the chart they will result in the same finished pattern! And the key is correct as is, it should be /= Knit 2 together on the right side, purl 2 together on the wrong side and \= slip slip knit on the right side purl 2 together through the back loop on the wrong side. Keep in mind that right-side rows are odd numbered and read right to left. Wrong-side rows are even numbered and read left to right.
I hope this clears things up!
Warmly,
Gianna
I plan to make this wrap for my daughter for her wedding. I’m looking for the lightest ivory, but not white. My two options now are Cattail silk Moonwhite and Sweetgrass Heirloom White. My preference is fingering weight. Are these two colors a very light ivory? Always hard to tell online. And can’t wait to visit NYC again and your store!
Hi Marie,
Thanks for reaching out! What a lovely gift for your daughter’s wedding!
Both the Cattail Silk and the Sweetgrass would work wonderfully for the Botanical Lace Wrap, but if you prefer the fingering weight then I would go with the Cattail Silk. Of the two white colors in Cattail Silk, the Moon White is a brighter, slightly warmer tone and the Porcelain White is more muted and make me think of antique lace. I wouldn’t describe either as being a stark white, they both edge towards a cream or ivory, but the Moon White is definitely the brighter shade of the two.
I hope this helps you with your decision, and please let me know if I can help you with anything else!
Take care and Happy Knitting!
Kelsey
I am so frustrated with this kit. I have the Sweetgrass and I frankly hate it because it continues to split as I work with it. I do not like the way the pattern is developing as I knit it either: it just looks messy and thin. I have knit lace before and have never encountered problems like these. I suspect a more robust yarn (that doesn’t unravel and split) would be a big improvement. And frankly this pattern needs a nicer border. Blocking may help eventually but I just think it will add to the generally messy and unattractive look of the knitted scarf.
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for reaching out! I am sorry to hear that you are disappointed with how your wrap is turning out! I haven’t heard of others having problems with the yarn or pattern so please feel free to send us a photo to our email [email protected]
Sweetgrass blocks beautifully so I would definitely suggest blocking the finished wrap to get the best look!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hello, I have knit this pattern before for another project and feel frustrated that I am not finding this easier. I think my problem is with how fine the yarn is and how it splits – which sometimes is confusing me on the number count. I see two stitches where there is only one because of the two-ply nature of the yarn. But I am determined to soldier on to attempt four!
Hi Denise,
Thanks for writing in! We’re sorry to hear you’re having such a frustrating time with this pattern though… This yarn does have a tendency to split because of the fiber content. You could try needles with very sharp points, but I would recommend wooden needles for this project in general since Sweetgrass Fine is also very slippery and that will help you grip it better, hopefully leading to a better experience overall.
If you’re having trouble with the count, I’d recommend placing some stitch markers to help you keep track of different sections. Since this pattern consists of a 34 stitch repeat between a beginning and edge selvage stitch, you can put a marker after the 1st stitch, then every 34 stitches after that, followed by one more to differentiate from your last stitch at the end of your row.
Hopefully that helps the latest attempt!
All the best,
Zha Zha
All done but the bind off. Trying to figure out which bind off you did to so beautifully match the long tail cast on. Zimmerman’s sewn bind off? Will immediately cast on for wrap #2!
It breaks my heart to read that folks are giving up on this pattern. I’ve never done such a big piece of lace before but found some tricks: very thin stitch markers between the 4 pattern repeats in every row; fat markers for the yo when going from knit to purl or purl to knit (total of 9) and when you remove the markers on rows 2 and 14 immediately clip them back on the working yarn so you don’t lose them, using 2 colors helped me keep track; give up the idea you can rip this out by marching back one stitch at a time, place a lifeline every 4th row and you can easily see when it is time to switch the the pattern.
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for writing in! I am so glad to hear that you have enjoyed knitting this pattern, and thank you for sharing your tips, I am sure others will find this information so helpful! The Zimmerman’s sewn bind off would work great, you could also use a basic bind off and it should work lovely with the pattern as well!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Hi, I just purchased your new yarn Burnish. I bought 3 skeins to knit the Wedding Wrap…but there was a post card enclosed with the yarn showing the Botanical Wrap. I think I would rather knit this…can I use Burnish?
Thanks
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for reaching out! You could definitely knit this wrap with Burnish, however, you will need to make a few adjustments since Burnish is a fingering weight and this wrap is knit with a lace weight which is a bit lighter. I would recommend working a gauge swatch with Burnish and an appropriately sized needle, you can calculate your gauge and cast on from there! Just be sure to keep in mind that this stitch pattern works over a multiple of 34 + 2 stitches.
I hope this helps and please let us know how this turns out!
Gianna
For many years I’ve been wanting to knit the Frost Flowers pattern, and here’s my chance. I just ordered the yarn.
My major question is not related to the pattern, but to printing of your “free” patterns. They’re always “garbled”. I end up copying and pasting either into WordPerfect or Word and then editing so they’re readable. When I do that, I also reduce the picture sizes to make the document more manageable.
I’m still wondering when you are going to fix the “print”. I love your patterns and your yarn but hate the printing process. I’ve complained about this before and someone suggested that I tell you which patterns, but it’s every one of them.
Please help!
Hi Angela,
Thanks for writing in! Our printing should actually be pretty easy! Once you press the print icon you can follow the easy on-screen instructions to print out the pattern, you can also select to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images or sections of the pattern you can hover over the section or image you want to remove until it is highlighted, you then can click the trash icon on the left side of the highlighted section and it will delete it from the pattern! Once you have narrowed it down to what you would like printed, you can click the print button!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
I’m going to attempt to attach a screen shot of the printing problem. Well, that didn’t work, so I’ll have to get more creative!
Hi Angela,
Thanks for your response! If you have a screenshot, please email us at [email protected] with the photo and any additional information you have related to the issue.
Warmly,
Gianna
Can you explain the difference between – P2TOG TBL, which is used in this pattern and SSP, which is used instead in some other Frost Flowers patterns ?
Thank you.
Hi Anne,
Thanks for reaching out! P2tog and ssp are two different decreases categorized by the way they slant! The p2tog leans to the left and the ssp leans to the right, however when it is a p2tog tbl is a bit different and it and the slip slip purl (ssp) both lean right on the purl side and left on the knit side! The p2tog tbl and ssp are about the same, except that a p2tog tbl twists the stitches and an ssp does not. So if it instructs you to use one over the other, make sure you follow the instructions to ensure your stitches twist the correct way for the pattern you are working on!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Thanks very much Gianna.
This is so beautiful. I have been wanting to start knitting Shetland lace but keep getting intimidated. I can’t wait to make this beautiful wrap!
Hi, my mother knit a big shawl in this pattern for me over 50 years ago ! I was always looking for this pattern to make it in my lifetime. However I can’t understand what ‘ ssk’ means, you slip one , slip another & knit one stitch???Please help me as I’m determined to make this shawl no matter what! Thanks
Hi Meera,
Thanks for reaching out! SSK is shorthand for “Slip, slip, knit” and we have a handy tutorial that describes the technique right here. If you ever run into any other terminology that you’re not sure about, we also have a helpful page of Knitting Abbreviations and Terms that you can take a look at for reference!
I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hi, is this supposed to be 72″ before blocking or after?
Hi Kim,
Thanks for reaching out! The wrap should measure 72″ after blocking!
I hope this helps!
Gianna
do you know approximately how long it would measure before blocking in that case?
Hi Kim,
Thanks for your response! Our sample was approximately 15 inches wide x 75 inches long unblocked.
I hope this helps!
Gianna
Could you go over how to yarn over between a knit and an ssk? To you bring the yarn to the back after the slips and before you knit them together or just knit them together with the yarn in front? Also, for a lefty should I read the pattern chart start from left to right?
Hi Julia,
Thanks for writing in! To work the yo between a knit stitch and an ssk, is to knit the stitch then work the yo, once you bring the yarn over the needle you can use your finger to hold the yarn in place. From there you can work the ssk!
I hope this clears things up, happy knitting!
Gianna
hi there, i am planning on knitting this in coorie. I wonder what you’d recommend for needle size
Also, i downloaded this after seeing it in Ravelry, but it doesn’t show up as a pdf, which i think means i cannot use Knit Companion.
i am traveling next week and really wanted to knit using the program. Is that possible? thanks, diana
Hi Diana,
Thanks for reaching out. We recommend size US 3 or 4 needles for Coorie! Since you’re using a heavier yarn, you’ll also need to adjust the number of stitches you cast on in order to maintain the correct dimensions. To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern with the needles you plan on using. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the width that you would like and cast on the closest multiple of 34 + 2.
I also want to let you know that there is indeed a way to download our project pages as PDFs! If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Click on this button, and a window will pop up where you can delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print. When you hover over any image or a text block, it will be highlighted in yellow and a “trash” icon will appear. Just click on this icon to delete anything that’s not necessary to the pattern! For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. Then, click on the “PDF” button in the upper left-hand corner of the pop-up window. Once your PDF has finished downloading, just click the “Download PDF” button, and it will be saved to your computer!
All the best,
Lili
Es el diseño de todos mis gustos, agradezco mucho su fina atencion por compartir su hermoso trabajo sobre este diseño.
The remedy for the garbled printing issue with Purl Soho free patters should probably be described as: To avoid “garbled” printing use the print icon on this pattern’s page instead of the default print command or menu item from your OS or Web Browser. The print icon takes you to a page that allows you to customize what parts of the pattern to print.
Hi Grace,
Thank you so much for leaving your comment! Your advice on printing might be very helpful for others who are having difficulty printing and we really appreciate it!
All the best,
Carly
I would like to order the correct size needle for this project. Do you recommend the 24 inch size 2 Addi Rocket? Also, I have seen both 2.75 and 3.00 recommended, which would be better?
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out. We do recommend using size US 2 needles for the Botanical Lace Wrap, but because gauge can be different from knitter to knitter you might end up needing a different size needle in order to get the required 31 stitches and 42½ rows = 4 inches in the stitch pattern that the pattern calls for. We have a tutorial All About Gauge that you might find useful for this project.
The dimensions of this wrap are 18 inches wide x 72 inches long, so a 24″ circular needle would be perfect!
Please let us know if you have any questions!
All the best,
Carly
How many pattern repeats would you need to include to properly determine gauge from a swatch? I’m a virgin lace knitter.
Thank you.
Hi Catherine!
Thank you for your question! Since this stitch pattern is worked over a multiple of 34 + 2 stitches, and 31 stitches are intended to measure 4″, I would suggest casting on 36 stitches to work one full stitch pattern to determine your gauge.
I hope this helps, and happy swatching!
All the best,
Margaret
Question: in the written out pattern, rows 17-24 follow the chart. It is then indicated that rows 13-16 should be repeated 2 more times. Then repeat rows 1-24 until piece measures 72 in.
Why are rows 13-16 repeated 2 times? Should that repeat of 13-16 be done for each repeat of 1-24? Thanks for the help.
Hi Wendy!
Thank you for your question! Rows 13-16 are repeated twice so that the second half of the lace design is the same length as the first half of this design (12 rows for each half), and therefore rows 13-16 should be repeated for rows 17-24 in each repeat of rows 1-24.
I hope this helps clarify things, and happy knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
I am in love with this pattern! I looked at the measurements, and I’m not sure the 18 inches will be wide enough, I like my shawls with just a little bit more coverage. Would the solution be to just add a few more repeats to the cast on?
Instead of casting on 138 stitches for 18 inches (and four repeats) cast on 172 stiches for 22.5 inches (and five repeats), or 206 stitches for 27 inches (and six repeats). I think that math is right?
Hi Rebecca!
Thank you for your question, and you are absolutely correct! For a wider shawl, you could cast on 172 stitches for 5 pattern repeats, 206 stitches for 6 pattern repeats, or 240 stitches for 7 pattern repeats. This would translate to a 22.5″, 27″, and 31″ wrap widths respectively.
I hope this helps, and happy knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
Do you think your new yarn spindle would work for this pattern?
Hi Ines,
Spindle would work wonderfully for this pattern! As always, we recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge! If you would like to learn more about this, we have a handy tutorial called All About Gauge, which you can find right here.
Let us know how it goes it you do try this!
All the best,
Lili
Hello! This pattern is stunning!
I’ve got some Tussock left from another of your gorgeous patterns. Wondering what your thoughts are as to how it would work for this piece.
Thank you!
Hi Jill,
I’m so happy to hear that this pattern has caught your eye! You could definitely use Tussock for it. I think that the main difference between that and how it looks in these photos is that the lace pattern will be a bit obscured by the fuzzy halo caused by the mohair in Tussock. It will still be visible, just not as defined. For a good example of how Tussock looks in a lace pattern, I’d recommend checking out the Cumulus Wrap. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
wondering how many repeats of the chart? trying to figure if i have enough time to knit this for a bride at the end of september
Hi Stacy,
Thanks for reaching out! To make this wrap approximately 72 inches long, you’d need to work 31 or 32 repeats of the chart. Hope this helps give you a sense of the scale of the pattern!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks mucho. Helps immensely..
Hi – I’m a little bit confused about witch purl decrease to use. Am I doing a plain purl 2 together through the back (P2TOG TBL) or am I doing the slip 1 purlwise, slip next as if to knit, transfer both back to left needle and then purl 2 tog tbl like in the video link? Which one am I supposed to use?
Hi T,
Thanks for reaching out! The pattern calls for p2tog tbl, and not ssp, so that’s what we used for our sample. You could absolutely use an ssp instead though–these two stitches function in the same way and are interchangeable!
All the best,
Lili
Hello!
I bought some yarn on impulse while travelling, and only realised when I returned home how thin the yarn is– it’s 27 wpi. Would this be considered lace yarn? And would it be suitable for knitting this botanical lace wrap? Would really appreciate your advice! Thanks (:
Hi Cinds,
Thanks for your question! It looks like 27 WPI falls into the category of a sock or fingering weight yarn, so I’m afraid your yarn would be a bit too thick for the Botanical Lace Wrap. I’d recommend our collection of fingering weight yarn shawls and wraps for the yarn you have on hand! I hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
Thank you Cat!
Hi Cinds,
You’re very welcome! Wishing you lots of happy knitting!
All the best,
Cat
I love this pattern, but really wondered whether or not life was too short to grapple with it. Then I remembered the whole concept of ‘chunking’; check it out under chunking + psychology, if I’m sounding obscure!! It’s just breaking long pieces of information into manageable short ones. I’ve found that, as usual, I would use something horizontally to denote which row I was on (a ruler works pretty well), laid on the chart; now what I do is use a vertical one as well, to move along ‘chunks’ of stitches within each 34 stitch repeat. I thought I could do this by highlighting vertical lines in different colours, but that didn’t really help much, I still got lost. Now I put a ruler vertically that I move along as I reach different sections. Everything chunked into manageable bits, and I haven’t got lost once since doing this; I’m sure others do it all the time, but just thought I’d mention it for anyone else who might have been having trouble keeping on track.
I keep ending up with 35 stitches on the first right side row. Is there a common error I might be making?
Hi Mary,
Thank you for writing in. The first thing to check is that you have a yarn over for every decreased stitch. This will ensure that for every stitch you take away for the lace detail, you are adding a stitch to even out the stitch count. I would recommend counting that you have the correct number of decreases and be sure that there is a YO for each. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi there! I love this pattern, but sweetgrass fine isn’t made anymore. Should I look to match gauge or fiber?
Hi KK,
Thanks for writing in! This pattern will look lovely in a number of different fiber contents and yarn weights. I’ve actually knit up a version in a sport weight, 100% wool yarn, and it came out great! If you want the most similar-looking wrap to ours though, then I’d recommend matching the yarn weight as closely as possible so that you can achieve the same gauge, and then cast on the same number of stitches. Hope this helps you get started!
All the best,
Lili
Oh no! I accidentally bought Sweetgrass yarn instead of the Sweetgrass Fine, because I clicked the link that said Sweetgrass. Will it still work with this pattern?
Hi Joan,
You could definitely size up your needles and use the Sweetgrass you have already ordered. Just be sure you have enough yardage for this modification. Since we have discontinued Sweetgrass Fine, Spindle or Nigh Fine would be great substitutes. I hope this helps and happy making!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi, I’m Italian, sorry if I make mistakes, I started working this beautiful shawl, row 5 the stitches are not right if I follow the pattern when I get to work yo and then 2k does not correspond with the stitches of the row before, could you send me the right pattern, thanks
Hi Roberta,
I’m so sorry that you’re running into trouble on Row 5! I can confirm that the pattern is correct as written, so I’m guessing that something may have gone wrong when you knit Row 4. I would recommend unknitting each stitch and redoing both Rows 4 and 5. If you’re still encountering the same issue though, I’d recommend sending a photo of your work to [email protected] so we can take a closer look!
All the best,
Lili