Knitting is so timeless it sometimes seems to blur into nature, its existence as mysterious and awesome as a spider web or a fern frond. Our Seashell Lace Wrap embodies this ambiguity, half cultural phenomenon, half natural wonder!

Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho

This stitch pattern was immortalized by knitting’s own natural wonder, Barbara Walker. A great chronicler of the marvels of knits and purls, she dubbed this stitch the Seven-Rib Shell, a name that embraces knitting’s engineering along with its inspiration.

Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho

Not necessarily a pattern for beginners or for the times you hardly want to think, the Seashell Lace Wrap is a wonderfully mindful knit, requiring enough attention that your focus remains on the beauty at hand.

Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho

For our version, we used our gorgeous mohair-silk Tussock. Its soft edges lend a dreamy quality, while its delicacy brings an ethereal beauty… A stunning choice in every way.

Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho

This straight-from-the-ocean color is our Blue Fjord. Light-filled and nuanced, it is a perfectly balanced blue with a ton of heart. Choose it or any color from Tussock’s beautiful palette and fabricate a little nature!

Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho

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, #PurlSohoSeashellLaceWrap, and #PurlSohoTussock. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho
  • 4 skeins of Purl Soho’s Tussock, 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% silk. Each skein is 328 yards/ 25 grams; approximately 1,312 total yards required. We used the color Blue Fjord.
  • US 4 (3.5 mm) straight or 24-inch circular needles

Gauge

26 stitches and 37 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern

Size

Finished Dimensions: Approximately 18 inches wide x 72 inches long

Notes

Stitch Multiple

The stitch multiple for the cast on is 29 + 3 stitches.

DEC4 (Decrease 4)

Right Slanting: Pass the second stitch on the left needle over the first stitch on the left needle as you would to bind off, repeat this step with the following 2 stitches on the left needle, knit the stitch on the left needle as usual. [3 stitches decreased]

Left Slanting: Slip 4 stitches purlwise with yarn in back from the left needle to the right needle, pass the second stitch on the right needle over the first stitch on the right needle as you would to bind off, repeat this step with the following 2 stitches on the right needle. Slip the first stitch on the right needle back onto the left needle and knit it.  [3 stitches decreased]

DEC7 (Decrease 7)

Slip 4 stitches purlwise with yarn in back from the left needle to the right needle, pass the second stitch on the right needle over the first stitch as you would to bind off. Slip the stitch back to the left needle and pass the second stitch on the left needle over the first. Repeat, slipping the stitch between the left and right needle and passing a stich over until 6 stitches have been bound off, the stitch should be on the left needle. Knit the stitch. [6 stitches decreased]

Pattern

Cast on 119 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Set-Up Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1-28 from either the Written Instructions or Chart, below, until piece measures 72 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 28. Then go on to the Finishing section at the end of the pattern.

Written Instructions 

Row 1 (right side): K2, (p2, k1) 3 times, *yarn over (yo), p10, yo, (k1, p2) 6 times, k1, repeat from * to last 21 stitches, yo, p10, yo, (k1, p2) 3 times, k2. [127 stitches]

Row 2 (wrong side): P2, (k2, p1) 3 times, p1, k10, p1, *p1, (k2, p1) 6 times, p1, k10, p1, repeat from * to last 11 stitches, (p1, k2) 3 times, p2. [127 stitches]

Row 3: K2, (p2, k1) 3 times, *yo, p12, yo, (k1, p2) 6 times, k1, repeat from * to last 23 stitches, yo, p12, yo, (k1, p2) 3 times, k2. [135 stitches]

Row 4: P2, (k2, p1) 3 times, p1, k12, p1, *p1, (k2, p1) 6 times, p1, k12, p1, repeat from * to last 11 stitches, (p1, k2) three times, p2. [135 stitches]

Row 5: K2, (p2tog, k1) 3 times, *(yo, p7) 2 times, yo, (k1, p2tog) 6 times, k1, repeat from * to last 25 stitches, (yo, p7) 2 times, yo, (k1, p2tog) 3 times, k2. [123 stitches]

Row 6: P2, (k1, p1) 3 times, (p1, k7) 2 times, p1, *p1, (k1, p1) 6 times, (p1, k7) 2 times, p1, repeat from * to last 8 stitches, p1, (k1, p1) 3 times, p1. [123 stitches]

Row 7: K2, (p1, k1) 3 times, *yo, p6, yo, p2, k1, p2, yo, p6, yo, (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, repeat from * to last 25 stitches, yo, p6, yo, p2, k1, p2, yo, p6, yo, (k1, p1) 3 times, k2. [139 stitches]

Row 8: P2, (k1, p1) 3 times, p1, k6, (p1, k2) 2 times, p1, k6, p1, *(p1, k1) 6 times, p2, k6, (p1, k2) 2 times, p1, k6, p1, repeat from * to last 8 stitches, (p1, k1) 3 times, p2. [139 stitches]

Row 9: K2, (p1, k1) 3 times, *yo, p5, yo, (p2, k1) 3 times, p2, yo, p5, yo, (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, repeat from * to last 29 stitches, yo, p5, yo, (p2, k1) 3 times, p2, yo, p5, yo, (k1, p1) 3 times, k2. [155 stitches]

Row 10: P2, (k1, p1) 3 times, p1, k5, (p1, k2) 4 times, p1, k5, p1, *(p1, k1) 6 times, p2, k5, (p1, k2) 4 times, p1, k5, p1, repeat from * to last 8 stitches, (p1, k1) 3 times, p2. [155 stitches]

Row 11: K2, k2tog 3 times, *p4, yo, (p2, k1) 5 times, p2, yo, p4, ssk 3  times, k1, k2tog 3 times, repeat from * to last 33 stitches, p4, yo, (p2, k1) 5 times, p2, yo, p4, ssk 3 times, k2. [139 stitches]

Row 12: P5, k4, (p1, k2) 6 times, p1, k4, *p7, k4, (p1, k2) 6 times, p1, k4, repeat from * to last 5 stitches, p5. [139 stitches]

Row 13: K1, DEC4 Right Slanting (see Notes), *p4, yo, (k1, p2) 6 times, k1, yo, p4, DEC7 (see Notes), repeat from * to last 32 stitches, p4, yo, (k1, p2) 6 times, k1, yo, p4, DEC4 Left Slanting (see Notes), k1. [123 stitches]

Row 14: P1, *k2tog, k3, p2, (k2, p1) 6 times, p1, k4, repeat from * to last 32 stitches, k2tog, k3, p2, (k2, p1) 6 times, p1, k3, k2tog, p1. [118 stitches]

Row 15: K1, *p5, yo, (k1, p2) 6 times, k1, yo, p5, repeat from * to last 30 stitches, p5, yo, (k1, p2) 6 times, k1, yo, p5, k1. [126 stitches]

Row 16: P1, *k5, p2, (k2, p1) 6 times, p1, k5, repeat from * to last stitch, p1. [126 stitches]

Row 17: K1 *p6, yo, (k1, p2) 6 times, k1, yo, p6, repeat from * to last stitch, k1. [134 stitches]

Row 18: P1, *k6, p2, (k2, p1) 6 times, p1, k6, repeat from * to last stitch, p1. [134 stitches]

Row 19: K1, yo, p7, *yo, (k1, p2tog) 6 times, k1, (yo, p7) 2 times, repeat from * to last 27 stitches, yo, (k1, p2tog) 6 times, k1, yo, p7, yo, k1. [123 stitches]

Row 20: P2, k7, p2, (k1, p1) 6 times, p1, *k7, p1, k7, p2, (k1, p1) 6 times, p1, repeat from * to last 9 stitches, k7, p2. [123 stitches]

Row 21: K2, p2, yo, p5, *p1, yo, (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, yo, p6, yo, p2, k1, p2, yo, p5, repeat from * to last 24 stitches, p1, yo, (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, yo, p6, yo, p2, k2. [139 stitches]

Row 22: P2, k2, p1, k6, p2, (k1, p1) 6 times, p1, k1, *k5, p1, (k2, p1) 2 times, k6, p2, (k1, p1) 6 times, p1, k1, repeat from * to last 10 stitches, k5, p1, k2, p2. [139 stitches]

Row 23: K2, p2, k1, p2, yo, p2, *p3, yo, (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, yo, p5, yo, (p2, k1) 3 times, p2, yo, p2, repeat from * to last 28 stitches, p3, yo, (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, yo, p5, yo, p2, k1, p2, k2. [155 stitches]

Row 24: P2, (k2, p1) 2 times, k5, p2, (k1, p1) 6 times, p1, k3, *(k2, p1) 5 times, k5, p2, (k1, p1) 6 times, p1, k3, repeat from * to last 10 stitches, (k2, p1) 3 times, p1. [155 stitches]

Row 25: K2, (p2, k1) 2 times, p2, *yo, p4, ssk 3 times, k1, k2tog 3 times, p4, yo, (p2, k1) 5 times, p2, repeat from * to last 31 stitches, yo, p4, ssk 3 times, k1, k2tog 3 times, p4, yo, (p2, k1) 3 times, k1. [139 stitches]

Row 26: P2, (k2, p1) 3 times, k4, p7, k4, p1, *(k2, p1) 6 times, k4, p7, k4, p1, repeat from * to last 10 stitches, (k2, p1) 3 times, p1. [139 stitches]

Row 27: K2, (p2, k1) 3 times, *yo, p4, DEC7, p4, yo, (k1, p2) 6 times, k1, repeat from * to last 26 stitches, yo, p4, DEC7, p4, yo, (k1, p2) 3 times, k2. [123 stitches]

Row 28: P2, (k2, p1) 3 times, p1, k4, k2tog, k3, p1, *p1, (k2, p1) 6 times, p1, k4, k2tog, k3, p1, repeat from * to last 11 stitches, p1, (k2, p1) 3 times, p1. [119 stitches]

UPDATE, AUGUST 19, 2020: We’ve corrected the stitch counts at the end of each row. We’re sorry for the initial errors, but they’re all accurate now. We promise!

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.

Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho
Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho

(Want to see it bigger? Click here and view the chart as a PDF!)

Update: Chart + Key Modified on July 31, 2020

Chart: On Row 14 end repeat with k3.

Key: For the knit 2 together on the wrong side symbol, you need to purl 2 together on the right side.

Update: Chart Modified on March 15, 2021: On Row 14, repeat begins with a k1.

Finishing

With the right side facing you, bind off knitwise.

Weave in the ends and wet block to finish!

Seashell Lace Wrap | Purl Soho