Big Lace Wrap
Scale-altering and proportion-bending, knitting lace with super bulky yarn a little bit unexpected and, in the case of our Big Lace Wrap, a whole lot beautiful, too!
Our new Woolly Wool affords all this play with its single ply, big, plump wooliness! Similar to our Gentle Giant, but a bit thinner and a touch less super soft (but, for sure, still soft!), Woolly Wool is a more affordable option with more than twice the yardage.
With its exaggerated stitches, we love the way Woolly Wool gives this easy two-row lace pattern a bullhorn through which to shout, “Look at the amazing things knitting can do!”
Make your Big Lace Wrap like ours, really big and generous, or follow the pattern for a narrower scarf version, still wonderfully warm and cuddly. You’ll need just three skeins for the wrap and two for the scarf!
We used the color Purple Moor. A subdued and heather-y violet, it’s a real still-waters-run-deep beauty!
Designed by Purl Soho founder and co-owner, Joelle Hoverson.
Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoBigLaceWrap, and #PurlSohoWoollyWool. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 2 (3) skeins of Purl Soho’s Woolly Wool, 100% wool. Each skein is 109 yards/ 200 grams; approximately 162 (300) yards required. We used the color Purple Moor.
- US 17 (12 mm) straight or circular needles (20-, 24- or 32-inch lengths would be most comfortable)
Sizes
Scarf (Wrap)
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 7 (13) inches wide x 70 inches long
Sample: We knit the Wrap size.
Gauge
8 stitches and 10 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern, blocked
8 stitches and 10 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Notes
Stitch Multiple
This pattern is worked over a multiple of 6 stitches + 2.
Sk2p (slip, knit 2 together, pass)
Slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 together, then pass the slipped stitch back over. [2 stitches decreased]
Pattern
Cast on 14 (26) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Row 1 (right side): K1, *k3, yarn over (yo), sk2p (see Notes), yo, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Row 3: K1, *yo, sk2p, yo, k3, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 4: Purl to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1-4 forty-four more times or until scarf measures approximately 70 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 3. Be sure to leave enough yarn to bind off.
Bind off loosely purlwise.
Weave in ends, and lightly steam, if desired.
Can you make this into a cowl? Join in the round?
Hi Marian,
Thanks for reaching out! We only offer instruction to knit this stitch flat and not in the round, however you could easily work this pattern flat and then stitch it together in the end to be a cowl!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thank you for reaching out!
I love this pattern.. I am not sure however how to begin knitting on the WS..do you flip the needle.. for some reason I cannot figure it out.. sometimes the obvious thing can stump you.. i also noticed many brioche pattern ask the same beginning and it always prevents me..I consider myself an advanced knitter..any advice would be greatly appreciated
Hi Francoise,
Thanks for reaching out! No worries, I am happy to help! If you use Long Tail Cast On (like we recommend in this pattern), it will be oriented so that the first row you work after casting on will be over the “Wrong Side”!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Gianna!! You are wonderful!! Thanks ever so much for the illumination!! I understand now!!! Best.. FRANCOISE…
I’m trying to knit the scarf version of this but every time I go through row 1 my stitches decrease by one. I’m doing something wrong but I can’t figure it out.
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for reaching out! My best guess is that you may be missing a yarn over! I would recommend writing out the long version of the row, and check it off as you go to keep track of all of the stitches!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Rachel, I was doing the same thing. Don’t forget to yarn over before you knit the last stitch.
I’m curious about using Gentle Giant for this pattern.
Before doing a gauge swatch, any guess if I can substitute Gentle Giant on the same needles? Any reason Gentle Giant wouldn’t knit up nicely for this pattern? Would it be too bulky?
Hi Natalie,
Thanks for reaching out! Gentle Giant and Woolly Wool are the same weight (super bulky) so you could certainly use Gentle Giant for this scarf without any adjustments! The only thing to keep in mind is that Woolly Wool has more yardage per skein than Gentle Giant has, so you will need more skeins than what is recommended in the pattern to complete this scarf.
I hope this helps and please let me know fi you have any more questions!
Gianna
Just finished knitting this into a blanket, and absolutely in love with lace in super bulky! I cast on 102, so the finished dimensions are ~52”x70”.
Hi Madeline! We’re thrilled to hear you’re so happy with your blanket! It sounds like a super cozy project!
Take care and happy knitting!
Kelsey
I’ve finished the wrap and love it. The instructions say to lightly steam if desired. How do you do that and how is it different from blocking? Thank you.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the wrap! Steam blocking is a gentle way to shape delicate knitted or crocheted pieces by using an iron or a steamer, you steam (instead of soak) your garment to coax it into its final shape. It works well for projects like this that are worked with soft, loosely plied yarns that can felt or get messy if they are agitated too much during wet blocking.
To steam your wrap, gently lay it out with the right side facing up on a blocking board or clean towels. Pin and gently smooth the wrap as much as possible. Then, hold a steam iron over the piece about 1/2 inch away from the surface, making sure not to actually touch the iron to the garment. You want the steam to penetrate the piece without the weight of the iron pressing down on it, which could cause the wool yarn to felt or burn (if you were using cotton yarn, you can let the iron touch the fabric very lightly, but keep it moving and don’t let the full weight of the iron lay on the surface). After steaming your wrap, let it rest and dry for at least 30 minutes! If you’re looking for a video tutorial, I know there are several good ones on YouTube if you search there!
I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hi-
You make a point about this type of yarn felting if agitated when soaked during a wet blocking process.
So I wonder how best to wash an item like this, or something like a blanket that is knit with the Super Soft Merino? Is it possible to wash it without soaking it?
Or do you have to accept that felting is inevitable? That felting will even occur from many
Hi Natalie,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, that is correct, yarns like this will easily felt if they are agitated and will naturally begin to felt over time naturally. I would suggest steaming the piece to block it and to only wash it when absolutely necessary being as gentle as possible. I would suggest checking out ur How to Hand Wash a Sweater tutorial!
I hope this helps!
Gianna
I knitted the smaller version in the Woolly Wool and it came out beautifully, but it is still curling quite badly even though I blocked it. Do you have any recommendations to get it to lay flat? I followed your recommendations to steam block – would soaking carefully help it to uncurl?
Hi Mia!
Thank you for writing to us, though I am so sorry your wrap is still curling after blocking! I would suggest spray blocking or steam blocking one more time, using T-pins and blocking combs to help stretch and secure your wrap while it dries. Soaking your project wouldn’t be the best solution in this case since to prevent felting or agitating the Woolly Wool too much. Another option would be, if the ends of your wrap are curling, to spray block just the ends and then hang the wet end over the edge of a table or counter to let the water weigh it down and help unroll the curl.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Margaret
Hello,
I am starting to knit this wrap. I am always struggling with the YO… do we have to yarn over knitwise or purlwise ?
Thanks !
Honorine
Hi Honorine,
Thanks for reaching out! For this pattern, we recommend working all the yarn overs by first bringing the working yarn between the needles to the front of the work and then up and over the right needle. We also have a tutorial on a variety of different yarn overs, for use in different situations, and in this case you would do the version that works between two knit stitches. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks so much ! It does help a lot !