Osmosis Wrap
Very gently fading from dark to light, our Osmosis Wrap is like a thirsty plant soaking up water, first through its roots, rising up its stem, and spreading out to the tips of its leaves.
This subtle seep of color can be traced back to the Andean highlands and the alpacas who live there, dressed in coats that naturally grow in a wide range of beiges and grays. Our Sweetgrass Fine combines those colors with undyed organic cotton for a collection of six soft and extraordinarily beautiful neutrals.
That explains the gradating undertones of our Osmosis Wrap, but the shot of pink and the slightly downy texture, that’s thanks to bringing a strand of Tussock along for the ride. Sixty percent super fine kid mohair and 40% silk, Tussock also adds a dose of cozy!
The stitch pattern is the same simple lace we use for our Open Air Wrap, just one repeat that wondrously creates a lovely, voluminous netting. To get started with your own Osmosis Wrap, pick up an Osmosis Wrap Bundle, which includes all six Sweetgrass Fine shades, plus a choice of five Tussock colors. Soak up the beauty!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoOsmosisWrap, #PurlSohoTussock and #PurlSohoSweetgrassFine. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
Our Osmosis Wrap Bundle includes…
- Yarn A: 3 skeins of Purl Soho’s Tussock, 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% silk. Each skein is 328 yards/ 25 grams; approximately 955 yards required.
- Yarn B: 6 skeins of Purl Soho’s Sweetgrass Fine, 65% organic cotton and 35% superfine alpaca. Each skein is 930 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 125 yards required per color.
- Color 1: 1 skein of Heirloom White
- Color 2: 1 skein of Pale Sesame
- Color 3: 1 skein of Buckwheat Beige
- Color 4: 1 skein of Rye Flour
- Color 5: 1 skein of Walnut Shell
- Color 6: 1 skein of Beech Bark
You will also need…
- US 6 (4 mm), 60-inch circular needles
- Optional: A spare needle 1–2 sizes larger, in any length, for cast-on and bind off
Choose from 10 palettes, shown above…
Top Row: Tea Rose; Bright Thistle (we used this for our sample); Anjou Pear
Middle Row: Saffron Yellow; Golden Lichen; Lucky Green
Bottom Row: Bright Verdigris; Partly Cloudy Blue; Lapis Lazuli
Not Pictured: Alpine Phlox
Gauge
14 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern, holding one strand of Yarn A and Yarn B together
Size
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 18 inches wide x 72 inches long
Notes
STITCH PATTERN
For assistance with this stitch pattern, visit our original Open Air Wrap story for a step-by-step photo tutorial.
Pattern
NOTE: You will knit this wrap lengthwise, casting on for the long edge.
With one strand of Yarn A and one strand of Yarn B/ Color 1, cast on 252 stitches, using larger needles if desired. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On. (A tip for casting on so many stitches is to place a stitch marker or piece of scrap yarn every 50 stitches, so that when (not if!) you lose count, you won’t have to recount every stitch.)
Row 1: K1, *yarn over, purl 2 together, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Continuing with Yarn A and Color 1, repeat Row 1 until piece measures 3 inches from cast-on edge.
Cut Color 1 and join Color 2.
Holding Yarn A and Color 2 together, repeat Row 1 for 3 more inches, until piece measures 6 inches from cast-on edge.
Cut Color 2 and join Color 3.
Holding Yarn A and Color 3 together, repeat Row 1 for 3 more inches, until piece measures 9 inches from cast-on edge.
Cut Color 3 and join Color 4.
Holding Yarn A and Color 4 together, repeat Row 1 for 3 more inches, until piece measures 12 inches from cast-on edge.
Cut Color 4 and join Color 5.
Holding Yarn A and Color 5 together, repeat Row 1 for 3 more inches, until piece measures 15 inches from cast-on edge.
Cut Color 5 and join Color 6.
Holding Yarn A and Color 6 together, repeat Row 1 for 3 more inches, until piece measures 18 inches from cast-on edge.
Switch to larger needles, if desired, and bind off loosely purlwise.
Weave in the ends and gently wet block to finished dimensions.
This is absolutely beautiful. If I was to make this wrap vertically instead of horizontally how many to cast on and how wide would the stripes need to be? Thanks for all you help, love all the patterns and your yarns are beyond compare.
Hi Pam,
Thank you for the kind words! You’ll need to cast on 62 stitches and knit for 12 inches with each color of Sweetgrass Fine to make this wrap vertically. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your prompt response and your help regarding making this vertically. You all are so amazing to answer all of our questions and make these beautiful patterns attainable for all of us. Thanks again!
About how much of each shade of Sweetgrass Fine is used in the scarf (either remaining or used weight info is fine)? I’m thinking there’s more than enough to make another scarf, with a few more skeins of Tussock.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for reaching out. You’re absolutely right! We used 125 yards of each color of Sweetgrass Fine, and each skein contains 930 yards.
All the best,
Lili
Osmosis Wrap.
I would like to knit the wrap to be a foot longer (7 feet). How many additional stiches should I add? Or, is it a matter of ending up with an even amount of stitches?
Thank you.
Angela
Hi Angela,
Thanks for reaching out. You can absolutely make this wrap a foot longer! You’ll need to cast on 294 stitches in total (42 more than the pattern indicates), and you will also need to purchase an extra skein of Tussock, since you’ll use up more than 955 yards. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I’d like to share what I’ve found to create a longer/wider wrap. Definitely purchase an extra skein of Tussock. I cast on 294 stitches for a 7′ long wrap as suggested. So 4 skeins of Tussock @ 25 grams each equals 100 grams total divided by 6 (sweetgrass fine skeins) equals 16.6 grams. So 16.6 is the number of grams of Tussock needed for each color. Subtract 16.6 from 25 equalling 8.4 grams. SO knit up in the pattern the first color of sweetgrass fine until 8.4 grams remain. REMEMBER to ALWAYS calculate using weight NOT yardage. This makes us mathematician knitters grin widely! After knitting up the first color, you’ll now know the number of rows for each following color.
So now you need to remember to compensate for grams used for bind off row… this complicates above calculations just a wee bit. I rounded the 8.4 grams to 9 grams. (This will leave plenty for bind off, I think!) And not only is my wrap longer, I found the width of each color to be closer to 3.5″.
I hope this is not terribly confusing!
Thank you so much for sharing your findings! We are sure many knitters will appreciate your hard work, and we hope you enjoy your longer and wider wrap!
All the best,
Margaret
If I want the Osmosis Wrap to be made into a stole 20-23 inches wide is there enough yarn in your initial kits or do I need to add an additional skein of each color to my order, realizing we all knit differently in terms of tension?
Hi Roberta,
Thanks for reaching out. Since Sweetgrass Fine is so thin, you actually won’t need to buy any more skeins of those colors, since the pattern doesn’t use up much yardage in the first place! You will, however, need to buy one more skein of Tussock to make sure you have enough of that yarn with the extra width. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
And further, my plan is to fold the wrap in half and sew one side, leaving a hole for the head, like a poncho.
GENIUS that the subtle color change is from the Sweetgrass, not the Tussock! This is just gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us.
I agree! So neat! Love it.
I have a Sweetgrass (not fine) bundle on hand. Could I use that along with the tussock for this pattern, and if so, do you think I need an extra skein of Tussock. I’ll do gauge checks, but do you think a 7 or an 8? Thank you!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for writing in. I think that’s a great idea, and as long as you keep the dimensions of the wrap the same as the pattern, you won’t need any extra Tussock! (You may even find you need less, since the stitches will be slightly larger.) I agree that size 7 or 8 needles would work well. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Do you have a complementary triangular pattern available for this bundle?
Hi Rhonda,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m sorry to say that we don’t have a triangular wrap pattern with this bundle! We’ll keep your suggestion in mind for the future though.
All the best,
Lili
I’d like to make this as a throw. Any suggestions? Please?
Thanks!
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for writing in. You could turn this design into a throw by knitting with each color of Sweetgrass Fine for more rows! Do you have an idea of what you’d like the dimensions of your throw to be? That way, you can calculate exactly how many inches you’d have to knit each stripe for, as well as how many skeins of yarn you’ll need.
All the best,
Lili
Such a beautiful pattern and yarn! If I want to make the pink one and would like to make it 7”, as suggested above, what color of an additional skein do you recommend?
Thank you,
Gale
Hi Gale,
Thanks for writing in. The only extra skein you’ll need to purchase if you want to make the wrap 7 feet long is an additional skein of Tussock! You’ll definitely have enough Sweetgrass Fine to knit this pattern up larger. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I’m allergic to alpaca, but really love and want to make this. Can you recommend a alternative to the Sweetgrass Fine yarn?
Hi Debbie,
Thanks for reaching out. I would recommend using Good Wool as a substitute for Sweetgrass Fine, because it comes in 5 undyed shades that will be able to achieve the beautiful gradient of this design! The only thing is that Good Wool is a sportweight yarn, so it is significantly heavier than Sweetgrass Fine. In order to make a wrap with the same dimensions as this one, you’ll need to change the number of stitches you cast on.
To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by 72 inches and cast on the nearest even number. Finally, you’ll need to knit with each color of Good Wool for 3.6 inches (instead of 3 inches) in order to achieve the right width with only 5 colors.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Are there examples somewhere of the other colors knitted up?
Hi Bev,
Thanks for reaching out. We’ve only knit up this design in the color pictured, so I’m sorry to say that we don’t have examples of the other options. I bet that once people start finishing their own wraps, some of them will post pictures online (for instance, on Ravelry), so you may be able to get a sense of what the other colors look like that way!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks for this question! I wish I could have seen other colors before ordering, as well. But…I did go ahead and order it with the pale blue. I’ll post a photo on Instagram today or tomorrow, (@_slow_knitter_). It’s a really fun stitch and gorgeously soft – but I can’t say I’m not a little worried about liking the color! (Mine is for a gift.) I’m in the middle of color #3 right now.
I love the pattern but would like to replace the Sweetgrass with something a little more squishy than cotton. Would Posy work as a replacement?
Hi Alicia,
Thanks for writing in. I would actually recommend using Good Wool as a squishier substitute for Sweetgrass Fine, because it comes in 5 undyed shades that will be able to achieve the beautiful gradient of this design! While Posy is closer to Sweetgrass Fine, in terms of weight, it just doesn’t have the necessary colors to make this pattern work. But since Good Wool is a sportweight yarn, in order to make a wrap with the same dimensions as this one, you’ll need to change the number of stitches you cast on.
To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by 72 inches and cast on the nearest even number. Finally, you’ll need to knit with each color of Good Wool for 3.6 inches (instead of 3 inches) in order to achieve the right width with only 5 colors.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I would like to make this wrap using a pale pink or lavender tussuck. Which shade(s) of the tussuck- pink fog, apple blossom, pale orchid,something else – would go best with the sweet grass shades?
Hi Ann,
Thanks so much for writing in! An Osmosis Wrap in pale pink or lavender sounds absolutely stunning. I would suggest Apple Blossom for a pale pink wrap and Pale Orchid for a lavender.
I hope this helps! Hope you have a lovely rest of your day!
All the best,
Cat
Love this pattern. I’m curious why the stitch pattern uses purls rather than knits. Would it come out the same way using:
K1, *yarn over, KNIT 2 together, repeat from * to last stitch, k1
Thanks!
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for writing in. You can absolutely use knits rather than purls for this pattern and it will come out the same (just with the sides reversed)! The only difference to consider is that some knitters have slightly different tension when knitting or purling. So I’d recommend paying extra attention to your gauge if you decide to alter the pattern in this way! I hope this helps.
All the best,
Lili
A 60″ circular needle is not necessary for this project and may even be counterproductive. I started with a 60″ and found my working yarns constantly tangling up in the loops of the extra-long needle. I switched to my next longest #6 circular, a 32″, and the problems immediately disappeared. All the stitches fit comfortably on the shorter needle with room to spare.
Also, Bev asked about how the other colors worked up. I’m using the Partly Cloudy Blue and have only just begun. So far, with the lightest sweetgrass my blue is pastel and clear, a couple of steps lighter than the tussock by itself. I expect it to get darker and cloudier as I work through the color changes.
Hi Anne,
I’m so glad that you posted the length of the needle (60″)
was not necessary and that you went to a 32″
I was concerned about the 60″ as well.
Feel better about the 32″
Rosa
I think there is a typo in the gauge you give of 14 stitches to 48 rows. The pattern is at base a garter stitch variation.
Garter is always a ratio of 1 stitch to 2 rows, so the gauge should probably be 14 to 28 rows. At least, that’s what I’m getting and my work looks like the picture. Please advise.
Hi Anne,
Thanks for reaching out and for sharing your tips! Also, thank you for pointing this issue out, there is an error in the gauge. The correct gauge is actually 14 stitches and 24 rows, so you are very close! I have updated the pattern to reflect this change, and I apologize for any confusion this has caused!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
What a lovely scarf. I am wondering if Purl Soho would consider selling a bundle to make the scarf with the Tussock plus just the required amount of Sweetgrass Fine required (i.e., mini skeins). The pattern uses only 13% of the 5 skeins of Sweetgrass. That drives up the price of making the scarf and leaves us with expensive stash.
Hi Judy,
Thank you for reaching out to us about this! While we don’t have any current plans to offer mini skeins of Sweetgrass Fine with this bundle, we will absolutely keep your suggestion in mind for the future.
In the meantime, you might be interested in some patterns that you could use the remaining Sweetgrass Fine for! The first one that comes to mind is the Color Change Scarf, which is designed to work with a gradient of five lace weight yarns. It could certainly be adapted for the six shades of Sweetgrass Fine! Some other options are the Palmetto Wrap and the Botanical Lace Wrap, which are both designed for Sweetgrass Fine specifically. I think that either of these patterns would look lovely with a gradient!
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts. We really appreciate your suggestion and take it very much to heart!
All the best,
Lili
I may have missed but are there stated colors of the tussock yards in description
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out. The colors of Tussock we’re offering in the Osmosis Wrap Bundle are Bright Thistle, Golden Lichen, Bright Verdigris, Partly Cloudy Blue, and Alpine Phlox! Hope this helps.
All the best,
Lili
Could you crochet this using double crochet stitch or half double crochet?
Hi Amy,
Thanks for reaching out. You can indeed use crochet to make this wrap! Either double crochet or half double crochet would work, but double crochet would maintain the airy texture of the fabric better. I’d also recommend purchasing one more skein of Tussock, since crochet takes up more yarn than knitting does. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, do you think the wrap would look good using Tussock in Cerulean Sea, or would that be too dark to show the subtle color changes? Thanks so much, Sue
Hi Sue,
Thanks for reaching out. I think that this wrap would look lovely with Cerulean Sea! While the skein as a whole might look pretty dark, the strand of yarn on its own is so thin that it won’t obscure the shades of Sweetgrass at all. It will just add a lovely halo of color!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I would like to do this wrap with two skeins of Linen Quill. How many stiches should I cast on please?
I did the Open Air Wrap and it’s wonderful so I’d now like to switch it up with this Osmosis Wrap.
Thanks!
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out! To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the length of the pattern (72 inches) and cast on the nearest even number. Then you can follow the pattern as written!
All the best,
Lili
My question is about binding off…. Do I stay in pattern and continue to yarn over with each bind off stitch? (I’m not a super experienced knitter). I started binding off without doing that using 2 sizes bigger needles but it still seems tight. Thank you.
Hi Erica,
Thanks so much for writing in! You can just bind off normally purl wise, i.e. just purling the stitches and binding off as you do so. If you’re still finding that the bind-off edge is feeling tight, you could try increasing your needle size again to one that is 3 sizes larger. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
Thank you for your prompt response!! I’ll try the larger size needles.
Hi Erica,
You’re very welcome and I hope that helps with your bind off! Have a great rest of your day!
All the best,
Cat
I always use the old Norwegian cast on method but am concerned it will be too much of a thick edge on this. What do you think?
Hi DJ,
Thanks for reaching out. I think that that cast on would work great for this pattern, especially since it’s a bit more stretchy than a long tail cast-on! I’d recommend trying it out on your gauge swatch, and if you don’t end up liking it, then you don’t have to do it on your project.
All the best,
Lili
Hi, it looks like each skein of Tussock is 6″ of scarf width so if I want a 30″ wrap I would need 2 more skeins of Tussock? Thanks
Hi Anna,
Thanks for writing in. For a 30in by 72in wrap, you will indeed need a total of 5 skeins of Tussock!
All the best,
Lili
Oh, so many choices! I had decided to make your Open Air Wrap until I saw the Osmosis Wrap. I’m thinking of putting together my own bundle using Tussock’s Beach Stone. Do you think the overall look would be “taupe-ish,” or would the more vibrant colors offered the your bundles be more successful?Thanks!
Hi Diane,
I think that Beach Stone is a great choice for this pattern! It will result in a really “natural” look to the colors–they’ll essentially just be the natural colors of Sweetgrass with a bit of extra fuzz from the Brume. Personally, I like those sorts of color palettes, but if you’re hoping for a more saturated look, then I would recommend using a more vibrant color of Brume. It all depends on your preference, as either option would be beautiful!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili. Thank you for your reply. I was asking for your opinion regarding making the Osmosis Wrap with Tussock’s “Beach Stone” – and not Brume, but I suspect Tussock and Brume are somewhat alike, correct?
Hi Diane,
Sorry about that typo! I meant to say Tussock. Brume and Tussock have the same colors, so sometimes we get mixed up!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks Lili. I thought as much, but wanted to hear it from an expert.
Hi – I’m excited to make this, but I hate to purl. Could I do y/o and k2tog instead of purling?
Thanks so much, Anne
Hi Anne,
That’s a great question! In this pattern, when you purl 2 together, you insert the right needle into a p2tog from the previous round and then a yarn over, which is actually easy to do! But if you were to knit 2 together, your right needle would have to first go into the yarn over, which doesn’t have much tension on it and would be a bit dicey to grab with your needle. In addition, working all k2tog’s tends to create a biased finished fabric… Substituting k2tog’s would not the end of the world, but I’d recommend considering the p2tog’s for these reasons!
All the best,
Lili