Nine-Note Seed Stitch Wrap in New Colors
Because every great performance deserves an encore, we have revisited our beautiful Nine-Note Bundles and added five new tunes to the songbook. Please welcome the colors Pomelo, Begonia, Beautyberry, Bluegrass, and Sketchbook!
One stunning thing to make with a bundle is our Nine-Note Seed Stitch Wrap, a color crescendo that moves from very pale to very saturated tones. Its knits and purls show off this gorgeous gradient, smoothing out the transitions and keeping the beat.
A lovely mix of 80% extra fine merino and 25% baby alpaca, the yarn in our Nine-Note Bundle is as soft as can be, warm, and hearty. Its light worsted weight knits up at a lively pace, too!
The new color, Pomelo (above), is a yellow-green citrusy splash to brighten a cold day, while Bluegrass (below) takes you through a clear sky deepening into night.
Begonia (above, middle) is a warm floral pop. Beautyberry (above, right) is a vivid mood lifter, and Sketchbook (below) is cool jazz all the way. Each Nine-Note Bundle comes packaged in a Purl Soho tote bag, with a postcard that links to this free pattern. In every way, a gift that will get a standing ovation!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoNineNoteSeedStitchWrap, and #PurlSohoNineNoteBundle. We can’t wait to see what you make!
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!
Materials
Our Nine-Note Bundle includes…
- 9 skeins of 80% extra fine merino wool and 20% baby alpaca yarn. Each skein is 100 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 900 yards required. We knit our samples in the colors Pomelo, Begonia, Beautyberry, Mulberry, Sketchbook, Tidewater, Bluegrass. (NOTE: This yarn is only available in the Nine-Note Bundle.)
- A Purl Soho canvas tote bag
- A postcard with a link to this free pattern
You will also need…
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 24-inch circular needles
GAUGE
17½ stitches and 33 rows = 4 inches in seed stitch, blocked
NOTE: To ensure all your stripes are the same length, be sure to reuse your swatch yarn.
SIZE
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 15 inches wide x 68 inches long
NOTES
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern is worked over an odd number of stitches.
COLOR SEQUENCE
You will start with the darkest color in the color sequence, then move on to the color one shade lighter until you have used all nine skeins, from dark to light.
PATTERN
Starting with the darkest color, cast on 65 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Repeat Row 1 until piece measures about 7½ inches from cast-on edge or until skein nearly runs out.
*Right-Side Row: Join next lighter color in the sequence (see Notes), and work Row 1.
Repeat Row 1 until this stripe measures the same as first stripe, ending with a wrong-side row (i.e. on the same side you finished the first skein so that all tails are along the same selvage).
Repeat from * working through entire sequence of eight skeins.
Bind-Off Row: K1, *p1, pass first stitch over, k1, pass first stitch over, repeat from * to end of row.
Weave in ends and gently block.
LEARN ABOUT NINE-NOTE BUNDLES + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
The gorgeous gradient of our Nine-Note Bundle makes this project sing! A carefully calibrated scale of nine skeins ranging from very pale to very saturated, there is beautiful complexity in every harmonious color. A light worsted/DK-weight yarn, our Nine-Note Bundles are a mix of 80% of the softest extra fine merino wool in the world and 20% incredibly soft baby alpaca… It must be experienced to be believed!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of Nine-Note Bundle knitting patterns and cast on!
More Worsted/Aran-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop merino wool yarn
- Shop alpaca yarn
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!
Can this be done with Good Wool? I bought the Triangle Scarf Bundle and I decided I wouldn’t wear this once it was made. Not really for me. So I have 5 skeins of good wool that I would like to use.
Hi Camille,
I think that making this wrap with your skeins of Good Wool is a great way to repurpose them! The pattern is a simple seed stitch wrap, so that will work perfectly with almost any yarn, and it will be especially bouncy with Good Wool.
All the best,
Lili
Hi,
I just ordered this beautiful yarn. I was wondering if you think it would work to make two narrower scarves. Thanks!
Hi Melissa,
That will absolutely work! To make 2 narrower scarves, just cast on 31 stitches for each and knit each color section to the same height as indicated in the pattern (about 7.5 inches). You can also knit until you use up just under half of each skein, which you can determine by weighing the remaining yarn! Each skein is 50g, so once you have about 25g left, you’ll know it’s time to move onto the next color and save the remaining yarn for the second scarf. Let us know how it goes!
All the best,
Lili
Hello,
I love these colors and the ombre effect, but I’m not a huge fan of seed stitch. Do you think these would look as nice just knitted (or have you seen anyone do that)? Would they be approximately the same width/length do you think? Thanks!
Hi Mary Ann,
Thanks for reaching out! I think a wrap in stockinette using these bundles would be absolutely fabulous. Because this project was designed specifically in seed stitch, though, I’m not able to pinpoint exactly how switching to stockinette would affect the dimensions of the wrap. However, I can point you in the direction of our Elementary Wrap in Morning (https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2022/03/26/elementary-wrap-in-morning/) as a great guidepost for how to modify this wrap! Morning is a DK weight yarn like the yarn in the Nine-Note Bundles, so substituting the Nine-Note yarn in this pattern would work well. Furthermore, the dimensions of the Elementary Wrap are quite similar to the Nine-Note wrap as well.
I would recommend first making a swatch with the Nine-Note yarn using the recommended needle size (US 6 (4 mm)) for the Elementary Wrap and seeing if you need to make any adjustments to get gauge. Once you’re able to get the same gauge as the Elementary Wrap pattern (20 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch), you can then adjust the number of cast-on stitches so that you can create a wrap the same dimensions as the Nine-Note wrap. To do so, simply cast on 75 stitches rather than the listed 90 stitches since the Nine-Note wrap is 15 inches wide vs. the Elementary Wrap being 18 inches wide. Then, just knit in stockinette stitch following the Elementary Pattern (which is all stockinette except for a few purl stitches to create the selvedge edge) until your work is 68 inches long. If you’d like the ombre to occur in equal increments, simply swap in a new skein every 7.5 inches or so.
I hope this helps! Let us know if you have other questions!
Kindly,
Cat
I thought the same thing when I started in on the wrap “this is a full time job!” making it in seed stitch. I tried the wrap suggested below, and it just wasn’t as pretty or satisfying. So I unravelled and am going back to the seed stitch pattern.
This yarn is beautiful, and even if knitting it is a little slower doing seed stitch, I think it’s worth it. I’ve adjusted my expectations (lol) . The rest of it will be fine 🙂
Update! (..like anyone asked lol) I made this wrap in Penny as a Christmas gift for a friend. It was so beautiful – I felt like a complete hero when they opened the package in which I wrapped it!
It truly was easy knitting. I binged some excellent shows while making it. I’m an enthusiastic Beginner/intermediate and don’t always finish projects because I get frustrated if I’ve made a mistake and can’t figure my way out. I felt totally confident going in because Purl Soho is right there with a helping hand if you need it.
This is fluffy and beautiful – and I think I need a few more colors for other gifts. Thank you Purl Soho!
Hi Emmy,
Thank you so much for your update! We truly always look forward to feedback from you all and these are so welcome to hear! If you ever need help on another project, we are here to assist!
Happy knitting!
Gavriella
I have never worked with this wool is it itchy it is for my sensitive daughter
Thank you
Brenda
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for writing in! The yarn in the Nine-Note Bundle is made of extra fine merino wool and alpaca, which are incredibly soft fibers. Merino fibers are so fine that they bend to the touch, rather than sticking up and scratching. Most people who are sensitive to normal wool do not have the same reaction to merino wool. I hope this information helps!
All the best,
Lili
I’m a novice knitter but would like to make this more like a scarf for a man to wear. I’m thinking 2/3 the width of the wrap. Would I just cast on 43 (or 41) stitches and complete as instructed?
Hi Margaret,
That’s a great question! Either 41 or 43 stitches would be perfect if you’d like to make this a little less wide. You can keep working until you run out of each color. The scarf will be longer because of this, but should still fit comfortably.
I hope that helps, but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Zha Zha
Hello,
I bought the Nine Note seed stitch bundle and am not a fan of seed stitch. Any other pattern you can recommend that avoids seed stitch. I’m concerned that doing it in stockinette would make a color-change stripe in the fabric. Thoughts?
Hi Cate,
Thanks for your question! I think this bundle and wrap would look really cool in garter stitch! There would be plenty of beautiful texture and it would work well with the color changes too! I’d recommend adding the new skeins at the end of each row to keep the color gradient as smooth as possible. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
I am not able to see a Notes section at the end of the article, but the pattern references this when switching colors. Could you provide more detail on the best method to transition between colors for this pattern?
Hi Addy,
Thanks for writing in! The Notes section in this pattern is located about halfway down the page, right after the Size section, so you might have to scroll a bit to reach it! For the best way to do the color changes for this wrap, just make sure to change colors at the very start of a right-side row and you should be all set! By doing so, all your tails will be along one selvage. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
Hi. Could you give recommendations on doing a smooth selvage edge for this pattern? Thanks.
Hi Neena,
Thanks for writing in! The easiest way to get a smooth selvedge would be to slip the first stitch on every row. So instead of k1 at the beginning, you would slip 1, and then proceed to the p1 after that. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi there. I just bought the Pomelo nine note bundle, and would like to weave a baby blanket using it. For my 4 shaft harness loom using a twill draft, any suggestions for appropriate epi?
Thanks much for the lovely soft wool!
Mollie
Hi Mollie,
Thanks for reaching out! We haven’t used the Nine-Note bundle for a weaving project yet, but I think that’s a great idea. To get an estimate of a good EPI for this yarn though, here’s what I would do: Wrap the yarn around a ruler (not too tightly) and count the wraps per inch. Then, divide by 2/3 to find a suitable EPI for twill!
All the best,
Lili
Hi — Like others, I’m not a big fan of seed stitch, so am going to knit this as an Elementary Wrap using your guidelines above. One question: The seed-stitch wrap dimensions are 15×68. Am I likely to get a longer length using stockinette stitch? Asking because I really like the dimensions of the Elementary wrap (18×70) and am wondering how close I might get with the 9-Note bundle.
Hi Anne,
Thanks for writing in! You should be able to get a slightly longer length when using stockinette stitch, but you won’t be able to achieve the full 18 x 70 inch dimensions of the Elementary Wrap with the yardage in the Nine-Note Bundle. I’d say you could definitely make a wrap that’s 15 x 70 inches though! You can also increase the dimensions a bit by gently stretching the wrap when you block it.
All the best,
Lili
hi im not a fan of seed stitch, would it work with either garter or rib stitch?
Hi Ashley,
That’s a great question! I think this wrap would look lovely in garter or rib stitch! I’d recommend knitting up a gauge swatch to double check your gauge in case you need to adjust the cast-on number of stitches. Also, since different stitch patterns use up different amounts of yarn, your scarf may end up being different dimensions than the original seed stitch version. Blocking can help if you need to make any adjustments to the length and width of your wrap! I hope this helps!
All the best,
Cat
Is there any reason you suggest circular needles? Can’t it be done on straight needles?
Hi Deedee,
This wrap is a bit too wide to be comfortably knit on straight needles, which is why we recommend using circulars! It’s 17 1/4 inches wide, so the stitches would be at risk of falling off if you used standard 12-inch-long straight needles. But if you have extra long straight needles, those could absolutely work!
All the best,
Lili
What is the best way to weave in the tail ends? Mine always come loose after weaving in and the whole things looks very messy
Hi Edda,
Thanks for writing in! For seed stitch, I like to weave in my ends diagonally. On the wrong side of the knit fabric, you’ll draw the end through the purl bumps that lie diagonally from each other. You can go back and forth over about an inch of distance a few times, and that will completely secure the yarn! This method is similar to the WEAVING IN ENDS ON THE DIAGONAL methods shown in this tutorial for stockinette and garter stitch, but you’d be doing it over seed stitch instead. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I saw your reply to Brenda that this merino/alpaca wool is not itchy but I would love to make this wrap for a friend who is completely allergic to wool (poor thing😊). Do you offer any cotton or blend kits with the same ombré color way in correct yarn gauge and quantity?
Hi Marilyn,
I’m afraid that we do not have any cotton yarns that come in an ombre bundle, but I’d be happy to come up with a color palette for you that mimics the gradient effect! Can you let me know what color you’re interested in? Then I can take a look through our cotton yarns and find something that would create a similar look.
All the best,
Lili
Another question: I bought the nine-bundle-kit for the wrap, but my daughter would like to use it for making a baby blanket. Do you think the yarn is soft enough for a baby blanket and is the amount enough for a baby blanket? And can you recommend a pattern for a beginning knitter? Thanks so much for your ongoing help!
Hi Edda,
This yarn is perfect for a baby blanket! We actually have a pattern for a baby blanket that uses just one bundle, and you can take a look at that right here. This pattern may be a challenge for a beginning knitter though, so another thing you could do is cast on more stitches and follow the pattern for the Seed Stitch Wrap!
All the best,
Lili
I purchased the nine bundle to make the baby blanket but found the pattern too complicated. Would you suggest doubling the number of cast on stitches plus one to follow the wrap pattern?
Hi Janice,
That’s a great idea! Doing that, you’ll end up with a blanket that’s approximately 30 by 34 inches, which is the perfect size for a baby blanket!
All the best,
Lili
I’m knitting this with bluegrass with small adjustments: knitting a little looser to create more drape and integrating the new balls more fully. When I have about 10 grams left in a ball, I knit every other row with the new ball. You have to use circular needles.
Hi Aviva,
Thank you for writing in! We are happy to hear you have made adjustments that work for you! Please let us know if you have any questions and we would be happy to take a look!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I am starting on my third one of this wrap. It is addictive knitting, and so convenient to have the colors professionally chosen to ombre correctly.
It occurred to me that knitting this wrap is an exercise in color therapy. The one I’m working on now is Begonia. When I opened the package, I thought ‘wow, is that pink. like..really pink…’ I started working on it and my mood has lifted and I’m having fun with it.
I might just be working my way through all the colors.
Hi. I am on my 9th color of Mulberry and have really enjoyed knitting this wrap. Looking towards blocking, my question is how is it best to wash this yarn and is it ok to gently wash with hand wash detergent and then block?
Hi Karin,
Thank you for writing in! Yes! We recommend wet blocking your wrap for the best results! You can visit our Blocking tutorial for a more in depth look at how you can do this but do let us know if you have any other questions!
Warmly,
Gavriella
Thank you!! Will do:):)
This yarn looks beautiful and the colors are spectacular. I’m not interested in creating an ombré projects, but think the yarn might be great for other projects, like little Toft animals and other miniatures. Do you sell this yarn in individual skeins?
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for writing in! The yarn we use for the Nine Note bundles is only available in bundle form at the moment. I’m so sorry about that! It’s a beautiful yarn, but we’re only able to dye it in custom batches for now. The closest yarns we have to the yarn in the Nine Note Bundle would be either Season Alpaca or Plenty. Season Alpaca is made from 100% alpaca fiber, and Plenty is made from merino wool, and they both have a very similar spin to the Nine Note yarn. Just a heads up though that neither yarn is the same weight! Season Alpaca is a sportweight yarn, so it’s thinner than Nine Note, and Plenty is a heavy worsted weight yarn, so it’s thicker. I’ll let the team know you’re interested in it individually though and we appreciate you reaching out!
All the best,
Gavriella
I just ordered 6 skeins of sweetgrass fine and thought I would use it doubled and do an ombré with that. I do have 2mm needles so I may increase the number of stitches, or go for a lacy effect with 3mm.
Hi Jan,
That’s such a fun idea! We’d love to see a photo of your finished project eventually!
All the best,
Lili
I would like to purchase the bundle, the colors are beautiful! However, when I made the elementary scarf I had trouble with rolling even after blocking. Will this scarf roll too? Thanks!
Hi Kim,
Thank you for asking! This wrap will not curl at all since it’s made in seed stitch rather than stockinette. Projects knit in stockinette stitch, will always have a bit of a natural curl to the fabric. I hope this helps!
Happy making,
Gavriella