Wavelength Wrap
Our gorgeous new merino and alpaca yarn, Note, is on a frequency with everything knitters love… And our Wavelength Wrap pattern, with its smooth stockinette body and intriguing oscillations, is the perfect design to amplify all that beauty!
You’ll cast on for your Wavelength Wrap lengthwise, then dive right into a real “wow” moment: your first lateral braid! We’ll walk you through every step of this beautiful edging, where your stitches magically travel perpendicular to your cast on… A simple yet impactful technique.
And now on to those undulating edges! You’ll shape the scallops one at a time, using simple short rows. If you haven’t worked short rows before, our excellent tutorial will sort you out, and you’ll come away understanding how the same technique can create both peaks and valleys in your knitting.
Then there’s a restful section of simple stockinette, a moment to simply watch beautiful fabric taking shape, before you do it all again in reverse: shaping the rippling scallops along the other edge and finishing with another lateral braid.
The luminescent stockinette fabric of the Wavelength Wrap is the perfect medium to appreciate the depth and nuance of Note. This very special mix of 80% extra fine merino wool and 20% baby alpaca is spun into a plush, bouncy, and very soft multi-ply yarn, and at a light worsted/DK weight, it knits up at a lively and energetic tempo… You’ll love every stitch!
Choose a color that’s on your wavelength from a palette of 17 artfully heathered colors, including the glowing Kiln Red we used for our sample. You’ll need 3 skeins for a scarf or 6 for the larger wrap version we made.
Cast on for a Wavelength Wrap of your own and find out why Note is a pitch perfect yarn you simply have to feel to believe!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. See even more of Hiromi’s work on her Instagram!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoWavelengthWrap, and #PurlSohoNote. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 3 (6) skeins of Purl Soho’s Note, 80% extra fine merino wool and 20% baby alpaca. Each skein of this light worsted/DK-weight yarn is approximately 200 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 600 (1200) total yards required. We used the color Kiln Red.
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 47-or 60-inch circular knitting needles
- Stitch markers or scrap yarn
- Optional: T-pins or blocking pins
GAUGE
20 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZES
Scarf (Wrap)
Finished Dimensions: 11 inches wide x 69 inches long (18 inches wide x 75¼ inches long)
NOTE: This wrap is worked lengthwise, so the width listed above corresponds to the number of rows and the length corresponds with the cast-on edge.
SAMPLE: We knit the Wrap size.
NOTES
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern is worked over a multiple of 31 plus 4 stitches.
SLIP STITCHES
Slip all slipped stitches purlwise with yarn in front.
SHORT-ROW SHAPING: WRP-T (WRAP AND TURN)
NOTE: For more information about this technique, including how to work wrapped stitches, please visit our Short Rows Tutorial.
On the right side: Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to back. Turn work so wrong side is facing you.
On the wrong side: Keeping yarn in front, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to back. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to front. Turn work so right side is facing you.
PATTERN
Cast on 345 (376) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
TIP: When you’re casting on so many stitches, it really helps to place a marker or piece of scrap yarn every 50 stitches. That way, if you lose count, you won’t have to recount all the stitches. Just remember to remove these markers when you work the first row.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 2 (see Notes), purl to last 2 stitches, slip 2.
BOTTOM LATERAL BRAID
Lateral Braid Row (right side): K2; without turning the work, use a Cable Cast On to cast 1 stitch onto left needle; *bringing right needle to back of work, insert needle into back leg of second stitch on left needle and k1 through back loop (tbl), keeping stitch on needle; bringing right needle to front of work, knit first stitch on left needle, letting both stitches drop off left needle; slip last stitch on right needle back to left needle; repeat from * to last 5 stitches (when 5th stitch on your left needle is the one you just slipped back), k1 tbl into second stitch on left needle, keeping stitch on needle; knit first stitch on left needle, letting both stitches drop off left needle; k1, then pass second stitch on right needle over (like a bind off), k2.
SHAPE BOTTOM SCALLOPS
NOTE: In this section, you will place markers to separate Scallop repeats.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 2, *place marker (pm), p31, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, pm, slip 2. [12 (13) markers placed]
FIRST BOTTOM SCALLOP
NOTE: You will now shape each Scallop one at a time, working between two markers and using Short Rows.
Short Row 1 (right side): K2, slip marker (sm), knit to 12 stitches before next marker, wrp-t (see Notes).
Short Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to 12 stitches before next stitch marker, wrp-t.
Short Row 3: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, k1, wrp-t.
Short Row 4: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, p1, wrp-t.
Short Rows 5–12: Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 four more times.
NEXT BOTTOM SCALLOP
Short Row 1 (right side): Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, k1, sm, knit to 12 stitches before next stitch marker, wrp-t.
Short Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to 12 stitches before next stitch marker, wrp-t.
Short Row 3: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, k1, wrp-t.
Short Row 4: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, p1, wrp-t.
Short Rows 5–12: Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 four more times.
CONTINUE
Repeat Next Bottom Scallop 9 (10) more times.
Next Row (right side): Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, k1, sm, k2.
Next Row (wrong side): Slip 2, purl to last 2 stitches, removing markers and purling wrapped stitches with their wraps as you come to them, slip 2.
BODY
Row 1 (right side): Knit to end of row.
Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 2, purl to last 2 stitches, slip 2.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures approximately 9 (16) inches from the cast-on edge, measuring at the center of a Scallop and ending with Row 1.
SHAPE TOP SCALLOPS
Set-Up Row (wrong side): Slip 2, place marker (pm), *p31, pm, repeat from * last 2 stitches, slip 2.
FIRST TOP SCALLOP
Short Row 1 (right side): K2, sm, knit to 2 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.
Short Row 2: Purl to 2 stitches before marker, wrp-t.
Short Row 3: Knit to 2 stitches before wrapped stitch, wrp-t.
Short Row 4: Purl to 2 stitches before wrapped stitch, wrp-t.
Short Rows 5–12: Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 four more times.
NEXT TOP SCALLOP
Short Row 1 (right side): Knit to next marker, knitting all wrapped stitches with their wraps as you come to them, sm, knit to 2 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.
Short Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to 2 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.
Short Row 3: Knit to 2 stitches before wrapped stitch, wrp-t.
Short Row 4: Purl to 2 stitches before wrapped stitch, wrp-t.
Short Rows 5–12: Repeat Rows 3 and 4 four more times.
CONTINUE
Repeat Next Top Scallop 9 (10) more times.
Next Row (right side): Knit to last marker, knitting wrapped stitches with their wraps as you come to them, sm, k2.
Next Row (wrong side): Slip 2, purl to last 2 stitches, removing markers and purling wrapped stitches with their wraps as you come to them, slip 2.
TOP LATERAL BRAID
Work as for Bottom Lateral Braid.
FINISHING
With wrong side facing you, bind off loosely purlwise.
Weave in the ends and gently wet block face-down, pinning edges using T-pins or blocking pins if necessary to prevent Scallops from curling.
Learn About Note + All Our Beautiful Yarns
The incredible softness, bounce, and dimension of Note makes this project sing! The same beloved yarn as our gradient Nine-Note Bundle, Note is double the size per skein, with its own unique palette of painterly heathered colors. This light worsted/DK-weight yarn is made with 80% the softest extra fine merino wool in the world and 20% baby alpaca, spun into a round multi-ply yarn with a characteristic high twist that adds body and wards off pilling. Absolutely amazing in every way… You simply have to feel it to believe it!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of Note + Nine-Note Bundle knitting patterns and cast on!
More Light Worsted/DK-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 Fiber
- 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!
Would this pattern work in a stitch other than stockinette to ensure the edges aren’t rolling in? I don’t want to knit this much and then have to struggle with the finishing.
Hi Tamera,
Thanks for writing in! We’ve found that blocking the finished wrap facedown and pinning the scalloped edges prevented most of the rolling in our sample.
If you want to try a different stitch pattern though, I think this design would look good in garter stitch too! You would be able to follow the pattern closely as well, just knitting all the rows instead of any purling. Let us know how it goes if you try this out!
All the best,
Lili
I LOVE the scalloped edges, and think they would be beautiful in a baby blanket size. How many stitches do you think should be cast on?
Thanks so much for your wonderful designs, and great customer service.
With appreciation,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for writing in! We typically knit baby blankets to about 28 by 32 inches. Does that sound like a good size to you? If so, then you would just need to multiply the number of stitches per inch (5 stitches, based on the gauge of this pattern) but the length of the blanket. 5 * 32 = 160, and then you just need to round it to the nearest multiple of 31 + 4, which would be 159 stitches. Then just cast that number on and start knitting!
All the best,
Lili
I love this!!
I am thinking that I’d like to complicate my life and make the lateral braids in a contrast color. Nothing I read in the pattern makes me think I cannot do that, but please tell me if I am wrong.
If you had to rate the Note on softness where would it land in relation to Cashmere Merino or Knitting Yarn?
Thanks very much.
That’s a great idea! Let us know if you give it a try. If you’re having trouble getting it to work though, than an even easier way to get the same look would be to omit the lateral braid entirely and then work a line of slip stitch crochet along the same row. You’ll get pretty much the exact same look!
I would say Note is nearly as soft as Cashmere Merino Bloom. It’s more drapey though, because of the alpaca, so it has a very distinct texture that’s very different from either of those yarns.
All the best,
Lili