Laurel Wrap
In the classical tradition, a laurel wreath represents achievement and wisdom. Similarly, our free Laurel Wrap pattern in Good Wool is a testament to the skills you’ve learned as a knitter and to the beauty you can create with your own hands!
A simple 8-row lace pattern travels along the wrap’s length in clusters of elongated laurel leaves against a reverse stockinette background, and the wrong side is lovely too, patterned with elegant fan shapes. The stitch pattern creates natural scalloping along the short ends… Very pretty and all easier than it looks!
This is a super achievable project to grow your skills and become more confident with knitting lace. Whether you prefer to follow written instructions or a chart, our detailed pattern will walk you through every step!
Our Good Wool yarn, made with 100% Andean highland wool, brings its classic beauty and lightweight warmth to this project. Buoyant and softer than you might expect, this yarn makes for a fun knit and a wonderfully springy fabric. While it’s technically a sport-weight yarn, Good Wool has so much loft and bloom that we love to knit it at a looser gauge to create a lighter fabric, as we’ve done for the Laurel Wrap.
Pick from a big rainbow of 32 rich heathered colors dyed over 5 natural, undyed colors grown by the sheep themselves. This vibrant Tree Frog color is perfect to welcome the return of spring!
Pick up two skeins of Good Wool for a scarf or four for a generous wrap like this one… Either way, your Laurel Wrap will be a crowning achievement!
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. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!
Materials
- 2 (4) skeins of Purl Soho’s Good Wool, 100% Andean highland wool yarn. Each skein of this sport- to light worsted/dk-weight yarn is 383 yards/100 grams; approximately 735 (1265) total yards required. We used the color Tree Frog.
- US 6 (4 mm), straight or 24-inch circular knitting needles
- Optional: Stitch markers
GAUGE
25 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
NOTE: To make a gauge swatch for this project, we recommend casting on 41 stitches and working the Set-Up Row, then five 8-row repeats. This swatch should measure 6½ inches wide x 5¾ inches tall after blocking.
SIZES
Scarf (Wrap)
Finished Dimensions: 10¾ inches wide x 64 inches long (17 inches wide x 69¾ inches long)
SAMPLE: We knit the Wrap size.
NOTES
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern is worked over a multiple of 13 + 2 stitches.
SLIP STITCHES
Slip all stitches purlwise.
INC5 (INCREASE 5)
[K1, yarn over] 2 times into next stitch, leaving stitch on left needle, then knit front and back into same stitch. [5 stitches increased]
PATTERN
Cast on 67 (106) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
OPTIONAL: As you work the next row, placing a stitch marker at the end of each repeat may help you keep track of the lace pattern. When you come to a marker, just slip it and know that you should have finished a pattern repeat at that point.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): K1, *k6, p1, k6, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
Continue to work either from Written Instructions or Chart, both below.
LAUREL PATTERN: WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS
Row 1 (right side): Slip 1 (see Notes) with yarn in back (wyib), *p6, INC5 (see Notes), p6, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif). [92 (146) stitches]
Row 2: K1, *k6, p6, k6, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
Row 3: Slip 1 wyib, p6, k6, p6, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyif.
Row 4: Repeat Row 2.
Row 5: Slip 1 wyib, *[purl two together (p2tog)] 2 times, p2, [k2, yo] 2 times, k2, p2, [p2tog] 2 times, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyif. [82 (130) stitches remain]
Row 6: K1, *k4, p8, k4, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
Row 7: Slip 1 wyib, *[p2tog] 2 times, [knit two together (k2tog), yo, k1, yo] 2 times, k2tog, [p2tog] 2 times, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyif. [67 (106) stitches remain]
Row 8: K1, *k2, p9, k2, repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
Work Rows 1–8 fifty-five (60) more times, until piece measures 64 (69¾) inches from cast-on edge.
LAUREL PATTERN: CHART
NOTE: New to reading charts? Unravel the mysteries with our Reading A Chart Tutorial!
Starting in the bottom right corner of the Chart below, work right-side (odd number) rows from right to left and wrong-side (even number) rows from left to right.
Work Rows 1–8 fifty-six (61) times total, until piece measures 64 (69¾) inches from cast-on edge.
KEY
CHART
NOTE: Want to see it bigger? Download this chart (and key) as a PDF!
FINISHING
With right side facing you, bind off in stitch pattern, working the slipped stitches as knits, knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches.
Weave in the ends and gently wet block.
LEARN ABOUT GOOD WOOL + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Good Wool adds loads of character, beauty, and integrity to this knit! A sport-weight yarn whose lofty 2-ply spin can also bloom into a light worsted/DK-weight yarn, Good Wool is made from 100% Andean highland wool, a toothy fiber with a deeply natural appeal. This yarn has a spectacular palette of complex and subtly varied colors, including 5 undyed shades. Very close to the hearts of our customers, Good Wool is a true knitter’s yarn!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our vast collection of (mostly free!) Good Wool knitting patterns and cast on!
More Sport-Weight Yarns + Light Worsted/DK-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of sport-weight yarn
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
- 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 wool 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!
Row 1 Instructions do not say how you want the inc.5 to be handled. It says See Notes. I can’t find the Notes.
Is it done like usual: in one stitch, K1, Yo, K1, Yo, K1 ???
Hi Linda,
Thank you so much for reaching out! You can find the Notes section above the Pattern section on this page, and I’m happy to share the instructions for how to do this increase in my reply to your comment as well!
To knit the INC5 (Increase 5), you will [K1, yarn over] 2 times into the next stitch, leaving the stitch on the left needle, and then knit front and back into the same stitch. After you finish this knit front and back (kfb), you can let the stitch slide off the left needle. This creates the 5-stitch increase! Please feel free to check out our Yarn Over and Knit Front And Back tutorials in case you’d like any further information.
I hope this helps, and please don’t hesitate to let us know if any other questions come to mind!
All the best,
Cat
This is beautiful! I would like to know if the side edges curl.
Thank you
Colleen
Hi Colleen,
Thank you for writing in! That’s a great question! You might experience a bit of curling at the edges of your project, but it will be pretty slight as the switchover from reverse stockinette to stockinette when you get to each of the laurel leaves is very effective at mitigating curling and helping the entire piece lay flat!
If there is curling, a wonderful way to smooth it out is wet blocking your project when it’s complete. Good Wool in particular responds beautifully to blocking and the fibers really relax and bloom, enhancing the drape of the fabric. If possible, I’d recommend pinning your work on your blocking surface as well, and that will really help flatten any curling as the project dries. In case you’re interested in further information on blocking, we’ve created an awesome tutorial on this process called How To Block Your Knitting!
I hope this helps, and please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Cat
I don’t know if I have the patience to knit this, however it’s a very beautiful pattern. Looks wonderful in the green, and the green looks great on the red-headed model!
A winner, Purl Soho. I do miss the store. 🙁
Hi Ghana,
Thank you so much for your kind words about this pattern and our shop! We’re so grateful you enjoyed visiting our brick and mortar storefront when it was open, and we truly appreciate you letting us know in your comment. Just in case you’d like any other ideas for fun wrap patterns to make, please feel free to check out our lovely collection of scarf, wrap, and shawl patterns featuring lots of different beautiful fibers and stitch patterns!
Thank you again for writing in, and hope you have a wonderful rest of your day!
All the best,
Cat
Thank you for this and all the wonderful projects you’ve given us. I’ve been looking for a summer scarf pattern. Is there another yarn you might recommend that’s lighter than wool, but will still work well with this pattern?
Hi Nora,
Thank you so much for your kind message, we truly appreciate it! The Laurel Wrap would be absolutely fabulous in our sport weight Cotton Pure yarn! Cotton Pure is 100% organically grown cotton and a lovely option for warmer weather. While this yarn is a wonderful gauge match for Good Wool, we always recommend knitting a gauge swatch just to make sure your gauge is consistent with the pattern, since you might find that you need to adjust your needle size. Please feel free to check out our guide on swatching, All About Gauge, if you’d like more information!
I hope this helps, and please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Cat
Lovely pattern & beautiful colour shades.
Hi Christine,
Thank you so much, your comment makes us so happy! We hope you give this pattern a try and hope you have a fantastic rest of your day!
All the best,
Cat
What do the brackets mean in the Laurel shawl? I think my swatch doesn’t reflect the pattern.
Hi Patti!
Square brackets mean to work the instructions within the brackets as many times as directed. For example, in Row 5, “[purl two together (p2tog)] 2 times” means to do “p2tog, p2tog.” Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Hello,
Is there a way to download just the pattern and not all 15 pages?
Most of the pages are photos and advertisement of your yarn. It takes (wastes) a lot of ink and paper to print this out.
That is actually a problem with all your free patterns.
Thank you.
Hi Daniela,
Thanks for asking! Here’s how you can download a PDF version of any of our free patterns: If you’re on your computer, you’ll find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find the “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Click on this button, and a window will pop up where you can delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print. When you hover over any image or a text block, it will be highlighted in yellow and a “trash” icon will appear. Just click on this icon to delete anything that’s not necessary to the pattern! For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. Then, click on the “PDF” button in the upper left-hand corner of the pop-up window. Once your PDF has finished downloading, just click the “Download PDF” button, and it will be saved to your computer! (You can also just click the “Print” button if you’d like to print the pattern.)
All the best,
Lili
I’m confused about the amount of skeins I’ll need. It says 2 (4) skeins. Can you clarify this for me? Thanks!
Hi Debra,
Thanks for writing in! You’ll need 2 skeins of Good Wool for the Scarf size, or 4 skeins for the Wrap size.
All the best,
Lili
Hi and thank you for this beautiful pattern, I cannot seem to nail this instruction: [K1, yarn over] 2 times into next stitch, leaving stitch on left needle, then knit front and back into same stitch. [5 stitches increased]
And I cannot find any reference online. Can you help me? Thanks in advance.
Hi Carina,
I’m happy to help explain how to work this increase stitch! There are two k1’s, two yo’s, and one kfb incorporated into the stitch. You’ll work a k1, then a yo, then another k1, then another yo, and finally a kfb (all into the same stitch) to increase the stitch count by 5 stitches! I hope this helps clarify things, but you’re also welcome to sign up for a 1-On-1 Help appointment if you’d like a demonstration over Zoom!
All the best,
Lili
I’d like to know how many skeins to knit the Laurel Wrap? Thank you
Hi K.C.,
Thanks for writing in! You can find the skein count and yardage requirements in the MATERIALS section, but for quick reference, you’ll need 2 (4) skeins of Good Wool, depending on which size you’re making!
All the best,
Lili
Does your P2tog actually slant? I’m a left handed knitter and I knit from left to right. I can’t figure out how to make a P2tog slant right
Thanks for your help
Hi E,
Thanks for writing in! Since lefty knitting is the mirror image of righty knitting, our p2tog slants right, but yours will slant left. However, you don’t need to change anything about the pattern in this case! It’s a completely symmetrical stitch pattern, so your wrap will end up looking the same as ours, even if you’re knitting in the opposite direction.
All the best,
Lili
You suggest that we mark the repeats with stitch markers, which I love doing and find super helpful, but I’ve found it doesn’t always work well with a repeat where the stitch number changes and here, from the notes, it looks like it changes from 18 to 13 and then back. How would the marked sections work? Would it just be that the stitches within the markers will increase and decrease but it won’t change where the markers go.
Many thanks!
Jane
Hi Jane,
Stitch markers will still be helpful for this pattern since the stitch count only changes within each pattern repeat! While the number of stitches between each marker will start at 13, it will increase to 18, then down to 16, and back down to 13. You’re correct that this will not affect the marker placement in any way! You’ll just need to remember which row you’re on and how many stitches you should have between each marker at that point.
All the best,
Lili
I’m truly struggling with this INC5. Is there any way somebody could do a instructional video on this stitch, please?
Hi Melinda,
I’m so sorry that this stitch has been giving you trouble! I’d recommend signing up for a 1-On-1 Help appointment, where a member of our team can meet with you over Zoom and demonstrate this stitch.
All the best,
Lili
I’m with you Melinda,
I’ve tried to come out with the proper stitch count and it just isn’t working. I’m glad to know I’m not alone. I did email for help and got an answer, but I still am not getting it. 🙁
Hi Sherry,
I’m so sorry that you’re still running into problems with the stitch count! Like I suggested to Melinda, I think a 1-On-1 Help appointment would be a great option at this point. I’d be happy to demonstrate this stitch pattern for you over Zoom!
All the best,
Lili
Hi,
I signed up and have an appt. today at 1pm. Will I be getting a zoom link?
Hi Sherry,
I’m afraid that I haven’t seen your appointment come through on my end yet. Would you mind trying again to book it? As a heads up, you will need to go through the entire checkout process even though it’s free!
All the best,
Lili