Berroco Island Wrap Knitting Pattern

Berroco Island Wrap

What is Being Made

The Island Wrap is a large, rectangular knitted shawl designed by Emily Nora O'Neil. This intermediate-level project creates a finished wrap measuring approximately 60 inches wide by 68 inches long after blocking, making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or draping across the shoulders.

Knitting Techniques Used

This wrap employs several essential knitting techniques that contribute to its elegant construction and lacy appearance. The pattern utilizes a provisional cast-on method, which allows stitches to be picked up later for a seamless finish. The design features charted stitch patterns that must be followed carefully, with multiple charts (Chart A, Chart B, and Chart C) guiding the construction of different sections. The wrap is worked on circular needles, a common approach for large flat projects that require accommodating many stitches.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Island Wrap incorporates a variety of fundamental and decorative stitches to create its distinctive texture and drape. Key stitches include:

• Knit (K) and Purl (P): Basic stitches forming the foundation of the fabric
• Yarn overs (yo): Deliberate increases that create decorative holes and contribute to the lacy aesthetic
• Knit two together (K2tog) and Slip, Slip, Knit (SSK): Left-leaning and right-leaning decreases that balance yarn overs and shape the wrap
• Slip 1, Knit 2 together, Pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, k2tog, psso): A centered double decrease used in the charted patterns for visual interest
• Stockinette stitch (St st): Smooth, classic stitch used as a reference for gauge

The charted patterns repeat in multiples, with Chart A working over a multiple of 8 stitches plus 13, while Chart B is worked over 61 stitches and Chart C over 75 stitches. These patterns are repeated across 4-row sequences, creating the wrap's overall design.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Island Wrap is designed to be worked in Berroco Modern Cotton DK yarn, a medium-weight cotton yarn. The pattern requires 6 hanks of this yarn in colorway #6600 Bluffs, providing approximately 600 grams of fiber for the complete project.

Construction requires a 29-inch circular needle in size 5 (3.75 mm) or the size needed to obtain proper gauge. Knitters should also have 2 stitch markers on hand for tracking pattern repeats and section changes, along with waste yarn for the provisional cast-on technique.

Gauge and Finishing

Achieving proper gauge is essential for this project. The pattern specifies different gauges depending on which chart section is being worked: 16 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches when following Chart A after blocking, 16 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches for Chart B after blocking, and 23 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Blocking is an integral finishing step that sets the stitches and helps the wrap achieve its intended finished measurements and drape.