Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Padma Wrap Knitting Pattern

Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Padma Wrap

What Is Being Made

The Padma Wrap is a generously sized knitted shawl designed by John Brinegar, measuring 26 inches wide by 72 inches long after blocking. This intermediate-level project creates an elegant, wearable wrap suitable for layering or draping, constructed from premium merino wool yarn in a sophisticated grey lavender colorway.

Knitting Techniques

The Padma Wrap is worked using several key knitting techniques that define its construction and visual appeal:

• Seamless construction: The wrap is knitted as a single, unified piece without seams, eliminating the need for assembly or finishing joins.
• Flat knitting: The project is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for straightforward row-by-row progression from cast-on to bind-off.
• Lace knitting: The central design features an intricate lace pattern created through strategic yarn overs and decreases that form openwork motifs throughout the wrap.
• Blocking: After completion, the finished piece is blocked to precise measurements to even out the stitches and enhance the lace pattern definition.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Padma Wrap employs a combination of fundamental and decorative stitches to create its structure and visual interest:

• Garter stitch: Used for the cast-on edge, the final rows, and the selvage borders (4 stitches on each side), garter stitch provides a stable, textured frame that prevents curling and adds definition to the wrap's edges.
• Stockinette stitch: The base stitch used as a reference for gauge measurement, providing the smooth foundation for the lace pattern.
• Wrap Pattern (lace repeat): A 12-row repeating pattern worked over a multiple of 18 stitches plus 8. This pattern features yarn overs (yo) and decreases including ssk (slip, slip, knit) and k2tog (knit 2 together) that create diagonal lines and openwork holes characteristic of lace knitting. The pattern progressively shifts the yarn overs and decreases across rows to form a dynamic, flowing design.
• M1 (Make 1) increases: Used strategically after the initial garter stitch border to increase the stitch count from 90 to 98 stitches, preparing the fabric for the lace pattern repeat.

Materials and Tools

The Padma Wrap pattern specifies the following materials for completion:

• Yarn: 10 balls of Stacy Charles Fine Yarns Olivia, a 100% merino wool yarn in color #7093 grey lavender. Each ball contains 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and yields 109 yards (100 meters), providing approximately 1,090 yards of total yardage for the project.
• Needles: One pair of size 9 (5.5mm) straight needles, or the appropriate needle size needed to achieve the correct gauge.
• Gauge: 16 stitches and 20 rows measured over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in stockinette stitch. Achieving proper gauge is essential for the wrap to reach its intended finished measurements.

Pattern Overview

Construction begins with casting on 90 stitches and working 3 rows of garter stitch to establish a stable edge. An increase row then brings the stitch count to 98 stitches, after which the 12-row Wrap Pattern is worked repeatedly until the piece reaches approximately 70 inches in length. The pattern concludes with a decrease row that returns the stitch count to 90 stitches, followed by 3 final rows of garter stitch before binding off. This thoughtful structure creates a balanced, finished wrap with reinforced edges and a cohesive lace design throughout the body.