Sunday, February 17, 2008

Silk Hand Maiden Wrap



The cabled silk wrap is done! I purchased 2 skeins of hand dyed Two Four Silk, from Ram Wools. The colourway is blackberry, and although both skeins are labeled that, you find with the hand dyed yarns, the skeins can be quite different. So if using this yarn, you must work with both skeins and alternate 2 rows from one, then 2 rows from the other, throughout the project.




Pattern for Silk Wrap.

Yarn: Two Four Silk, 100% silk, blackberry, 2 skeins, 400m, 200gm per skein.

Needles: 4.5mm

Gauge 20 sts = 4 inches (after blocking)

This yarn will have distinct cables while knitting, but will soften and relax after a cool wash and block.

details......
Cable left: place next 3 stitches on cable needle and hold to front, knit 3 sts, then knit 3 sts from cable needle.



Pattern: With 4.5 mm needles, cast on 120 sts.

Row 1: (right side) p1,[k6, p1]17 times.

Row2: (wrong side) k1,[p6, k1] 17 times.

Row 3: as row 1,

Row 4: and all wrong side rows as row 2

Row 5: p1, k6, [p1, cable left, p1, k6] 8 times, p1

Row 7: as row 1.

Continue on the eight row repeat, work until the length of the piece is 21 inches.



Split for neck: Work across to middle block of 6 stocking stitches. Cast off these 6 stitches. Work now with only one side (put other 57 stitches on a holder.)

Continue in established pattern on 57 sts for 5 inches.

On next row 5, Increase into the center front edge stitch by knitting front and back of that stitch. Increase one stitch at every cable row on the center front edge only, until 7 stitches have been added, making them match the pattern (stocking stitch 6, with P1 edge). Continue even until same length as back. Bind off all sts.

Pick up held 57 sts, and work as for other half.


Wear it staight over the shoulder, or as I have in the photo with the wide part (back) over one shoulder and the two narrow parts thrown over each other over the other shoulder.

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Chris
I'm keen to make this wrap. However, I'm a little confused by how the directions start: Cable left: place next 3 stitches on cable needle and hold to front, knit 3 sts, then knit 3 sts from cable needle.
Is this right?
I'm not the greatest knitter so maybe I missed something.
Catherine

Anonymous said...

That wasn't the beginning of the pattern, Catherine, as I'm sure you probably know by now, considering how many years it's been since you asked the question, but I don't see the hostess explaining it to you. That was merely explaining how to do a cable left. This is the first time my knitting site has posted this and I'm just flabbergasted that no one bothered to take the time to explain this to you! The pattern begins after it tells you how many to cast on. This was a confusing posting and I'm not at all sure I'm even going to try. Would like to have had better photos.
I'm guessing others expressed the same sentiments and were moderated out, which is why yours is the only comment in over 4 years. Probably won't see mine either. Amazing.

chris said...

Hi Anonymous, It's funny that you found this pattern, it is so old, and has never been featured on any knitting site before. It is one of my early ones, I have not looked at it for years, and I think I have become better at pattern writing... maybe not.
When I first started blogging, it was just a journal, and no one read it. I also had no system set up to alert me to comments. Obviously I have for the last few years, as I got your comment. I DO post all comments other than the ones that are spam, as I believe I can learn from the feedback, and others can gauge how tricky the instructions are. I have corrected many patterns thanks to comments! Please know, I am not a professional pattern writer, just a knitter who loves to experiment, and document my knitting journey. Read it, enjoy it, or not.... your choice. Thanks for taking a moment to write anyway. Cheers, Chris

Dani Massey said...

Hello, Chris
Your last response stated

"It's funny that you found this pattern, it is so old, and has never been featured on any knitting site before"

They probably found it the same way I did...through this link: http://www.allfreeknitting.com/Knit-Shawls/Fire-and-Ice-Wrap/ct/1

So, you see, your pattern has been featured before! And I, for one, am grateful! I think it is a beautiful and innovative design with the cables giving it structure and texture. So, Chris, don't be hard on yourself for this pattern.... It's a beaute!

Dani Massey said...

Hello, Chris!

In your last response you stated

"It's funny that you found this pattern, it is so old, and has never been featured on any knitting site before."

They probably found it the same way I did, at this link: http://www.allfreeknitting.com/Knit-Shawls/Fire-and-Ice-Wrap/ct/1

And I, for one, am grateful! I think it is a beautiful and innovated design. The cables add structure as well as texture to the pattern. An experienced knitter like myself understands your pattern easily and the results are marvelous!

I don't know why the folks at AllFreeKnitting changed or enhanced the name of the pattern, but they did link back to the correct place. Take heart, you have been noticed! :) I look forward to working some of your other patterns, too. :)

chris said...

Thank you Dani, such a nice comment. The AllFreeKntting site has picked up links to a lot of my patterns, and quite frankly, I have enjoyed the extra traffic to my site, and most of the comments and emails.
Knitters around the world share a common passion, and we can all learn and share thanks to this great world wide web!
Cheers, Chris

Unknown said...

Would it be possible to get finished measurements? I think I'd like to make it a bit larger and maybe add a ruffled edge.
Thank you.

chris said...

it is gone away (a gift) but.... if you are to gauge, 20 sts to 4 inches = 5 sts per inch, and 120 sts wide is 24 x 5, so 24 inches wide, and about 21 long before split, is about 42 long.
You can adjust the math to do any size you want.

chris

Anonymous said...

I am making this pattern and just love it...thank you for your innovation!

Anonymous said...

Hi Chris, I am so glad your pattern landed on my laptop... I think I am going to give it a try. do you think it would be nice if I work with two different colours entangled together instead of the multicolour yarn you used? I want to knit it in a turquoise and grey merino yarn which is perfect for wraps and shawls (I made one crescent shawl in that yarn for my daughter). let me know what you think.

chris said...

I love turquoise and grey together. That should be lovely!
Send photos when done (via email in the right side column)

Unknown said...

Chris~ I love this pattern. I wanted something to drape over my shoulders while sitting watching TV & knitting. I am going to give this a try in a blue, grey & green tweed. I also found this through Knit Picky Patterns~AllFreeKnitting. Thank You for sharing. Betty from MI

Rachel M said...

Hi! Sorry, brand-new knitter here. I'm trying this pattern (which may be a mistake at my level, but we'll see), and was just a little confused by the instructions. When it says "continue on the eighth row repeat," does that mean that I restart the pattern? I mean, since row seven is "as row one," if I were to repeat the pattern, I would have two "row one's" side-by-side. Is that correct? Is this comment even making any sense at all? I'm just a little confused and intimidated. The only thing I've made to date is a scarf, badly done in all knit stitch. X)

chris said...

The eighth row is the same as the other even rows, then you repeat all the rows from 1 to 8.
Hope that helps, chris

Unknown said...

Chris, I just found this pattern and as a new knitter I am confused about the 2 skeins. Am I supposed to hold 2 together or just knit with one at a time, alternating every 2 rows. Thanks Leslie P.

chris said...

Hi Leslie, If you are using two skeins of hand dyed yarn, you may find that the colours are a bit different in the second skein compared to the first. The introduction paragraph of the pattern suggestes alternating 2 rows from one skein and 2 rows from the 2nd, (carry the unused yarn up the side) in order to even the colour throughout.
If you are using a matching dye lot commercial yarn, you do not need to carry and alternate. Just knit as usual.
Hope that helps, Chris