Knotty Wrap, instructions

Here are some diagrams to make the Knotty Wrap. The basic instructions are based on my own frame, using medium weight (4) yarn and a 5.50mm hook. This works for about a XXL or someone with a larger bust. It can easily be resized, however, by changing the number of chains forming the back section.

Eight stitch markers will be needed.




Step One: Ch 40 and ss to form a loop, being careful not to twist the chain. Chain 120 (or to desired length) plus 40.



Step Two: Being careful not to twist the chain, pull the hook end through the loop, then ss to make another 40 ch loop. Pull yarn ball through first loop.



Step Three: place markers.

Counting into the loops from where they are joined, place markers at the 10th chain on either side. This will leave 20 chains, coloured blue in the diagram, in between two markers in each loops.

Counting away from the loops, place a marker at the 10 chain. This will leave the 120 chains (coloured purple) in between. A second marker will be added to this location as the piece is worked.



Step 4: Chain 2. Counts as first hdc. Working away from the loops, work 9 hdc (pink) to first marker. Moving marker up, work 120 (or desired length) dc into each chain to neck marker. Moving marker up again, work 20 hdc to third marker. Moving third marker up, work 20 sc around loop to next marker. Moving fourth marker, work 20 hdc. Stitches are now being worked into the opposite side of the foundation chain. Place new marker in last hdc and work 120 dc. Once again placing a new marker, work 20 hdc to second last marker. Move marker up and work 20 sc to last marker. Move marker up and work 10 hdc and ss into second chain of 2 ch start.

This completes one round. There should now be 8 markers separating sections of sc (blue) hdc (pink) and dc (purple).

To start the second round, ch 2 and turn. Working in back loops only, do 10 hdc, 20 sc, 20 hdc, 120 dc, 20 hdc, 20sc, (pull yarn ball through loop) 20 hdc, 120 dc, 9 hdc. ss into top of turning chain. Repeat this pattern, turning at the end of each round and pulling the yarn through the loop as needed, until desired width is reached.

Finishing:

Sew in yarn ends. If needed, sew loops together for a few stitches to close them up.

If desired, make pin in left over yarn or contrasting colour long enough to cover the turning seam. I made leaves, but feel free to make flowers or any other shape you prefer.

All tied up in knots - in detail

I'll be going into detail instructions in another post, but for now, here are some close up photos of the wrap's knot.



The wrap is worked in the back loops, turning after each round, to imitate a cable pattern. Shaping is done by transitioning from sc to hdc, dc, hdc and back to sc. In this photo, you can see the transitions between the different stitch heights.

Working in the back loops and turning after each round has made this wrap completely reverseable. There's just a front and a back, no inside or outside, or upside down. The loops were made large enough to pass the ball of yarn through. When I decided against going wider, I felt they looked too open, so I sewed about 10 stitches together on each to close them up.



I couldn't resist posting this one. While going for an overview shot of the knot, my younger daughter's cat decided to investigate and jumped into the photo. *L*



I made up the removeable leaf pin as a way to hide the seam. Here, I've got the seam on the top left, but it can be worn wherever the seam happens to be sitting, and looks just as well on the bottom as the top.



The seam that results from turning at the end of the rows is in the middle of a section of hdc. It looked a little messier than I wanted, and I thought the leaf pin was a nice way to cover it up.



The pin is three leaves made the same way, but of different lengths, tacked together with their yarn ends. I started with a foundation chain of the length I wanted. For the stem, I ss'd a few stitches, then used sc, hdc, dc and tdc stitches to get the leaf shape, with a picot to tip the leaf before mirroring the shaping stitches down the other side of the foundation chain. I wanted the leaves to look very organic and loose, so they're tacked together with as few stitches as I felt I could get away with, and I've left the ends and sides to curl and twist naturally.



Because of the length of the seam I was wanting to cover, I went with two pin backs. This keeps the longer bottom leaf from moving around too much as it's being worn.

All tied up in knots...

I've borrowed the book, Wrap Style: Innovative to traditional, 24 inspirational shawls, ponchos and capelets to knit and crochet, by Pam Allen & Ann Budd (Interweave Knits) from the library. While flipping through it, I found a pattern called Twisty Turns that intrigued me. It was a knit project, done in a cable pattern. In essense, it's a long strip of fabric folded and twisted, then sewed together to form a wider fabric that looped together in the front.

I liked it, but there were two things against trying it out. First, I don't knit. Second, I don't like sewing seams.

After some thought, I figured there must be a way of doing it in crochet that wouldn't require sewing it together. A bit of experimentation, and I came up with the Knotty Wrap, which my daughter has been kind enough to model for me.

Here's 3 views of it for now.







The wrap was made using some Bernat denimstyle in Chino. It's medium (4) weight yarn, 70% acrylic, 30% cotton, that's machine washeable and dryable. I love easy care fibres! :-D I was given 2 balls as a gift. Using a 5.50mm hook, it was just enough to complete this project, including the removeable leaf pin and the small amount of sewing I ended up doing. I was tempted to pick up a third ball to make it wider but decided against it, closing up the loops a bit, instead.

I will be posting more detailed photos, as well as information on how it was made, in a seperate post.