Don’t you just love August? I love the warm days and cooler nights, the fair and rodeo, and homegrown tomatoes and melons. As a child, I loved and anticipated the return of school. Not sure how the schools will function in a few weeks, but I bet the kids (and parents) will be glad to have some change to the long, monotonousness that has epitomized the last seven months.

However, those of us who craft with our hands have probably enjoyed the extra time to create. Desert Fiber Arts will be featured at the Gallery in the Park in January 2021. Our theme will be Wearable Art. How fun is that? There are so many amazingly talented members that create so many wonderful, gorgeous, unique things. Get a dose of Tri-Cities culture; please visit the exhibit this coming January.

Now that August is here, a lot of us are planning and beginning our fall and winter knitting. Because August’s project/pattern will take a bit of time, I am sharing it now, so you can have plenty of time to knit one up. It is a lovely, textured wrap I designed to keep me snuggly warm in the cooler months. It is made up of eight colored sections; each section measures about 9 inches. Eight 50-gram skeins of DK weight yarn are needed.

Drape is important in a yarn for this project. An all acrylic yarn is not recommended unless you are sure it will drape well. This wrap is intended to be luxurious, soft, and drape around the body. Use a yarn that will enhance the design of this wrap. I like to audition a yarn by making a swatch beforehand. I always treat the swatch to the cleaning process I will use on the finished item. Then I can assess the qualities of the knitted fabric and judge whether the yarn is appropriate for the project before I spend a lot of time and money.

Please be safe, have a wonderful August and enjoy knitting this wrapper.

Winter Wrapper

One size fits all - approximately 17 x 72 inches

Supplies:

Yarn: DK / Size 3 weight yarn – Eight 50 gram (123 yards) in 8 colors

Circular knitting needle (24 inch or longer) size 6/4.00 mm, or, size to match gauge—the circular needle will allow the weight of the wrap to be distributed better, saving your hands and arms from fatigue

Scissor

Tapestry needle with large eye

Gauge:

20 stitches in pattern = 4 inches after blocking

Abbreviations:

K – knit
P – pearl
PM – place marker
SM – slip marker
TBL – through the back loop (knit thru the back loop of stitch)

Directions:

• Cast on 90 stitches using your favorite cast on method and your first color of
yarn.
• Rows 1 through 5; K all stitches (garter stitch border)
• Row 6 (RS): K5, PM, K80 TBL, PM, K5
• Row 7 (WS): K5, SM, P80, SM, K5
• Repeat Rows 6 & 7 until you run low on the first color of yarn. End on a WS Row (Row7).
• Attach next color, leaving about 5 or 6 inches of yarn to weave in later.
• Repeat Row 6 and 7, with the new color, until you run low, ending on a WS Row (Row 7).
• Attach third color as before.
• Repeat this sequence with each of your colors leaving enough of the last color for the final 5 rows of knitting.
• Repeat Rows 1 through 5; K all stitches (garter stitch border).
• Bind off, weave in yarn tails and block your wrap to approximately 17 x 72 inches.
• Now, enjoy your wrapper this fall and winter. And enjoy the compliments that will certainly come your way.

Desert Fiber Arts – 101 N. Union Suite 208, Kennewick, WA 99336
Website: desertfiberarts.org, email:desertfiberarts@gmail.com, Instagram: desertfiberartsguild. Please see our website to view all events.

Main photo: The example was knit in KnitPicks Swish DK 100% merino wool in the colors white, sugar plum, eggplant, dove heather, cobblestone heather, coal, carnation, and amethyst