What’s All This About Wraps?

There’s a bit of mystery in a wrap—that piece of fabric that you drape, wrap, hang, or throw around your shoulders. Ostensibly worn for warmth, a wrap provides a cocooning sense of security, an air of drama, even an element of disguise. So much can be hidden beneath—or revealed by—draping folds of fabric. Add to this intrigue the wonders of a garment that can be arranged and rearranged, and quite possibly you’ve got the most versatile—and interesting—piece of clothing imaginable.

In planning this book, we defined a wrap as something that’s “more than a scarf but less than a coat.” We intentionally left the definition loose so we could include shawls, stoles, shrugs, ponchos, and capes. We then invited eighteen knitwear designers to expand their notion of what a wrap could be; to exercise their creativity and imagination; to celebrate the essence, and push the limits, of this ageless garment.

Following the example set by Scarf Style, Wrap Style is a book of wraps to knit and a book about knitting wraps. It’s a collection of patterns collected from talented and inventive knitwear designers from across the globe, each of whom has interpreted the idea of a wrap in her own, unique way. Every design offers an individual lesson in construction, shape, pattern, and, of course, style.

Together, the designs represent endless creative ingenuity and transcend conventional ideas about outer garments. From a classic rectangular poncho whose beauty lies in its timeless cable patterns to a “shawl” that’s really a pair of sleeves that wrap around the body; from a delicate triangular shawl based on a traditional Shetland lace pattern to a diminutive capelet decorated with a colorful intarsia floral pattern embellished with embroidery and felted, the designs in this book expand the ideas of what makes a wrap. They give us new ways to approach knitting projects and fuel our imagination for creative knitting possibilities.

If you’d like to try your hand at designing your own wrap, turn to the Design Notebook on page 126. Whether you’re new to knitting or have been knitting “for ages,” this chapter will help you understand the construction and shaping techniques used in a wide range of garments we classify as wraps. To get you started, you’ll also find templates for a number of wrap styles—choose your yarn and needles, determine your gauge, and you’re on your way.

At the end of the book, you’ll find a glossary of terms and techniques that includes the basic mechanics of knitting. Along with the simple directions and illustrations in the projects, the glossary should provide all the help and reminders you’ll need.

So choose some yarn, pick up your needles, and get started on your own bit of intrigue.