Fall Favorites: Versatile Knitted Wraps

It's getting down into the 20s and 30s here in Spokane, so it's time to bundle up! I've amassed quite the collection of cozy scarves, but the one I go to more than any other is a large, simple rectangle that I can wear as a scarf or as a wrap. My favorite way to wear it is around my shoulders with a shawl pin.

One of the most popular knitwear designs of this fall is the Every Way Wrap by Okmin Park. The pattern is in the fall 2009 issue of Interweave Knits, and it's amazingly versatile. This one will work for myriad sizes and styles, as you can see below.

The Every Way Wrap, worn as a vest.		The back view of the vest option.

The Every Way Wrap worn as a shawl.		And as a scarf!

The Crosstown Convertible 

Our next adventure in versatility is the Crosstown Convertible.

This piece was featured on episode 210 of Knitting Daily TV and the free pattern is available here.

The Crosstown Convertible is a simple rectangle with sixteen buttons and buttonholes added (it's one of our favorite easy knitting patterns!). 

It's as simple as knitting a scarf, but you can drape it and button it in so many different ways, it'll become a wardrobe staple. The Crosstown Convertible can be worn as a vest, a scarf, a shrug, or a wrap, and it has built-in pockets, too.

And if you're a beginning knitter, this is the perfect project for you—you'll be able to practice buttonholes and a bit of seaming. This design is a great bridge from knitting scarves to knitting garments.

Here's a video clip from episode 201, in which Bonnie Burton from Colorful Stitches shows several of the ways you can wear the Crosstown Convertible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1jscMiTRTo

Try one of these patterns—I think you'll like the cozy comfort and style of either wrap (or both!). And if you've knit a wrap you love and you want to show it off, post a photo in our gallery section. We'd love to see it!

Cheers,

Kathleen

P.S. Stitches East is happening this week in Hartford, Connecticut, and the CYCA (Craft Yarn Council of America) is offering a new venue for reaching out to new knitters and crocheters as well as providing a meeting place for current enthusiasts: the Share & Care Cafe.  

The Cafe is a place to learn to knit and crochet for FREE and a place for visitors to gather, relax, and exchange ideas. There will also be a Warm Up America exhibit in the Cafe. (Warm Up America is an organization made up of volunteers who create handmade afghan blankets, clothing and accessories to help those in need. These items provide warmth and comfort to people who have lost their homes, fled abusive relations, or are being cared for in hospices, shelters, hospitals, and nursing home.) 
 
The Cafe will provide free yarn and needles or hooks for anyone who sits down for a lesson, free how-to instruction sheets and a Resource Guide listing helpful information about guilds, websites, and CYCA members, their products and programs.
 
If you're headed to Stitches East, be sure and check out the Share & Care Cafe!