801 Takama Wrap - Shawl Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Sunderland

801 Takama Wrap – Shawl Knitting Pattern for Women by Kirsten Hipsky

The 801 Takama Wrap is a beautifully flowing, bias-knit wrap designed by Kirsten Hipsky and published by Valley Yarns. This downloadable PDF knitting pattern produces a finished accessory measuring 24 inches wide and 52 inches long — a generous, cozy wrap that drapes elegantly over the shoulders. The design is classified as advanced beginner level, making it an ideal next step for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to explore textured stitch patterns and bias construction.

What Is Being Made

The Takama Wrap is a large, rectangular shawl or wrap intended for women. Its generous dimensions make it versatile enough to wear as a traditional shoulder wrap, a cozy scarf, or even a light blanket-style accessory. The finished fabric features subtle knit and purl welts that travel diagonally across the surface, creating a sophisticated visual texture that is elegant yet understated. The wrap is worked in Medium Gray, a classic neutral that complements virtually any wardrobe.

Construction and Techniques

The Takama Wrap is constructed using a bias knitting technique, which is the defining characteristic of this design. Bias knitting means the fabric is built on the diagonal rather than straight up and down — this is achieved by consistently decreasing on one edge and increasing on the opposite edge within every row. The result is a fabric with a natural diagonal slant that gives the wrap its flowing, graceful drape.

• Bottom-up construction: The wrap is worked from the cast-on edge upward, row by row, until the desired length is reached.
• Worked flat: Despite being knitted on circular needles, the wrap is worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round, making it a fully flat, seamless piece.
• Seamless finishing: Because the wrap is worked flat in one continuous piece, there is no seaming required at any stage of construction.
• Bias shaping: Each right-side and wrong-side row includes a k2tog or p2tog decrease at one end and an m1 increase at the other, keeping the stitch count constant while shifting the fabric diagonally.

The pattern begins with a cast on of 146 stitches and is then worked in a four-row repeat. This repeat alternates between two distinct texture rows on the right side and two corresponding maintenance rows on the wrong side, all while incorporating the bias shaping on every single row. The knitter simply continues repeating these four rows until the wrap reaches 52 inches from the cast-on edge.

Stitches Used

The stitch pattern at the heart of the Takama Wrap combines basic knit and purl stitches arranged in a structured repeat to create those signature welts. The following stitches and techniques are used throughout:

• Knit (K): The foundational stitch used throughout the pattern body and edge stitches.
• Purl (P): Used in alternation with knit stitches to build the textured welt pattern.
• K2tog (knit 2 together): A standard right-leaning decrease used on every row to create the bias diagonal shaping on one edge.
• P2tog (purl 2 together): A purl-side decrease used on wrong-side rows as part of the same bias shaping sequence.
• M1 (make 1): An increase worked by knitting into the back of the strand running between the needles, used on every row to compensate for the decrease on the opposite edge and maintain a consistent stitch count.

The four-row stitch repeat creates a knit and purl welt effect — horizontal bands of texture that, because of the bias construction, appear to travel diagonally across the finished wrap. This interplay of simple stitches and diagonal movement gives the fabric a dynamic, handcrafted quality that belies the pattern's beginner-friendly approach.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for 10 skeins of Valley Yarns Sunderland, a luxurious yarn made from 100% Baby Alpaca. Each skein