The Jenny Wrap Stripe Style

The Jenny Wrap Stripe Style by Amanda Kaffka

What is Being Made

The Jenny Wrap Stripe Style is a knitted cowl designed as a versatile neck accessory. This wrap features a distinctive striped color pattern created by alternating between two complementary yarn colors throughout the project. The finished cowl measures 15 inches across the top, 20 inches across the bottom, and 16 inches in depth, making it a generous wrap-style cowl suitable for layering over shoulders or wearing as a traditional neck cowl.

Knitting Techniques Used

This beginner-friendly knitting project employs several fundamental techniques that make it accessible to newer knitters while creating visual interest. The cowl is constructed in the round using circular needles, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates a seamless finished garment. The pattern is worked bottom up, beginning with a long-tail cast on and progressing upward toward the neckline.

A key technique featured in this pattern is yarn held double throughout, which means both strands are worked simultaneously to create a thicker, more substantial fabric. The designer incorporates color carrying rather than cutting the yarn at each color change, allowing both the main color and contrast color to be carried along the inside of the work. This technique reduces ends to weave in and maintains continuity in the fabric structure.

The shaping of the wrap is achieved through strategic decreasing, which tapers the cowl from the wider bottom opening to the narrower top opening. This graduated shaping creates the distinctive wrap silhouette and ensures proper fit around the neck and shoulders.

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch – The primary stitch throughout the entire project, created by knitting every round. Garter stitch produces a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges and is one of the most fundamental knitting stitches.
• Knit (K) – The basic knit stitch used in most rounds
• Purl (P) – Used in specific rounds to create texture variation within the garter stitch pattern
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) – A right-leaning decrease used to shape the cowl
• Slip, Slip, Knit (SSK) – A left-leaning decrease used in conjunction with K2tog to create balanced shaping
• Long-Tail Cast On – The cast-on method used to create the initial 100 stitches

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: This pattern calls for Rowan Creative Linen in worsted weight. The main color is Straw #622, requiring 2 skeins (approximately 438 yards total). The contrast color is Natural #621, requiring 1 skein (approximately 219 yards). The linen fiber content provides a breathable, drape-friendly fabric ideal for a wrap-style cowl.

Needles: 8mm circular needles in a 24-inch length are required for working this project in the round. The needle size is proportionate to the worsted-weight yarn held double, creating the appropriate gauge for the finished fabric.

Additional Supplies: One stitch marker is needed to denote the beginning of each round, and a tapestry needle is essential for weaving in yarn ends after completion.

Gauge and Finished Dimensions

The pattern specifies a gauge of 12 stitches per 4 inches in garter stitch when yarn is held double. Achieving proper gauge is important for obtaining the correct finished measurements. The completed cowl features a top width of 15 inches, a bottom width of 20 inches, and a depth of 16 inches, creating a generous wrap that can be worn multiple ways.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as beginner-friendly, making it suitable for knitters new to circular needle work and in-the-round construction. While the pattern incorporates color work and decreasing techniques, these elements are presented in a straightforward manner that allows beginners to build confidence with fundamental skills.