Midnight Snowflake Wrap

Midnight Snowflake Wrap by Yvonne Dutton

What is Being Made

The Midnight Snowflake Wrap is a knitted shawl-style wrap designed as a one-size garment. This intermediate-level knitting project combines colorwork techniques with classic shawl construction, creating a versatile piece suitable for layering and everyday wear. The finished wrap features a sophisticated design that showcases both solid and patterned sections.

Knitting Techniques Used

This wrap employs several essential knitting techniques to achieve its finished design:

• Stocking Stitch – The primary stitch structure that creates a smooth, classic knit fabric
• Moss Stitch – A textured stitch pattern that adds visual interest and dimension to the wrap
• Fair Isle Colorwork – A traditional two-color stranding technique used to create the snowflake motifs throughout the design

Stitches and Construction Details

The pattern utilizes a combination of fundamental stitches worked across charted rows. The Fair Isle colorwork sections are worked with specific attention to edge finishing: the contrast color is intentionally worked only to the last but one stitch rather than to the end of the row. This technique creates a neater, more refined edge when picking up stitches for the left front section, ensuring professional-looking seams and transitions between pattern sections.

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Midnight Snowflake Wrap is designed to be worked in Rowan Cashmere Haze, a premium yarn blend of cashmere, alpaca, and silk. This luxurious fiber combination creates a light, flowing texture with excellent drape and softness. The yarn requirements are:

• 5 balls of 25g in shade 707 Gloam (main color)
• 1 ball of 25g in shade 703 Polar Night (contrast color for Fair Isle motifs)

The Rowan Cashmere Haze is classified as a 3-ply to 4-ply weight yarn with lace-weight characteristics, making it suitable for creating an elegant, delicate wrap that feels luxurious against the skin.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern calls for two needle sizes to achieve optimal results:

• 3.75mm (US5) needles – Used for the main body of the wrap
• 3mm (US3) needles – Used specifically for the cast-on edge

Using smaller needles for the cast-on prevents the edge from becoming too loose, which was identified during test knits as a potential issue that could result in an uneven, unprofessional finish. The working tension is 24 stitches and 30 rows to 10cm when worked in Moss Stitch, providing a guide for achieving proper fabric density and finished dimensions.

Design Notes

The Midnight Snowflake Wrap is worked from charted instructions, with Fair Isle patterns read from right to left on knit rows. The pattern emphasizes the importance of using the recommended Rowan Cashmere Haze yarn or ensuring any yarn substitution has sufficient yardage to complete the entire wrap. The blend of cashmere, alpaca, and silk creates a garment that is described as feeling like wearing a hug – combining warmth, softness, and elegance in a single wearable piece.