Totally Squared Scarf/Wrap

A great project to work on the go...knitting square by square to make this amazing scarf/wrap!

Very loosely based on the traditional Log Cabin quilt block, designer Mags Kandis worked this wrap/oversized scarf square by square in the easy and satisfying mitered-square method of color knitting. Finished Size: About 16½" (42 cm) wide and 66" (168 cm) long, after blocking.

Yarn: Sportweight (#2 Fine). Shown here: Rowan Kidsilk Haze (70% super kid mohair; 30% silk; 230 yd [210 m]/25 g): #597 jelly (lime green; A), #596 marmalade (orange; B), #583 blushes (rose; C), #600 dewberry (lavender; D), #582 trance (medium blue; E), #578 swish (gold; F), #581 meadow (pale blue; G), #595 liqueur (dark red; H), and #588 drab (grey; I), 1 ball each.

NeedleS: Size 7 (4.5 mm). Note: a 16" (40 cm) bamboo circular needle is recommended. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions: Marker (m); tapestry needle

Backward Loop Cast on *Loop working yarn and place it on needle backward so that it doesn’t unwind. Repeat from *.

Small square measures 2¾" (7 cm) square; large square measures 5½" (14 cm) square, both after blocking.

Stitch Guide:

Small Square (worked on 24 sts):

Row 1: (WS) K12, place marker (pm), k12. Even-numbered

Rows 2–20: (RS) Knit to 2 sts before m, k2tog, slip marker (sl m), k2tog through back loops (tbl), knit to end—2 sts dec’d; 4 sts rem after completing Row 20.

Odd-numbered Rows 3–21: Knit.

Row 22: K2tog, k2tog tbl—2 sts rem.

Use left needle tip to lift second st on right needle over the first as if to BO—1 st. Cut yarn, draw tail through rem st, and pull tight to fasten off.

Large Square (worked on 48 sts):

Row 1: (WS) K24, pm, k24. Even-numbered Rows 2–44: (RS) Knit to 2 sts before m, k2tog, sl m, k2tog tbl, knit to end—2 sts dec’d; 4 sts rem after completing Row 44.

Odd-numbered Rows 3–45: Knit.

Row 46: K2tog, k2tog tbl—2 sts rem. Use left needle tip to lift second st on right needle over the first as if to BO—1 st. Cut yarn, draw tail through rem st, and pull tight to fasten off.

First Half:

Block 1: With A, CO 24 sts. Work Small Square (see Stitch Guide), working Rows 1–9 with A and Rows 10–22 with B.

Block 2: With I, CO 12 sts, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along side edge of Block 1 as shown in diagram below—24 sts. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with I, Rows 6–15 with D, and Rows 16–22 with F.

Block 3: With F, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top of Block 1, then use the backward-loop method (see box) to CO 12 sts—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with F, Rows 6–13 with E, and Rows 14–22 with H.

Block 4: With C, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top of Block 2, then 12 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 3—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–3 with C, Rows 4–9 with I, and Rows 10–22 with A.

Block 5: With G, CO 24 sts, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along right sides of Blocks 2 and 4—48 sts total. Work Large Square (see Stitch Guide), working Rows 1–9 with G, Rows 10–17 with H, Rows 18–23 with C, Rows 24–33 with A, and Rows 34–46 with F.

Block 6: With D, CO 24 sts, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 5—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–5 with D, Rows 6–15 with B, Rows 16–23 with E, Rows 24–31 with F, and Rows 32–46 with C.

Block 7: With H, CO 24 sts, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top of Block 6—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–9 with H, Rows 10–19 with D, Rows 20–27 with A, Rows 28–33 with G, and Rows 34–46 with B.

Block 8: With E, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along lower half of left side of Block 7, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across first half of top edge of Block 5—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–9 with E and Rows 10–22 with C.

Block 9: With I, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along left side of Block 8, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across second half of top edge of Block 5—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with I, Rows 6–11 with B, and Rows 12–22 with D.

Block 10: With F, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along top half of left side of Block 7, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along top edge of Block 8—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with F, Rows 6–11 with H, and Rows 12–22 with D.

Block 11: With G, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along left side of Block 10, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along top edge of Block 9—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–9 with G and Rows 10–22 with F.

Block 12: With E, pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along left sides of Blocks 11 and 9, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along top edges of Blocks 4 and 3—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–7 with E, Rows 8–13 with A, Rows 14–25 with C, Rows 26–35 with B, and Rows 36–46 with G.

Block 13: With I, pick up and knit 24 st evenly spaced along top edge of Block 12, then use the backward-loop method to CO 24 sts—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–9 with I, Rows 10–17 with F, Rows 18–25 with D, Rows 26–33 with H, and Rows 34–46 with G.

Block 14: With B, pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along top edges of Blocks 10 and 11 , then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 13—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–7 with B, Rows 8–15 with E, Rows 16–27 with A, Rows 28–35 with D, and Rows 36–46 with C.

Block 15: With C, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along second half of top edge of Block 7, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along lower half of right side of Block 14—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–11 with C and Rows 12–22 with A.

Block 16: With I, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along first half of top edge of Block 7, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 15—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with I, Rows 6–13 with F, and Rows 14–22 with E.

Block 17: With F, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along top edge of Block 15, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along top half of right side of Block 14—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–9 with F and Rows 10–22 with H.

Block 18: With G, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 16, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 17—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–11 with G and Rows 12–22 with B.

Block 19: With C, use the backward-loop method to CO 24 sts, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top edges of Blocks 18 and 17—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–7 with C, Rows 8–17 with I, Rows 18–27 with E, Rows 28–35 with A, and Rows 36–46 with B.

Block 20: With D, pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 19, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 14—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–9 with D, Rows 10–17 with B, Rows 18–25 with H, Rows 26–35 with F, and Rows 36–46 with I.

Block 21: With C, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along lower half of left side of Block 20, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across first half of top edge of Block 13—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–11 with C and Rows 12–22 with F.

Block 22: With A, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along left side of Block 21, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across second half of top edge of Block 13—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with A, Rows 6–11 with D, and Rows 12–22 with B.

Block 23: With G, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along top half of left side of Block 20, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 21—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–11 with G and Rows 12–22 with D.

Block 24: With E, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along left side of Block 23, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 22—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–11 with E and Rows 12–22 with A.

Block 25: With F, pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top edges of Blocks 23 and 24, then use the backward-loop method to CO 24 sts—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–9 with F, Rows 10–17 with B, Rows 18–27 with I, Rows 28–37 with E, and Rows 38–46 with C.

Block 26: With E, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across second half of top edge of Block 20, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along lower half of right side of Block 25—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–11 with E and Rows 12–22 with B. Block 27: With C, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across first half of top edge of Block 20, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 26—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with C, Rows 6–13 with G, and Rows 14–22 with F.

Block 28: With A, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 26, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along top half of right side of Block 25—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–11 with A and Rows 12–22 with G.

Block 29: With D, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 27, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 28—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with D, Rows 6–13 with E, and Rows 14–22 with A.

Block 30: With I, pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 19, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along right sides of Blocks 27 and 29—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–9 with I, Rows 10–17 with H, Rows 18–27 with A, Rows 28–35 with F, and Rows 36–46 with C.

Block 31: With G, CO 12 sts, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across first half of top edge of Block 30—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–11 with G and Rows 12–22 with E.

Block 32: With D, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along left side of Block 31, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across second half of top edge of Block 30—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with D, Rows 6–13 with A, and Rows 14–22 with I.

Block 33: With A, CO 12 sts, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 31— 24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with A, Rows 6–13 with C, and Rows 14–22 with B.

Block 34: With F, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along left side of Block 33, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 32—24 sts total. Work Small Square, working Rows 1–5 with F, Rows 6–11 with H, and Rows 12–22 with G.

Block 35 With C, pick up and knit 24 sts along left sides of Blocks 34 and 32, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top edges of Blocks 29 and 28—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–7 with C, Rows 8–15 with B, Rows 16–25 with I, Rows 26–35 with D, and Rows 36–46 with A.

Block 36: With D, pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along left side of Block 35, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 25—48 sts total. Work Large Square, working Rows 1–9 with D, Rows 10–17 with G, Rows 18–25 with H, Rows 26–35 with E, and Rows 36–46 with C. This completes first half of wrap.

Second Half: Work the first group of blocks for the second half directly onto the top edge of the first half, modifying the block instructions for the first half as foll:

Block 1: With A, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced across second half of top edge of Block 36, then CO 12 sts—24 sts. Work as for Block 1 in first half.

Block 2: With I, pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spacedacross first half of top edge of Block 36, then pick up and knit 12 sts evenly spaced along right side of Block 1—24 sts. Work as for Block 2 in first half.

Blocks 3 and 4: Work as for first half. Block 5: With G, pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Block 35, then pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced along right sides of Blocks 2 and 4—48 sts total.

Work as for Block 5 in first half.

Block 6: With D, pick up and knit 24 sts evenly spaced across top edge of Blocks 33 and 34, then pick up and knit 24 sts along right side of Block 5—48 sts total.

Work as for Block 6 in first half.

Blocks 7–36: Work as for first half. Finishing: Weave in loose ends. Block lightly to measurements.