Slipped stitch columns and intarsia stripes take advantage of the geometry of bias knitting to create a striking, generous wrap. The intarsia stripes are not difficult to work, and the yarn is carried up the back, so there are few ends to weave in. Line and Shadow uses knit, purl, yarn over increases, decreases, and slipped stitches. The main yarn, Shibui Knits Cima laceweight, is held double throughout. The pattern instructions are written, not charted, and include tips for adjusting the size of the wrap.

Yarn:

• Shibui Knits Cima, Tar: 8 skeins (MC)
• Shibui Knits Silk Cloud, Graphite: 2 skeins (CC)

OR

equivalent laceweight yarns: 2440 yds/2028m MC, 347 yds/317m CC (If substituting fingering weight, you will need 1220 yds/1014m MC; CC remains the same.)

Notions: 13 stitch markers, yarn needle

From the pattern:

About the yarns: Shibui Cima is a high twist, laceweight yarn in superbaby alpaca and fine merino wool. Its fibre content gives it extraordinary softness and drape, while its high twist keeps the alpaca from shedding or forming too much of a halo, allowing the textured slip stitch pattern to show nicely.

Shibui Silk Cloud is a laceweight, kid mohair/silk blend with incredible loft and a very high halo. Both fibres give this yarn a beautiful lustre, while the mohair fills in the spaces around the stitches, allowing the yarn to be knit at a loose gauge for a light, airy fabric. Silk Cloud is very light and drapey, with no memory or bounce.

If substituting for the Cima, look for either a laceweight (to be held double) or fingering weight (to be held single) yarn with excellent drape and good stitch definition. I would not recommend using hand dyed yarn for the main colour, as alternating skeins while working the intarsia stripes would mean a lot of yarn juggling.

If you’re substituting for the Silk Cloud, you can either choose a similar, high-halo laceweight yarn, or you can go for simple colour contrast and choose a fingering weight that complements the main colour. You could also try a different textural contrast, for instance a silk or silk blend fingering weight against a matte MC. If using a fingering weight instead of Silk Cloud, you may find that the edge curls under more than you’d like. To prevent this, work the 3-4 stitches at the edge in garter or moss stitch.