This series of posts is devoted to Universal Yarn Uptown DK Anti Pilling Acrylic yarn. Uptown DK is a soft, acrylic yarn that has anti-pilling qualities.
In this post, I’m covering a styrofoam wreath form (about 12” [30cm] in diameter) with a double braid cable wrap to make a Christmas wreath that can be made in any color to welcome visitors to your home at any time of year. Uptown DK comes in over 50 colors, so it can be made to fit in with any holiday colors!
Later in this series, I’ll offer up some options for embellishment, so stay tuned!
The Bittersweet shade of Uptown DK is an interesting shade of red. In daylight, it looks almost cherry red, but under soft indoor lighting, it can lean toward a tomato red.
We all know that knitted fabric is flexible enough to be stretchy, but we are still working with inner and outer edges to our circle, so pi is a factor. To allow for this, I’ve designed the covering with cleverly placed short rows to give this flat piece of knitting a gentle curve.
The Double Braid Cable Wreath is made with a gently curving cable that covers the front of this form and wraps around to be stitched together in the back.
Without further ado, here’s the pattern for the
Double Braid Cable Wreath
materials
yarn
- 1 ball of Uptown DK (sample is shown in Root)
- 1 ball of Uptown DK in each of White, and Bittersweet for embellishments
needles
- US 6 [4mm] knitting needles
other
- stitch markers (optional, but recommended)
- cable needle
- row counter (optional)
- tapestry needle
gauge is not important – sample piece measures 6″ [15cm] across
abbreviations
C4f – cable 4 front – slip 4 sts onto cable needle, hold in front of work, k4, k4 sts from cable needle
C4b – cable 4 back – slip 4 sts onto cable needle, hold in back of work, k4, k4 sts from cable needle
instructions
Cast on 36 sts, and work as follows:
Row 1 (WS): K10, p16, k10.
Row 2: K across.
Row 3: As Row 1.
Row 4: K10, turn, k10, turn, k10 (c4f) twice, k10.
Row 5: As Row 1.
Row 6: K across.
Row 7: As Row 1.
Row 8: K14, c4b, turn.
Row 9: P12, k10.
Row 10: K across.
Row 11: As Row 1.
Row 12: K10, (c4f) twice, turn.
Row 13: P16, k10.
Row 14: K across.
Row 15: As Row 1.
Row 16: As Row 8.
Row 17: As Row 9.
Rep Rows 2 through 17 until cable is approx. 31” [79cm] long when slightly stretched. (Model had 18 cable reps.) End with a Row 8 or 16, but do not turn – k rem 14 sts.
TIP To get knitting to wrap evenly around wreath form, place a stitch marker at each end of the knitting between the two ridges below the needle after every repeat.
Placing matching colored stitch markers at the end of every pattern repeat makes handy matching points for sewing up later.
Cast off all sts in pattern. Join cast on edge to cast off edge, being careful not to twist the knitting.
finishing
Lay cable wrong side up, and place form over it with backside of the form facing up. Thread yarn tail through a tapestry needle.
Bring sides of the knitting around to back of the wreath. Link sides of knitting to close it around the form, matching stitch markers.
Work two ridges on the longer edge together as needed to keep markers matching up. Remove markers as sewing progresses.
Weave in ends and attach a hanging loop if desired.
The cable and wreath form, face down, with the cable stretched around the form, ready for linking (bottom left).
The finished wreath is pretty on its own, but over the next few posts, I’ll provide ideas to embellish this beautiful base using the anti pilling acrylic Universal Yarn Uptown DK yarn. Join me!
The finished wreath is beautiful enough to stand on its own, but I can see that join at about 4 o’clock, so later in this series, I’ll provide some options for embellishing this project and disguising that join.
5 comments
Hi Cynthia I am loving the pattern for the double braid cable wreath. I am not sure if I am doing it right as I have got to row 17 and it looks very lob sided, longer one side than the other. Is this because it is going to cover a circle, that is the outside is longer than inside.
The lopsidedness is caused by the fact that you are knitting the front and the back of the wreath at the same time. The garter stitch side forms the back. You wrap the cable side of the stitching around the front of the form, and stitch the garter stitch side to the inside of the curve after you wrap it around the back.
I am about to make my 2nd wreath but I have a question. The pattern shows abbreviations for “C4f-cable 4 front” AND C4b-cable 4 back but the actual instructions: row 4 = (c4f) and row 12 ( again c4f). I didn’t pay attention to this when I made my first wreath but I wonder if either row 4 or row 12 should actually be a C4b .
I did have trouble locating a 12 in wreath form but finally found a couple. Thanks for your help.
Love the wreath. I have finished the knitting but can’t find a 12 in. wreath form. Are there instructions somewhere for making a 14,16 or 18 inch wreath?
Hi Donna! If you want to make a 14” wreath, I would extend the knitting 2”. Keep in mind, though, that the larger form might require a couple of stitches on each side of the knitting to stretch around the form. I’m not sure that adding extra length would work for 16” or 18” forms, but you could certainly experiment. I got my 12” forms in two places – one was a major box store, and the other a major craft supplier, so they should be readily available.