A Cozy Wrap Sweater in a Fresh New Color

This cozy wrap sweater — with its giant shawl collar — is a statement piece!

Kim Hargreaves’ Devote sweater pattern was the starting point. I made a few tweaks, such as using a different yarn and incorporating some style changes, and ended up with a deliciously cozy wrap sweater with a gigantic statement-making shawl collar.

The drop-shoulder style gives it a slightly oversized feel along the neckline. The body is worked in stockinette stitch, with an eyelet ribbing pattern along the hems. Straightforward garter stitch creates a voluminous and structured shawl collar and ties. I love the detail of eyelets running along the sleeve edges, which are decorative yet also useful in keeping track of the increases needed to shape the sleeves. Clever!

I used Brooklyn Tweed’s Arbor yarn, a 100% wool yarn in DK weight. According to the company, Arbor yarn is 100% developed, sourced, processed, spun, and dyed in the US. A detailed description of the process is on their website. The finished knit is soft, smooth, and slightly squishy.

I tried a new-to-me color — Mesa — a color that is reminiscent of terra cotta pots. In fact, Brooklyn Tweed’s color description for Mesa reads “the rosy pink of unfired terra cotta”. I would say it is definitely more of a darker terra cotta pot and less of a rosy pink. The color has a faded or muted quality that gives it a more down-to-earth vibe.

This is a beautifully designed wrap sweater. If I were to knit this design again, I would consider a few different options:

• The knitted ties were stretchy and added a lot of bulk when wrapped. I wonder if using ribbons might be an interesting option. Or maybe making the ties narrower would cut down on the bulk without sacrificing the look.
• Think about how much of a “blouson” look I want from the waist up. The style is meant to have volume, but it can end up looking messy. Given the large collar, I think less volume in the body and a smoother look above the waist is more flattering.
• I love the bracelet-length sleeves, but the sleeves could be more fitted. I think this may have been an issue with my gauge, so I’ll have to pay attention to that next time.