Free Pattern: Outlander Knitting Wrap Pattern

There is something deeply satisfying about wrapping yourself in a hand-knitted shawl and feeling like you have stepped out of the Scottish Highlands and into another century. If you have ever watched Outlander and found yourself completely transfixed by the textures, layers, and earthy richness of the costumes, you are not alone. Knitters around the world have been inspired by that show to reach for their needles and create something that captures even a fraction of that timeless, rugged beauty. This free Outlander knitting wrap pattern is my answer to that longing. It is a generous, enveloping wrap that draws on Celtic cable motifs, textured stitches, and natural fiber recommendations to give you something that feels authentic, wearable, and absolutely gorgeous.

Whether you are a seasoned knitter looking for a weekend project with some satisfying texture work or an intermediate knitter ready to expand your skills into simple cables, this pattern has something for you. I will walk you through every step, offer tips on yarn selection, explain the stitch abbreviations, and give you all the guidance you need to finish this piece with confidence. So pour yourself a cup of tea, settle in by the fire if you have one, and let us get started.

Why an Outlander-Inspired Wrap?

Before we dive into the pattern itself, it is worth talking about why the Outlander aesthetic translates so beautifully into knitwear. The show, based on Diana Gabaldon’s beloved series of novels, is set largely in 18th-century Scotland, and the costume department did extraordinary work creating garments that feel genuinely rooted in that place and time. Wool was the primary fiber of the Scottish Highlands. It was spun, dyed with natural plants and minerals, woven, and knitted into garments designed to withstand cold, damp weather. Texture was not purely decorative — it served a purpose, trapping warmth and repelling moisture.

Cables and twisted stitches have deep roots in Celtic textile traditions. They appear in knitting, in metalwork, in carved stone. When you work a cable on your needles, you are participating in a tradition that stretches back centuries. For an Outlander-inspired project, cables feel especially appropriate, and they give a wrap that extra layer of visual interest that elevates it from a simple rectangle to something that looks genuinely heirloom.

This wrap is designed to be versatile. You can wear it as a traditional shawl pinned at the shoulder, draped over both shoulders like a cape, wrapped around your waist as a sash, or folded and tossed over one arm on a cool evening. It is long and wide enough to feel truly enveloping without being so heavy or bulky that it becomes impractical.

Materials You Will Need

Getting the right materials makes a significant difference in both the knitting experience and the finished result. Here is what I recommend.

Yarn: You will need approximately 800 to 1,000 yards of a worsted weight yarn. For the most authentic Outlander look and feel, choose a yarn with a high wool content, ideally a British wool or a Highland wool if you can find one. Breeds like Bluefaced Leicester, Shetland, or even a sturdy Corriedale will give you lovely stitch definition for the cables. If you want something a little softer against the skin, a merino blend works beautifully too. Look for earthy, natural-feeling colors — heathered greys, deep mossy greens, warm oatmeals, rich rusts, or the kind of deep blue that looks like it was dyed with woad. Avoid anything too synthetic or bright if you want that period-appropriate feel, though of course you should choose what makes you happy.

Needles: US size 8 (5.0mm) circular needles, 32 inches or longer. Even though this is a flat project, the length of circular needles makes it much easier to manage the number of stitches you will have on the needle at once. If you tend to knit tightly, go up to a US 9 (5.5mm). If you knit loosely, try a US 7 (4.5mm). Gauge matters more for comfort and drape than for exact sizing here, since a wrap is naturally forgiving.

Cable needle: One cable needle or a spare double-pointed needle in a similar size.

Other notions: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends, stitch markers, and a tape measure. Blocking wires and rustproof pins are highly recommended for the finishing process, as blocking will open up the texture beautifully and even out your stitches.

Gauge

In stockinette stitch on US 8 needles: approximately 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches (10cm). Because this is a wrap rather than a fitted garment, gauge does not need to be exact. What matters is that your fabric has a nice drape and that the cables read clearly. If your gauge is significantly different, your finished dimensions will vary, but the wrap will still be beautiful and wearable.

Finished Dimensions

Approximately 20 inches wide by 72 inches long, after blocking. This gives you a generous wrap that can be worn many different ways.

Abbreviations and Stitch Guide

Here are the abbreviations used throughout this pattern.

CO: Cast on
BO: Bind off
k: Knit
p: Purl
RS: Right side
WS: Wrong side
sl: Slip
cn: Cable needle
C6F: Slip 3 stitches to cable needle, hold in front, knit 3, then knit 3 from cable needle
C6B: Slip 3 stitches to cable needle, hold in back, knit 3, then knit 3 from cable needle
T4F: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle, hold in front, purl 2, then knit 2 from cable needle
T4B: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle, hold in back, knit 2, then purl 2 from cable needle
rep: Repeat
pm: Place marker
sm: Slip marker
k2tog: Knit two together (a right-leaning decrease)
ssk: Slip, slip, knit (a left-leaning decrease)

Stitch Patterns Used

Seed Stitch (worked over an even number of stitches):
Row 1 (RS): k1, p1; rep from to end.
Row 2 (WS): p1, k1; rep from to end.
Repeat rows 1 and 2.

Celtic Rope Cable (worked over 12 stitches):
Rows 1 and 3 (RS): k12.
Row 2 and all WS rows: p12.
Row 5: C6F, C6B — work C6F over first 6 stitches, then work C6B over next 6 stitches.
Row 7: k12.
Row 9: C6B, C6F.
Row 11: k12.
Row 12: p12.
Repeat rows 1 through 12.

Diamond Moss Panel (worked over 13 stitches):
Row 1 (RS): p6, k1, p6.
Row 2 (WS): k5, p1, k1, p1, k5.
Row 3: p4, T4B, T4F, p4. (Note: use T4B over first 4 of center, T4F over next 4, working the central knit stitches as written.)
Row 4: k4, p2, k1, p2, k4.
Row 5: p3, T4B, k1, T4F, p3.
Row 6: k3, p2, k3, p2, k3.
Row 7: p2, T4B, p1, k1, p1, T4F, p2.
Row 8: k2, p2, k2, p1, k2, p2, k2.
Row 9: p2, T4F, p1, k1, p1, T4B, p2.
Row 10: k3, p2, k1, p1, k1, p2, k3.
Row 11: p3, T4F, k1, T4B, p3.
Row 12: k4, p2, k1, p2, k4.
Row 13: p4, T4F, T4B, p4.
Row 14: k5, p1, k1, p1, k5.
Row 15: p6, k1, p6.
Row 16: k6, p1, k6.
Repeat rows 1 through 16.

Pattern Instructions

Cast On

Using your long-tail cast on or your preferred stretchy method, cast on 90 stitches. The long-tail cast on creates a neat, slightly elastic edge that holds up beautifully on a wrap.

Foundation Border

Work in seed stitch for 10 rows. This creates a tidy, non-curling edge at the beginning of your wrap and gives you a nice foundation to build from. The seed stitch border will be repeated at the end, and you will work a 4-stitch seed stitch border on each side throughout the body of the wrap to prevent the edges from curling.

Setting Up the Pattern

On the next right-side row, set up your stitch layout as follows. Place stitch markers to separate your sections as you go.

Work 4 stitches in seed stitch (left border), place marker, work 12 stitches in Celtic Rope Cable, place marker, work 7 stitches in reverse stockinette (purl on RS, knit on WS), place marker, work 13 stitches in Diamond Moss Panel, place marker, work 7 stitches in reverse stockinette, place marker, work 12 stitches in Celtic Rope Cable, place marker, work 7 stitches in reverse stockinette, place marker, work 13 stitches in Diamond Moss Panel, place marker, work 7 stitches in reverse stockinette, place marker, work 4 stitches in seed stitch (right border).

That accounts for all 90 stitches: 4 + 12 + 7 + 13 + 7 + 12 + 7 + 13 + 7 + 4 = 90. Take a moment to count yours before proceeding, and use locking stitch markers or small pieces of contrasting yarn if that helps you keep the sections clear.

Body of the Wrap

Continue working each section in its established pattern — seed stitch borders, Celtic Rope Cable in the cable sections, reverse stockinette in the background panels, and Diamond Moss in the diamond panels — slipping markers as you come to them. Work in this manner until your piece measures approximately 71 inches from the cast-on edge, or until you have about enough yarn remaining to work a 10-row seed stitch border and your bind-off.

The pattern repeat on the Celtic Rope Cable is 12 rows. The Diamond Moss Panel repeats over 16 rows. These two do not align perfectly, and that is entirely intentional — the slight offset creates a more organic, complex-looking fabric that resembles the layered textures you see in historic Scottish textiles. If you want them to align more symmetrically, you can work extra plain rows between repeats on the cable panels, or simply begin both patterns fresh at the same time and treat any misalignment as a feature.

Closing Border

When your wrap has reached the desired length, work 10 rows of seed stitch across all 90 stitches, just as you did at the beginning. This mirrors the cast-on border and gives your wrap a finished, intentional look at both ends.

Bind Off

Use a stretchy bind off for best results. The classic stretchy bind off works beautifully here: knit two, insert left needle into front of both stitches and knit them together through the back loop, then slip that stitch back to the left needle. Knit one, then knit those two together again. Continue until all stitches are bound off. This creates a bind-off edge that has the same give as the cast-on and will not pull in or restrict the drape of your finished wrap.

Finishing

Weave in all ends securely using your tapestry needle. Soak the finished wrap in cool water with a small amount of wool wash for about 20 minutes, then gently squeeze out the water (do not wring) and roll in a clean towel to remove excess moisture. Lay the wrap flat on a blocking surface, pin it out to the finished dimensions with rustproof pins, and allow it to dry completely.

Blocking makes an enormous difference with cable knitting. The stitches even out, the cables open and define themselves, and the fabric softens and relaxes into something that looks professionally made. It is a step worth taking, and when you unpin your dry wrap and pick it up for the first time, you will understand exactly why.

Tips for Success

A few things will make this project more enjoyable from start to finish.

Work a gauge swatch before you begin, and work it in the round if that is how you typically hold your tension, or flat if you plan to knit flat. Some knitters have noticeably different tension between their knit and purl rows, and knowing this in advance lets you adjust.

Keep a row counter handy, particularly for the cables. It is very easy to lose track of where you are in a 12-row repeat, especially when you are watching television or listening to a podcast. Some knitters like to use a small notebook to track their row counts; others prefer a click counter. Find what works for you.

If you are new to cables, work a small practice swatch before beginning the main project. Cables look intimidating but they are essentially just knit stitches worked in a different order. After a few repeats, the rhythm becomes natural and even meditative.

If you run low on yarn, the reverse stockinette sections are the easiest place to shorten the wrap. Simply work fewer rows between the cable and diamond repeats, keeping the border and the pattern sections intact.

Yarn Substitution Notes

This pattern was designed with a sturdy, well-spun wool in mind, but it adapts well to other fibers. A wool-alpaca blend will give you something luxuriously soft with a little extra drape. A plant fiber like cotton will give you a cooler wrap more suited to spring and fall. If you choose a plant fiber, note that it has less elasticity than wool, so your cables may look slightly different and you may want to go down a needle size to keep the fabric from looking too loose.

Avoid anything too fluffy or heavily textured — mohair halos and highly spun boucles will obscure the cable and diamond patterns you are working so hard to create. Save those for a simpler stockinette project and let this one shine with a yarn that has good stitch definition.

Styling Your Outlander Wrap

Part of the joy of making a large wrap is the many ways you can wear it. The classic Highland way to wear a large rectangular wrap is to drape it over both shoulders and pin it at the chest with a large brooch — a Celtic knot, a thistle, or a simple circular pin would all be appropriate and beautiful. If you do not have a brooch, a large kilt pin threaded through both layers works wonderfully.

You can also fold the wrap lengthwise and drape it over one shoulder with the fold resting across the back of the neck, letting both ends fall in front. This style is particularly flattering and practical for outdoor events where you want your arms free. Or wear it as a wide sash, folded several times and belted at the waist over a dress or tunic, for a look that is more costume-influenced but still wearable in everyday life.

In colder weather, wrap it fully around your shoulders and cross the ends at the front before bringing them back around to tie or pin at the back. This turns your wrap into something close to a cocoon and is remarkably effective at keeping out a chill.

A Note on Making It Your Own

Patterns are always a starting point. Once you are comfortable with the structure of this design, there is no end to the ways you can customize it. Work the entire body in a single cable panel instead of alternating cable and diamond motifs. Add fringe at both ends using cut lengths of yarn knotted through the bind-off stitches. Experiment with stripes in the reverse stockinette sections using a second complementary color. Work the borders in a small moss stitch diamond rather than plain seed stitch.

The Outlander world is rich with visual detail, and there is so much still to be drawn from it — braided cables that echo the interlace of Celtic knotwork, textured herringbone panels that recall woven tweed, honeycomb