A ruana by definition is a South America design often constructed as one long rectangle with two pieces extending over the shoulders and down the front on either side of the head. Mine, however, wanted to be more generous, a suitably cozy cloak that could keep me toasty on crisp morns. And so it went. I knit a back with an ornamental free-range short-row yoke and found I had so much knitted fabric that I could create makeshift sleeves. The fronts also gave me enough latitude to toss one side over my shoulder, let them hang free, or even pin one side cross-wise across my body, poncho style. Not quite a ruana, then, but not a wrap, either-- a Wrapuana!

Actually, it has sleeves of a sort, sleeves with a long ornamental band which is really an extension of the yoke. A little short-rowing, if you choose, ups the design interest. But you can just as easily knit it in garter, the primary stitch used here. The possibilities can suit your whims.

The pieces are easy to knit -- long fat rectangles with lots of different yarns with simple construction. Here’s a design almost anyone can do.