Chic Yoga Wrap Tutorial

Hi Everyone! Julie Eilber of the blog Jet Set Sewing here, with a chic yoga wrap to make for yourself, or as a gift for the person in your life who thinks twisting themselves up like a pretzel is fun.

(Though if it weren’t for my Hungarian yoga teacher making me do the pigeon, the shoelace, and the frog, my back would be a pretzel after a long day of sewing and writing!)

So off I go!

This wrap can work as a shawl, a shrug, or a scarf, depending on how you wear it. Beginners can make it with “yoga pant” material and fold-over elastic. If you’re up for a bigger challenge, you can add snap tape to the ends for more styling options. In the photo above, I’ve left some of the snaps open and snapped the others up for an infinity scarf look.

Here it is as a shawl with bound openings for your arms, perfect for staying toasty after yoga. (I’m always happy when I’ve made it through class in one piece!)

I recommend you read through the instructions and look at the photos first, as sometimes right sides go to wrong sides, and it can get a little confusing! Having a couple of rolls of Wonder Tape to secure the edges will make your life a whole lot easier. The tape washes out when you’re done sewing.

Before you start, wash the fabric, elastic and snap tape, then cut the lengths after they’re dry. Be sure to press after every sewing step! Two yards of 56″ or wider knit fabric will make two wraps.

Materials to make a Yoga Wrap:

• Two rectangles of light to medium weight “yoga pant” type knit, cut 14″ x 62″ each
• 2 lengths of 5/8″ lightweight fold-over elastic, each 63″ long (you may need to piece several packages of elastic together)
• 28″ of Snap Tape (both sides of the snap tape should be 28″ long. If you can’t find it by the yard, you may need to piece two packages together). You can also just sew on separate snaps.
• 2 rolls of Washaway Wonder Tape
• Spools of thread that coordinate with the elastic, fabric, and snap tape color
• Universal or ballpoint machine needle

1. Thread the machine with thread coordinating with the fabric.

2. On the first fabric rectangle, turn the left-hand long edge under 3/8″ toward the wrong side, using Wonder Tape to secure it.

3. Then stitch it down using a narrow zigzag, a double needle, or a stretchy decorative stitch on your BERNINA. I’m using Greek Key stitch #612 on my BERNINA 560.

4. Do the same on the second rectangle of fabric, on the right-hand long edge. You’re making a mirror image of the first rectangle.

5. Thread the machine with thread matching the elastic.

6. Take the first fabric rectangle again, and use the Wonder Tape to stick the WRONG side of the fold-over elastic to the WRONG side of the right-hand long fabric edge. The edge of the fabric should be close to the middle of the elastic.

7. Use a very narrow zigzag, 0.7 wide by 3.00 long, to stitch 1/8″ away from the outside edge of the elastic.

8. Take the other rectangle of fabric and attach the elastic to the left-hand long raw edge with the narrow zigzag, as you just did. Trim the elastic on the end if needed.

9. Now you should have two mirror-image rectangles with one long finished edge, and elastic sewn to the other long edge.

10. Now you’re going to stack both rectangles on top of each other, and sew both together down the middle of the elastic, but you will start and stop sewing to leave slots for your arms to go through.

11. Carefully line up the two center lines of the elastic, right sides of the elastic together (the fabric will be wrong sides together).

12. Sew down the center line of the elastic for 5 inches, using the narrow zigzag. Secure the stitches and cut the threads. Then leave 10 inches of the elastic open for an arm opening. Then sew 32″ of the elastic together down the center line, and secure the stitches again. Then leave 10 more inches of the elastic open for the other arm opening. Finally, sew the remaining 5″ of elastic together to the end.

13. Now open the wrap and fold the elastic down onto the right side of the fabric and press. Use Wonder Tape under both sides of the elastic to stick them down.

14. Stitch the edges down with the narrow zigzag 1/8″ from each outside edge of the elastic. I’m using the Blindstitch foot #5, with the needle to the left at position 5, to give it an even edge. Or you can use the Edgestitch foot #10.

15. To secure the beginning and end of each arm opening, use the Bar Tack program on your BERNINA (I used #24 on my BERNINA 560), or sew a 3/8″ bar tack with a tight zigzag.

16. Easier option to finish the wrap: Skip the snap tape and just turn under the remaining raw edges of the wrap with Wonder Tape. Finish the edges using a stretchy stitch or twin needle, with thread matching the fabric.

17. Advanced option with snap tape: you’ll be sewing one side of the snap tape on the wrong side of the wrap fabric, and the other side of the snap tape on the right side of the wrap fabric. That way the two sides will snap together in a circle to make an infinity wrap. Here’s how to do it:

18. Change the upper thread to match the snap tape. The bobbin should still match the wrap fabric. Turn the raw ends of each piece of snap tape under ½” to the wrong side and glue them down with Wonder Tape.

19. Turn one short raw end of the wrap under 3/8″ toward the WRONG side, and glue it down with Wonder Tape.

20. Stick one piece of the snap tape on that edge using Wonder Tape, WRONG side to WRONG side, covering the raw edge. Topstitch the snap tape down along edge of the wrap with a straight stitch, using a zipper foot.

21. Topstitch along the other edge of the snap tape to secure it, then topstitch the short ends of the snap tape.

22. Turn under the other raw end of the wrap toward the RIGHT side and glue it down with Wonder Tape.

23. Using Wonder Tape again, stick the other piece of snap tape on that edge, WRONG side of snap tape to RIGHT side of wrap, covering the raw edge. Be sure that these snaps will line up with the snaps on the other end of the wrap before you sew.

24. Topstitch this piece of snap tape the same as the first piece you sewed.

25. Wash your wrap to wash out all the Wonder Tape and press.

26. Enjoy!