Snug Shrug
It’s winter in Maine, so I spend my evenings curled up on the couch, knitting (actually, I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my blog, but the shrug works with the laptop in my lap, too). Sitting still, but needing my hands, I can’t stay totally wrapped up in a blanket, so my neck and shoulders get cold. To remedy that, I designed and knit this snug shrug that covers up just those muscles that get cold when it’s -10 outside.
It’s made out of alpaca because alpaca is extraordinarily warm. It’s often going to be up against my bare neck and it needs to be butter soft as well and Misti Alpaca Chunky is so soft that when a box of it comes into the shop I want to roll around in it (for the record, I do not roll around in yarn unless I’ve bought it and it’s safely home). Other options would be chunky cashmere like Classic Elite’s Sinful (for both softness and warmth) or bulky fun like Berroco’s Plush (for softness, but not as much warmth).
Size: One size fits most adult women
Materials: Misti Alpaca Chunky, 3 skeins (I used Lipstick)
100% baby alpaca
108 yards, 100 grams per hank, 2 ply
When I made this I used every little bit of yarn I could, so if you want a longer shrug or buy a different yarn, please make sure you buy enough.
Needles: 16" size 13 circular needles
Gauge: Honestly, not that important, but 3 st/inches is what I got. This is not a fitted item.
Notions: four stitch markers (circles of yarn will work)
Notes used:
PM–Place marker
INC–Increase by knitting into the front and back of the stitch
Cast on 60 using a long tail cast-on or your favorite stretchy cast-on method.
Join in a circle, carefully checking to make sure you have not twisted your stitches. The best way to do this is to set your knitting down on a table, making sure that all the stitches are on the inside of your needle when curved into a circle.
Place marker at beginning of round. Knit 7 inches of K2, P2 ribbing, slipping marker as you pass.
Now you will switch to stockinette stitch and start increasing.
On the next round: k1, PM, INC, k26, INC, PM, k2, PM, INC, k26, INC, k1.
k next round, slipping markers as you pass them.
Row 1: k1, move marker, INC, knit to one st before marker, INC, move marker, k2, move marker, INC, knit to one st before marker, INC, move marker, k1.
Row 2: K, slipping markers as you pass them.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for 9 inches.
Switch to K2, P2 ribbing, dropping markers as you get to them and decreasing if you don’t have the right number of stitches. Continue in ribbing for 2 inches. Bind off loosely.
Weave in your ends.
© Tracy Lee Murphy 2007
