Easy Breezy Shoulder Shrug

I have a friend that started knitting when she realized that there are lots and lots of beautiful garments to knit and that knitting had moved on from itchy sweaters of the type you as a child was unhappy enough to get as gift from older relatives. Rather than learning to walk before se could run she flipped through all my knitting patterns and wanted to do all the pretty but very complicated patterns. Since I didn’t want so see her swearing, ripping things out over and over and eventually giving up knitting I decided to make a pattern for her.

I designed this with her and all other beginners in mind so that they could knit something pretty that looks way more complicated than it is. The pattern has only one lace knitting row in four, the rest is either knitted or purled rows. Rather than adding the edge lace after the main piece is knitted I included it in the main part so that there wouldn’t have to be any picking up of stitches or grafting. It is knitted as a straight piece so there are no increases or decreases to keep track of and there’s very little sewing to do once the knitting is done.

As long as you concentrate on that one lace knitting row, which has very easy lace stitches and could easily be learned by heart, the rest of the knitting is a mellow knit-and-talk type of knitting that is very easy indeed. That’s why it’s named the Easy Breezy Shoulder Shrug.

Sizing

Size: XS (S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4XL, 5XL). Shown in size L.
Width (arm width and back length):
28 (32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56) cm
11 (12.5, 14.25, 15.75, 17.25, 18.9, 18.9, 20.5, 22) inches.
Length from end of arm to end of arm:
60 (60, 60, 70, 70, 70, 80, 80, 80) cm
23.5 (23.5, 23.5, 27.5, 27.5, 27.5, 31.5, 31.5, 31.5) inches

About the yarn
Anny Blatt Fine Kid is a wool/mohair blend which makes it perfect for this pattern. It is smooth enough o show off the lace pattern but fuzzy enough to make the shrug both warm and cozy.

Main Yarn:     Anny Blatt Fine Kid, 280 yd/255 m per 50 g skein; 1 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2) skeins (total: 280-560 yd/255-510 m, 50-100g).
Colours:    AnnyBlatt Fine Kid is available in many colours. It is shown in the colour Zephir.

Needle:      6 mm/US #10 circular needle, 24-inches or longer, or size required to achieve stated gauge

Tension/Gauge: 22 sts/32 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch using 3,5 mm /US #4 needles (for yarn comparisons only).
15 sts/20 rows = 4″ in stockinette stitch using 6 mm /US #10 needles
17 sts/20 rows = 4″ in pattern stitch after blocking, using 6 mm/US #10 needles

Other materials: Silk ribbon, 1 cm /0.4 inches wide, 1.60 (1.65, 1.70, 1.80, 1.90, 2.00, 2.00, 205, 210) meter / 1.7 (1.8, 1.9, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.2, 2.25, 2.3) yards long.

Technique
Difficulty: Easy
Stitches used: knit, purl, yarn over, decreasing (knit 2 together)

Pattern type
The shrug is worked in one piece from the lower back up to the neck including the arms. It is then sewn together under the arms. There are no increases or decreases in the pattern apart from the points of the lace at the arm edges.

The lace pattern is and adaptation of the well known lace known as Old Shale, Peacock or Feather and Fan and added a border that is sometimes known as Myrtle leaf. They are both patterns with easy lace stitches and there’s no shaping to remember.

Getting it!

The Easy Breezy Shoulder Shrug is available as a pdf-file for $3.50 at my Etsyshop or through  Ravelry (available without an account). The pattern has written instructions as well as a chart for the lace pattern.

Ravelry – pattern listing with option to buy and download
Etsy – buy trough my store

 

Carry on, cover up – scarf, shawl and shrug

The Carry on, cover up is a shawl, scarf and shrug, all in one piece of knitting. The sides of the shawl can be buttoned together where ever one wishes, trough paired buttons that can be removed when used a shawl. It is the perfect travel garment that will give you a warming scarf, shawl or a light cover up in the form of a shrug, when only packing a few items for a quick get-away.

The pattern is easy and even though there are increases (actually just skipped over decreases) and decreases to keep track of, it will be a walk in the park to knit. The extended pattern instructions include both written instructions, charts and a working order listing complete with row and stitch counts for all three sizes. A perfect easy knitting project for travelling both during and after knitting.

Sizing

Size: XS/S (M/L, XL/XXL)
End width: 29 (29, 29) cm, 11.25 (11.25, 11.25) inches
Middle width: 32 (35, 38) cm, 12.5 (13.75, 15) inches
Length: 150 (155, 160) cm, 59 (61, 63) inches
The shawl will stretch slightly lengthwise when worn as a shrug.

About the yarn

Marks & Kattens Fame trend is a colour variegated yarn with long colour reports. Look at both ends of your skeins before you start knitting so that you can decide which ends that match the best to make sure that the join in of the new skein will follow the colour changes.

Main Yarn:  Marks och Kattens Fame trend, 2 skeins (total: 200 g, ca 840 m)
Additional yarn:   Garnstudio Drops Alpaca, 1 skein (or other alpaca yarn, ca10 g/35 m is used for the pattern)
Colours:   Multicoloured yarn with long colour reports (Marks & Kattens Fame trend)
Purple or other matching colour (Garnstudio Drops Alpaca, edge yarn)
Other materials:   32 buttons with hanks, size 13 mm/0.5”
Needle:   4 mm/US 6 or size required to achieve stated gauge (main yarn).
3.5 mm/US 4 or size required to achieve stated gauge (additional yarn).
Tension/Gauge: 24 st = 10 cm/4” in stockinette using main yarn (needle 4 mm/US 6).
24 st= 10 cm/4” in pattern B using main yarn (needle 4 mm/US 6).
22 st = 10 cm/4” in garter stitch using additional yarn (needle 3.5 mm /US 4).

Technique

Difficulty: Easy
Stitches used: knit, purl, yarn over, decreasing, double decreasing

Getting it!

The pattern for the Carry on, over up is available as a pdf-file for $5 at my Etsyshop or through  Ravelry (available without an account). It has instructions for both cabled and ribbed edge in three sizes. The pattern has written instructions a well as a chart for the cables.

Ravelry – pattern listing with option to buy and download
Etsy – buy trough my store

 

Last days of summer shawls and first days of autumn wools.

We are half way through august all ready and autumn is just around the corner with its colour changes, crispy clear days and the return of wool knitting. I really love knitting in the autumn, and when ever I have in years past slipped away from the web of knitting it is always the coming of autumn that has brought me back again. This year I am working on patterns with lots of colours that will pick up both leaves and sky and join them together in this best of knitting seasons. I promise you that there will be wool and bright colours in patterns to come.

But before that we still have the last days of summer knitting and, as promised, I am now publishing my travel shawl the Carry on, Cover up shawl, scarf and shrug all-in-one in time for the last days of summer and the first needs of scarves and shrugs. It is an easy knit so it is also a perfect travel knitting for these last vacation days. The pattern was my entry in the Project Yarnway challenge for the month of June and I seem to be doing well because I won with that pattern, my second win in a row!

Speaking of Project Yarnway, I can give you a sneak peek at an upcoming pattern, that was last month’s entry for me: the Little Luxuries slippers. They are meant to both cover the need for slippers when the floors starts to get cold as well as add a little bit of luxury when curling up in the colder months to come. They are also a perfect last minute gift since the pattern will have individual sizes, so no need to try them on the unknowing gift receiver, and they are a really quick knit. I timed my last pair to four hours, from cast on to the tying of the bow, so when in need you can always knit a pair of slippers this winter.

Apart from that I have the great pleasure to tell you that in a month and a half there will be an exhibition of my knitted design at Tändsticksmusseet (the Match Museum) in Jönköping, Sweden, where I grew up. It will open on October 2, and last until the end of the year. So apart from the pattern workings I am now knitting day and night to get all the special pieces ready for the exhibition. If you are close by I hope you will come and see my things! Look for updates on times and links to the museums web page ahead.

Until next time I wish you all very wooly autumn.

 

Guinevere Shawl

This shawl is made for the Arthurian queen Guinevere. According to legend she is the May Queen and where she walks white flowers will grow to mark her steps. The shawl shows her greenery with an all over leaf pattern while the fringes includes her white flowers.

Sizing
Size: 48 x 150 cm + fringes

The size is measured over 6 pattern repeats in Big Verona. Knit a swatch if you’re using a different yarn and calculate your size from that.

About the yarn
The main yarn in the shawl is Järbo garn Big Verona. It’s a colour varied yarn that comes to the stores twice a year and always in new colours. The shawl calls for one skein of Big Verona so it is easy to knit up in whatever colour strikes your fancy from the current colour range. If you’re having trouble finding a suitable varied green try and knit it in a solid colour or change yarn all together.

The fringes are worked in Svarta fåret Raggsocksgarn and Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Gorgeous D.K. but they can easily be worked in any yarn with a suitable colour and weight.

Main Yarn:     Järbo garn Big Verona, 1 skein (total: 200 g, ca 500 m)
Additional yarn:   Svarta fåret Raggsocksgarn, 1 skein (total amount used ca 12 g, 20 m)
Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Gorgeous D.K., 1 skein (50 g, ca 12 m)
Colours:    Multicoloured green with long colour reports (Järbo Garn Big Verona)
Mixed green (Svarta fåret Raggsocksgarn, fringe yarn)
Off white (Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Gorgeous D.K., fringe yarn)

Needle:     5 mm/US 8
Other tools:    3 mm crochet hook
Tension/Gauge: 12 st in pattern (one pattern repeat) = 7,5 cm after blocking.

Technique
Difficulty: Easy
Stitches used: knit, purl, yarn over, decreasing, short rows, crocheted cast-on
Other craft: simple crocheting

Abbreviations
st(s)                 stitch(es)
k                      knit
p                      purl
yo                   yarn over
k2tog              knit 2 together
skpo               slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over – one stitch decreased
sk2po             slip, knit2tog, passed slipped stitch over – two stitches decreased knitwise
sl                     slip one stitch
tbl                   through back loop

Crochet abbreviations (English)
ch            chain stitch
dc            double crochet
tr             treble crochet
sl st         slip stitch

Observe that the pattern uses the English crochet abbreviations and that they are different from the American. You can find a conversion chart here.

The shawl pattern

The shawl is one size with the pattern written for 6 pattern repeats with 12 stitches each + 7 stitches for the edges. Number of repeats are indicated after the repetitions. For a different size knit a swatch, block and measure and calculate number of repetitions and change accordingly.

The pattern uses a crocheted cast on which looks very similar to a cast off. This could be substituted for another type of cast on if preferred.

General  reminders
All rows begins with slip one. This is included in the pattern.
All wrong side rows are purled except for the first and the last stitch.

Cast on
Cast on 79 st with Big Verona using crochet cast on.
Knit one row. Continue in pattern (row 1)

Rows
Row 1: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, yo, k3, skpo, k1, k2tog, k3, yo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 2: sl1, p77, k1
Row 3: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k2, yo, k2, skpo, k1, k2tog, k2, yo, k1] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 4: sl1, p77, k1
Row 5: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, yo, skpo, yo, k1, skpo, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k2tog, yo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 6: sl1, p77, k1
Row 7: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, yo, skpo, k1, yo, skpo, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 8: sl1, p77, k1
Row 9: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, yo, skpo, k2, yo, sk2po, yo, k2, k2tog, yo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 10:     sl1, p77, k1
Row 11: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, k2tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, skpo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 12: sl1, p77, k1
Row 13: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, k2tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, skpo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 14: sl1, p77, k1
Row 15: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, k2tog, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, skpo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 16: sl1, p77, k1
Row 17: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k1 yo, skpo, yo, k1, skpo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 18: sl1, p77, k1
Row 19: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, k2tog, yo, k1 k2tog, yo, k1, yo, skpo, k1, yo, skpo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 20: sl1, p77, k1
Row 21: sl1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, skpo, k2, yo, [sk2po, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, skpo, k2, yo] 5 times, skpo, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 22: sl1, p77, k1
Row 23: sl1, k2tog, yo, [k1, yo, k3, skpo, k1, k2tog, k3, yo] 6 times, k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1.
Row 24: sl1, p77, k1

Make a total of 11 repetitions of  row 1-24. End with row 23.
Cast off  in knitting.

Making up

Steam gently while stretching the shawl to correct size. If you are using a yarn with natural fibers block instead of steaming.

Make twisted fringes by adding a double length of green yarn (Svarta fåret Raggsocksgarn) to the edge of the shawl. Twist the individual strands of yarn in the yarn twist direction. Let go of the ends so that the added rotations twists the two strands together. Secure with a knot at the end. Make a total of 13 fringes per side (two per pattern repeat plus one).

Crocheted flowers

Special abbreviation
ch-ar       chain 1 around the fringe strand by putting the yarn under the strand and the needle loop over the strand.
tr-ar        treble crochet around the fringe strand by putting the yarn under the strand and the needle loop over the strand.

Use the end knot or make a knot on the fringe where you want the flower.
Use off white yarn (Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Gorgeous D.K).
All trebles are done into the first circle.

Flower at the end of a fringe strand
Round 1:       ch1, ch-ar, ch2, ch-ar, ch1, sl st into first ch to make a circle.
Round 2        ch 2 (=tr1), ch5, tr1, tr-ar, ch5, tr2, ch5, tr2, ch5, tr2, ch5, tr1, sl st into second chained st to close.

Flower at the middle of a fringe strand
Round 1:       ch1, ch-ar, ch2, ch-ar, ch1, sl st into first ch to make a circle.
Round 2        ch 2 (=tr1), ch5, tr1, tr-ar, ch5, tr2, ch5, tr2, ch2, ch-ar, ch2, tr2, ch5, tr1, sl st into second chained st to close.

Fasten threads and trim off excess yarn from fringe strands. Press flowers gently.

~

The contents of this pattern and its knitted design are subject to copyright. Even though it’s offered for free please respect the copyright and use this pattern only for your personal non-commercial use. Do not publish it without the designers consent, distribute or sell electronic or paper copies of this pattern, or commercially sell any items produced using the directions in this pattern. © CarolineCreations 2010

 

The Morrighan Shawl

Some yarns, especially those with mixed colours over long stretches, look so good in the skeins but it’s not easy to capture that beauty into the knitted object. Duo has long stretches of one colour before changing to the next one and I wanted that to show. So I came up with this domino knitted shawl where each square will be different from the next one depending on where in the yarn I am while starting the square.

The Morrighan is the Celtic goddess of death and war and she can be seen as a crow or raven flying over the battlefield. She is also a goddess of passion and are often depicted in black and red. Her time of the year is the beginning of November when the earth gets to rest for the winter. This is a large shawl for snuggling up in during that time.

About the yarn
Järbo Garn Duo is a multicoloured yarn with reds varying from cherry black to strawberry pink. The colour reports are very long so it will take many squares before the same colour returns. If you can’t find a yarn with this colour pattern I suggest that you try and do it in different solid colour reds or with a thinner yarn and two strands of different colour reds held together for greater variation.

Main Yarn:     Järbo Garn Duo, 3 skeins (total: 200 g, ca 1000 m)
Järbo Garn Vinga, 2 skeins (total: 200 g, ca 382 m)
Additional yarn:    Ribbon yarn, ca 200 m, for the fringe
Cotton bouclé yarn, ca 200 m, for the fringe
Colours:    Multicoloured red with long colour reports (Järbo Garn Duo)
Black (Järbo Garn Vinga, fringe yarn)

Needle:     6 mm/US 10 (preferably a short circular needle)
Other tools:    5,5 mm crochet hook
Smaller crochet hook (for adding fringes)
Tension/Gauge: 14 st = 10 cm

Technique
Difficulty: Easy
Stitches used: knit, purl, decreasing, purled decreasing, one stranded cast on, picking up stitches,
Other craft: basic crocheting

Abbreviations
st(s)  – stitch(es)
k  – knit
p  – purl
k2tog  – knit 2 together
p2tog  – Purl 2 together
skp  – slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over – one stitch decreased
sp2p  – slip, purl2tog, passed slipped stitch over – two stitches decreased purlwise
sl    slip one stitch

Special abbreviations
p-sl1p-s   –  purl 1, slip 1 purlwise, put both stitches back on the left needle, slip the second stitch over the purled stitch and put the purled stitch back on the right needle.

Shawl

The shawl is made up of individually knitted squares started at the tip of the shawl and worked upwards towards the shoulders. The squares after the first one is made by casting on stitches for the edge and picking up stitches from the previous square. Triangles form the line at the top edge. A short circular needle will probably be the most comfortable to use for the squares and triangles.

The placement of the squares should be varied according to the coming colour on the skein so that very similar colours do not end up at the same place. Compare the skein to the squares and make a square where it contrasts to the surrounding squares. Make 78 squares and 13 triangles for a really large shawl or stop earlier for a smaller size.

General reminders
The first row after casting on/picking up stitches is always purled from the wrong side. The first st on every row is always knit (unless slipped for decreases).

Squares

Casting on for squares
First square: With Järbo Garn Vinga (black), cast on 39 st with one stranded cast on technique.
Squares at left edge: With Järbo Garn Vinga (black), cast on 20 sts with one stranded cast on technique. Continue at the right edge of the square from the previous row of squares and pick up 19 st (= 39 st)
Squares at right edge: With Järbo Garn Vinga (black), pick up 19 st at the left side of the in the previous row of squares and continue by casting on 20 st with one stranded cast on technique (= 39 st).
Squares in the middle: With Järbo Garn Vinga (black), pick up 19 st from left side of the square from the previous row, pick up 1 st from the top of the square between the ones from previous row, pick up 19 st from the right side of the square from the previous row.

Rows for squares
Row 1:     p 18, sp2p, p 18 (= 37 st)
Row 2:     change to Järbo Garn Duo (red), k 16, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 16 (= 35 st)
Row 3:     p all st (= 35 st)
Row 4:     k 15, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 15 (= 33 st)
Row 5:     p 14, p2tog, p 1, p-sl1p-s, p 14 (= 31 st)
Row 6:     k 13, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 13 (= 29 st)
Row 7:     p all st (= 29 st)
Row 8:     k 12, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 12 (= 27 st)
Row 9:     p 11, p2tog, p 1, p-sl1p-s, p 11 (= 25 st)
Row 10:     k 10, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 10 (= 23 st)
Row 11:     p all st (= 23 st)
Row 12:     k 9, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 9 (= 21 st)
Row 13:     p 8, p2tog, p 1, p-sl1p-s, p 8 (= 19 st)
Row 14:     k 7, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 7 (= 17 st)
Row 15:     p all st (= 17 st)
Row 16:     k 6, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 6 (= 15 st)
Row 17:     p 5, p2tog, p 1, p-sl1p-s, p 5 (= 13 st)
Row 18:     k 4, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 4 (= 11 st)
Row 19:     p all st (= 11 st)
Row 20:     k 3, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 3 (= 9 st)
Row 21:     p 2, p2tog, p 1, p-sl1p-s, p 2 (= 7 st)
Row 22:    k 1, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 1 (= 5 st)
Row 23:    p all st (= 5 st)
Row 24:    skp, k 1, k2tog (=3 st)
Row 25:    sp2p (= 1 st), break of yarn and pull the end through the last stitch.

Triangles

Casting on for triangles
Triangle at right edge: With Järbo Garn Vinga (black), cast on 20 sts with one stranded cast on technique. Continue at the right edge of the square from the previous row of squares and pick up 19 st (= 39 st)
Triangle at left edge: With Järbo Garn Vinga (black), pick up 1 st from the top of the square between the ones from previous row, 19 st at the left side of the in the previous row of squares and continue by casting on 20 st with one stranded cast on technique (= 40 st).
Triangles in the middle: With Järbo Garn Vinga (black), pick up 1 st from the top of the square between the ones from previous row, pick up 19 st from left side of the square from the previous row, pick up 1 st from the top of the square between the ones from previous rows, pick up 19 st from the right side of the square from the previous row (= 40 st).

Observe that there is one picked up stitch between the triangles which makes the total number of stitches 40 for the middle and left side triangles. These stitches are not knit but will be left for the top edge. 2 stitches are left on the needle at the first turn on these triangles.

Rows for triangles
The triangles are made by doing short rows on the middle of the squares. Each row is 1 st shorter than previous row at each end before the turn. Leave the unknit stitches on the needles and transfer all of the stitches to a strand of yarn or knit picks cable when finished.

Row 1:    sl, p 17, sp2p, p 17, turn
Row 2:     change to Järbo Garn Duo (red), sl, k 14, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 14, turn
Row 3:     sl, p 29, turn
Row 4:     sl, k 11, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 11, turn
Row 5:     sl, p 9, p2tog, p 1, p-sl1p-s, p 9, turn
Row 6:     sl, k 7, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 7, turn
Row 7:     sl, p 15, turn
Row 8:     sl, k 4, skp, k 1, k2tog, k 4, turn
Row 9:     sl, p 2, p2tog, p 1, p-sl1p-s, p 2, turn
Row 10:     sl, skp, k 1, k2tog, turn
Row 11:     sl, p 3, turn
Row 12:    sl, k 1.
Transfer all stitches to one of the needles and then put them on a strand of yarn or cable needle until all triangles are finished.

Finishing

Edge
Put all the saved stitches from the triangles on a long circular needle. There’s 23 st/triangle + 1 st between the triangles (= 311 st for 13 triangles). Using Järbo Garn Vinga (black), start at the Wright side.
Row 1:    k all st
Row 2:    p all st
Row 3:    k, *p1 k1* to end.
Row 4:    k all p st, p all k st (moss stitch). Continue with moss stitch for two more rows. Cast of in moss stitch.

Making up
Fasten all threads from the squares and triangles. Block or press lightly (follow directions for the yarn).
Start at the top corner and do one row of crochet around the tip up to the other top corner.
Cut double lengths of fringes (fringe length ca 15 cm) from ribbon yarn and cotton bouclé yarn (or other yarn of choice). Add the fringe to the crocheted edge.
The fringe could also be made up from different sorts of black waste yarn. Maker sure that you mix them so that the various sorts get spread fairly evenly over the entire fringe.

~

The contents of this pattern and its knitted design are subject to copyright. Even though it’s offered for free please respect the copyright and use this pattern only for your personal non-commercial use. Do not publish it without the designers consent, distribute or sell electronic or paper copies of this pattern, or commercially sell any items produced using the directions in this pattern. © CarolineCreations 2010