I designed this shrug because I thought it would be a good garment to donate to women’s’ shelters. It is one-size fits all, so it’s great for donations when you don’t know the size of the recipient. It also is flattering on any figure, and even fits well during pregnancy. You can also make different lengths for people with long or short arms. Women in shelters need any comfort they can get — emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical. Just like a comfort shawl, a hand-knitted shrug can be endowed with love and support by the knitter, and makes a wonderful gift for someone who has been the victim of abuse or of unlucky circumstances.
I got the idea for this design when I went to the Denver Knitting Guild meeting last month. One of the discussion topics was charity knitting, and the group was looking for patterns for shrugs that they could knit for women who were hospitalized. Those flimsy gowns never have long sleeves, and for some reasons Doctors like to keep places cold. (Because they have to wear long sleeves and ties under those lab coats? Maybe they should all swtich to scrubs!). Shrugs are great hospital keep-warm garments, because they can usually even be warn when you have an IV.
– Designer Donna Druchunas –
Materials
Approx 615 yards of bulky weight wool or wool-blend yarn
I used 5 balls of Plymouth’s Galway Chunky (100% wool, 100 grams = 123 yards per ball) in color 722, oatmeal. For a machine washable gift, I suggest Plymouth’s Encore Chunky.
Size 10U.S. needles
Crochet hook in a size close to the knitting needle size (optional)
Tapestry needle
Gauge
Approx 3.5 sts = 1″ over Moss Stitch
Size
One size fits all. Approx 17″ wide by 48″ to 60″ long.
Note that a person’s arm span is approximately the same as their height. If you are making this as a gift for an unknown recipient, go for the longer length just to be safe.
Instructions
Cuff
Cast on 26 sts.
Work in K2, P2 ribbing as follows:
Row 1 (RS): K2, *P2, K2; rep from * across.
Row 2 (WS): P1, *K2, P2; rep from * across.
Continue in ribbing as est until cuff measures approx 3″ or desired length. End after completing a WS row.
Next row (RS): Knit in the front and back of every stitch–52 sts.
Next row (WS): Knit.
Next row: Knit, increasing 8 sts spread out across the row–60 sts.
Next row: Knit.
Sleeves and Body
Work in Moss Stitch as follows:
Rows 1 and 2: *K1, P1; rep from * across.
Rows 3 and 4: *P1, K1; rep from * across.
Continue in Moss stitch until piece measures from 45″ to 57″ from CO edge. End after completing a RS row.
Cuff
Next row (WS): Knit.
Next row (RS): Knit, decreasing 8 sts spread out across the row–52 sts.
Next row: Knit.
Next row: K2tog across–26 sts.
Work in K2, P2 ribbing as for first cuff.
When 2nd cuff is the same length as the first cuff, BO loosely in pattern.
Finishing
Sew cuffs and 1″ of arm closed, as shown in photo.
If desired, work one row of single crochet along open edges of shrug. This creates a smooth chain along the edge of the piece.
Wash and dry flat.
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Free Pattern: Easy moss stitch shrug by Donna Druchunas is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at sheeptoshawl.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://sheeptoshawl.com/contact/.
I attempted to make this but found errors. Mainly in the ribbing. Row 1 is good. Row 2 states to start with P1 then *k2, p2 to end. The purl 1 at the beginning of row two does not create ribbing as in picture
Purl stitch is so called salvage stitch and is not part of the pattern (ribbing). It forms nice edge. It will later on be hidden when cuff will be sown together.
Do this pattern?? Are
Something like it come
In crochet??I can’t knit
But I can crochet. Thanks jean
Thank you for sharing. Just what I was looking for.
Did you use circular needles? What length?
Circular needles are not needed for this project.
Re Cuff on Shrug
2nd Row: do you pearl the last single stitch on the 2nd row?
Do this pattern?? Are
Something like it come
In crochet??I can’t knit
But I can crochet. Thanks jean