by Toni McKilligan

Created on: August 24, 2008

This simple knitted shrug is a great alternative to a shawl and can be worked up quickly and easily in one or two evenings. You will need a pair of size 11 knitting needles and 8 - 50 gram balls of soft, heavy worsted weight yarn for this project, which is worked in a broken rib stitch throughout.

The type of yarn you use will depend on the purpose of the garment. I have one shrug made of a soft wool and silk blend that I like to slip on just to wear in bed at night while I am reading. Then I have another one that I like to wear everywhere! It is made from a more durable nylon, wool blend that is still soft to the touch.

Whatever type of yarn you choose, test the gauge before you begin. Even if the label says it is heavy worsted weight yarn, it may knit up slightly differently from other yarns of the same weight. The correct gauge for this project is 16 stitches = 4 inches in the Broken Rib stitch pattern. In order to have the Broken Rib stitch work out properly, you must cast on an uneven number of stitches for your test swatch.

Before making a final decision on the yarn, check the washing instructions. If you do not want to have to hand-wash your shrug, make sure that the yarn is washable and will not shrink. Some hand-wash yarns can be machine washed on a delicate cycle. You can test this using your gauge swatch if you like, but once you have bought the yarn you are very likely going to be stuck with it. (Some retailers will buy back unused skeins. Ask before you buy.)

Using larger needles and heavier yarn will make the project go quick. The simple stitch pattern will create a glorious striped texture that will feel and look deceptively elegant when the shrug is complete. The Broken Rib stitch will give the garment a firm, but comfortable drape, without drawing the work in too tightly as a regular 1X1 or 2X2 rib stitch does.

Broken rib stitch: *K2, p2, repeat from * to last st., end k1. Repeat this row.

Begin by casting on 89 stitches and work in Broken Rib stitch until the piece measures 50 inches from the beginning. Cast off loosely.

When you are finished knitting, you should have a piece that measures 50 inches in length and 22 inches in width. There should be no need to have to block the piece before finishing it as the Broken Rib stitch will not cause the edges to curl.

To finish the shrug, lay the piece out on a flat surface and then fold the two top corners down so that the end edges align with the bottom edge. Basically, you want to see two 90 degree triangles formed on each side. Sew along the two edges, leaving about a five inch gap at the outer corners for your arms to go through. Sew in the ends of the yarn.

Your shrug is now ready to wear. The top of the garment is the open edge between the edges that you just sewed. There will be points at the outside of the elbows when worn.
These shrugs make great gifts. They look lovely and are very comfortable to wear. As quick as they are to make up, you can have an array of gorgeous shrugs to go with anything in your closet.

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