Free Patterns

The Charisse Shrug
By Charisse Baer

My Finished Measurements:  39” x 8.5” (but yours can be any dimensions you choose)

Materials

About 200-300 yds of ANY combination of yarns that equal bulky weight.  For the store model, I used Prism “Cool Stuff” and Rowan Cotton Glace held together for extra thickness.

# 13 or 15, 36-40” circular needles

Directions

A shrug is a shoulder covering that can cover your arms anywhere from right above your elbow or down to your knuckles.  It usually hits in the back around your shoulder blades.  This shrug is knit from the bottom up, or the “long way”.  It’s much faster this way!

Measure yourself, or ask a friend to help, from elbow to elbow with arms outstretched (A). 

Then decide how wide you would like it, i.e., how far down your back you’d like it (B). 

Be conservative as this shrug will most likely stretch.

Do a gauge.  Take your stitches per inch number and multiply it by your elbow to elbow measurement (A).   This will provide you with the number of cast-on stitches (C).

Now,  cast on (C) stitches and knit for (B) inches.  You will have a rectangle.  Try on the rectangle holding it the long way across your back and folding over each end (closest to your elbows) and with stitch holders temporarily mark how far you’d like your armholes to be.  Mine are 5” from the elbow ends of the rectangle.  Mattress stitch the seams and voila! You have a shrug!

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LAP WARMER for AHYC’s NASHVILLE CARES project credit for pattern idea to www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/afghans.php

Materials

Use all worsted weight or all sport weight leftovers and one solid color for contrast throughout # 11 36-47" circular needles (length is to make sure that you don't lose any of the stitches)

Pattern Stitch

Seed Stitch: Even numbers of sts
Row 1: K 1, P 1 across row.
Row 2: P 1, K 1 across row.

You could also do Garter Stitch, which is knit every stitch on every row.

Instructions

For a long, narrow lap throw, cast on 94 sts with 2 strands of yarn (a leftover and the solid color). If you would rather have your stripes go wide and long, cast on 134 sts with 2 strands of yarn (a leftover and the solid color). Every row is the same until you decide that you've knit the afghan long enough for your recipient. Slip first st as if to purl, follow seed st pattern, knit last stitch through the back loop. The slipped stitch on each side gives a kind of braided edge to the entire afghan. Once you've woven in all the ends, then the afghan is finished.

More Free Patterns:

Ruffled Boa or Scarf
Miss Priss Capelette with Ribbons Pattern
Papillion (butterfly) Shawl Pattern
Hip Hop Felted Slippers
The"Anybody Could Make This" Hat Pattern
"False Entrelac" Pattern
Felted "No Rules" Bag
Handholder Mitten