Free Online Patterns for an Easy Knit Shrug
Chunky Knit Capelet
This easy knit shrug is designed to resemble a popular item sold at the hip boutique Anthropologie. It works up quickly on big size 11 needles in a chunky yarn, which means near instant gratification. If you cast on this knit shrug Monday after work, you can easily finish it in time to wear it out come Friday night! The original knit shrug flew off the shelves with a price tag of almost one hundred dollars, but you can make it in a delicious yarn for a fraction of that. Plus, unlike the commercial version, this capelet is reversible, so you can wear the garment in polished stockinette, or flip it around to show off the bold, textured reverse side of the stitches. If you want to make an easy knit shrug in an elegantly fresh style, give this pattern a whirl. Pictures and a full, step-by-step tutorial can be found here, on the Craftster message boards: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=62184.0
Long-sleeved With Texture Details
A cozy, brooch-fastened shrug with fun cable and bobble details, this beautiful piece turns a tank top and jeans into a stylish, unique outfit. Named “Blackberry,” this pattern features a wonderland of twisting cable “vines” and knobby “berries” on the sleeves. Meant to be made in 100% wool, this knit shrug pattern has the warmth of a cardigan without the hassle of buttonholes, and without the worry of complex fitting and shaping. In a chunky yarn for quick knitting, this is an ideal project for a beginning knitter looking to branch out into new techniques. The raglan style sleeves make for easy shaping and a versatile fit so that you don’t have to worry about altering the armholes to your size. This knit shrug is perfect for late autumn or early spring layering when you need a garment that can help you keep out the chill without the bulk of a full coat. From the Fall 2005 issue of Knitty magazine, you can find pictures and the pattern for Blackberry online in the Knitty archives at http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/PATTblackberry.html
Custom Fit
The knitter and designer behind the blog “The Knitting Fiend” has created an online application that will create a custom fitted knit shrug pattern for any yarn in any size, based on your measurements! You fill in values for details like your desired sleeve length, cuff width, back measurement, and your “gauge” (the number of stitches per inch), and the application creates a custom pattern that you can print out and follow. This is a great way for any beginning knitter to create a custom garment without having to design from scratch. The finished product will be an elegant knit shrug with simple, classic lines. With this tool, you can make a knit shrug that is as dressy or as casual as you want, because the choice of yarn is entirely up to you. http://www.thedietdiary.com/blog/lucia/329
A Bold, Fresh Shape
If you’re looking for a knit shrug that is truly out of the ordinary, try casting on “Cleaves” from the Spring 2005 Knitty. This eye-catching garment takes the idea of a shrug and mixes it around with a completely new approach to the torso. You get long, cozy sleeves that look and feel like a luxurious and traditional piece of knitwear, but with a fun twist in the shaping so that it adds a band of warmth across your chest instead of over your shoulders. Knit entirely in the round, like a cowl, this knit shrug has the added bonus of not needing any seams, which makes finishing a breeze. Designed to be knit in a weekend, this one of a kind shrug can add an innovative splash to your wardrobe. Check out the pictures and pattern for the fashion-forward “Cleaves” here: http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTcleaves.html
