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I never thought I'd end up buying a strapless wedding dress... so, when I did, I just had to create this lacy shrug with bell sleeves to cover up a little bit. And it's something that I'll actually be able to wear again any time I want to add a little warmth to a spring evening outfit. It even looks fantastic with jeans.

The lace pattern (adapted from Barbara Walker) is very repetitious, and simpler than it looks. The nature of this lace stitch makes the finished product fully reversible. And because the shrug is worked on circular needles, very little finishing is required.

A note on sizing: arm length, arm width, and back width can all be adjusted independently. For wider arms, cast on more stitches (in a multiple of 12) and work more pattern repeats per round. For longer arms, do more pattern repeats in the elbow section. For a wider back, do more pattern repeats in the back section. If your back measurement lies between two sizes, work the back to the longer measurement and work the arms a bit short. You can then sew the center slit closed by a couple of inches on either side.

model: Jody Prival photos: Rebecca Cooney

SIZE
S [M, L, XL] (shown in size S with M-length sleeves)
 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Back (underarm to underarm): 14[17, 20, 23] inches
Sleeve length (underarm to base of hand): 19[22, 22, 25] inches
Sleeve width (uppermost part of the arm): 12[14.5, 17, 19.5] inches

 

MATERIALS

Karabella Frost [30% cashmere, 30% silk, 40% viscose; 122 yd/112 m per 50g skein]; Color: White; 4[5, 7, 9] skeins
Note: This yarn is discontinued. Suggested substitutes: Tahki Cotton Classic II or Tahki Willow

16-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle [or appropriate size to get stated gauge below]

Optional for sizes S and M only:
12-inch US#7/4.5mm circular needle

OR
1 set US#7/4.5mm double-point needles

Tapestry needle
Stitch markers
Optional: crystal or bead to dangle from back

GAUGE

18 sts/24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
1 repeat of circular patt=2.5 inches wide by 3 inches long

 
PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations can be found here]

LACE PATTERN
NOTE: When the Lace Pattern is worked back and forth (Flat Pattern), it has an odd number of rows. This means that one repeat will begin on a RS row, and the next will begin on a WS row. Every other repeat of the pattern will be reversed from the repeat before it. In order to duplicate this effect when working in the round, the circular version of this stitch pattern has twice as many rows in each repeat.

Circular Pattern (Worked over a multiple of 12 sts):
Row 1: [P2tog, yo] around.  
Rows 2-4: P all sts.   
Row 5: [P4, yo, p1, yo, p4, p3tog] around. 
Row 6: [P3tog, p4, yo, p1, yo, p4] around.
Row 7: [K4, yo, k1, yo, k4, s1-k2tog-psso] around.           
Row 8: [S1-k2tog-psso, k4, yo, k1, yo, k4] around.
Row 9: [K4, yo, k1, yo, k4, s1-k2tog-psso] around.
Row 10: [Yo, k2tog] around.
Rows 11-13: K all sts.          
Row 14: [S1-k2tog-psso, k4, yo, k1, yo, k4] around.
Row 15: [K4, yo, k1, yo, k4, s1-k2tog-psso] around.
Row 16: [P3tog, p4, yo, p1, yo, p4] around.
Row 17: [P4, yo, p1, yo, p4, p3tog] around.
Row 18: [P3tog, p4, yo, p1, yo, p4] around.

Flat Pattern (Worked over a multiple of 12 sts):
Row 1: [Yo, k2tog] to end.
Row 2: P all sts.
Row 3: K all sts.
Row 4: P all sts.
Row 5: [S1-k2tog-psso, k4, yo, k1, yo, k4] to end.
Rows 6 & 7: [P3tog, p4, yo, p1, yo, p4] to end.
Row 8: [S1-k2tog-psso, k4, yo, k1, yo, k4] to end.

Row 9: [P3tog, p4, yo, p1, yo, p4] to end.

When making decreases in a Lace Pattern round that involves YOs, make the decrease by omitting the last (for right sleeve) or first (for left sleeve) YO in the round.

When making a decrease in a pattern round that does not involve YOs, work a k2tog or p2tog, depending on whether the row is a k row or a p row. Remove st markers as needed.

 

DIRECTIONS

*Using 16-inch circular needle, CO 84[96, 108, 120] sts. Place a marker every 12 sts, using a different color to mark the beginning of a round. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Right Side
Sleeve: Wrist to Elbow

Sizes M, L, XL Only: Beg with Row 1, work 9 rounds in Circular Pattern.

All Sizes Continue Here: Beg with row 10, work in Circular Pattern, decreasing 1 st in last repeat every round until 3 full repeats have been decreased. (See Pattern Notes re. making decreases in Lace Pattern). 36[45, 45, 45] rounds have been worked, 48[60, 72, 84] sts rem. (For sizes S and M, switch to shorter circular or Double-point needles as needed).

Work 9[9, 9, 27] more rows in Circular Pattern without further shaping. 2.5[3, 3, 4] full 18-row repeats have been worked.

Sleeve: Elbow to Shoulder
Round 1: Work Row 1 of Circular Pattern. Place a new marker on right needle, m1.
Rounds 2-49: Continue working in Circular Pattern, increasing 1 st between final set of markers every 6 rounds.
Rounds 50-52: Continue working in Circular Pattern, increasing 1 st between final set of markers each round. One full 12-st repeat of Circular Pattern has been added. 60[72, 84, 96] sts.
Round 53: Work next row of Circular Pattern. Place a new marker on right needle, m1.
Round 54: Continue working in Circular Pattern, increasing 1 st between final set of markers.
Rounds 55-59: Continue working in Circular Pattern, increasing 2 sts between final set of markers. One more full 12-st repeat of Circular Pattern has been added. 72[84, 96, 108] sts.*

Shoulder and Back
Round 60: P3tog, p4, yo, p1, yo, p4, m1, turn. Piece will now be worked back and forth (Flat Pattern).
Next Row [WS]: K1, work Row 6 of Flat Pattern to end of row, m1.
Keeping edge sts in garter st, work Rows 7-9 of Flat Pattern.
Keeping edge sts in garter st, work 9-row repeat of Flat Pattern 4[5, 6, 7] times. Work Rows 1 & 2 once more. Place all sts on holder.

Left Side
Sleeve:
Work from * to * as for right sleeve, EXCEPT work increase and decrease sections at beg of round instead of end of round.

Round 60: [P3tog, p4, yo, p1, yo, p4] 5[6, 7, 8] times, m1, turn. Piece will now be worked back and forth (Flat Pattern).
Next Row [WS]: K1, work Row 7 of Flat Pattern to end of row, m1.
Keeping edge sts in garter st, work Rows 8 & 9 of Flat Pattern.
Keeping edge sts in garter st, work 9-row repeat of Flat Pattern 4[5, 6, 7] times.
Work Rows 1 & 2 once more. Place all sts on holder.

FINISHING

Graft together the two sections using Kitchener stitch (see photo). Depending on how many pattern repeats you did in the back section, the mid-back may appear either knitted or purled. Weave in ends and block, taking care to stretch the back section well so that it does not pucker (note how the grafted area is stretched). When blocking, pin the edges of the slit closed so that it will lie flat.

Optional: hang a bead or crystal from the center of the bottom edge - not only is this a nice detail, but it helps identify which way the shrug is meant to be worn.

Wear, and knock everybody's socks off.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Jody lives in Northern California and knits in between job-hunting and wedding planning.