Sleeves

"SLEEVES, PLEASE!" SHRUG (knit)

Skill level: Easy

Size: Adjustable

Materials:

Approx. 300 yds. each bulky alpaca & thin carry-along boucle - OR - any bulky yarn or combination of yarns that knits to gauge (sample shown in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande held together with Baron Yarns thin acryl/poly/lurex boucle)

Size 13 (9 mm) & 15 (10 mm) needles, or sizes needed to achieve gauge

Tapestry needle

Gauge: 7 sts = 4", 3 rows = 1” in drop-stitch pattern on size 15 (10 mm) needles

Stitches/Terms: beginning (beg), bind off (BO), cast on (CO), decrease (dec), increase (inc), knit (K), knit two together (K2tog), “make 1” increase (M1), place marker (pm), purl (P), repeat (rep), slip (sl), stitch (st), stockinette stitch (st st)

Special stitches:

“Make 1” increase: Insert tip of left needle under strand between st just worked (on right needle) and next st (on left needle), lift this strand onto left needle, then knit into back of it.

Pattern notes: On center back section only, keep 3 sts on ea side of piece in garter st (knit these stitches every row). Use markers to keep track of border sts, and use a row counter to keep track of pattern rows.

Method: Shrug is worked lengthwise from cuff to cuff. Begin by taking two simple measurements:

Sleeve length (measure from wrist to underarm): ______”

Cross-back measurement (measure from shoulder to shoulder): ______”

Refer to these measurements as instructed in pattern.

Shrug

First sleeve:

With smaller needles, cast on 22 sts. Work in K1, P1 ribbing for 3”. Change to larger needles.

Knit 1 row.

Purl 1 row.

Knit 1 row.

Purl 1 row.

Begin drop-stitch pattern:

Row 1 (drop-stitch row): K across, wrapping yarn twice around needle in each st.

Row 2: Purl across.

Row 3: Knit across.

Row 4: Purl across.

Row 5 (increase row): K2, M1, K across to last 2 sts, M1, K2.

Row 6: Purl across.

Rep last 6 rows until piece measures 1” less than desired sleeve length (sleeves will "grow" a little in length when worn.) Mark end of sleeve with removable marker.

Center Back Section:

Keeping first and last 3 sts each row in garter st (see notes above), repeat Rows 1-6 of drop-stitch pattern without increasing on Row 5. Work even until center back section equals shoulder-to-shoulder measurement, ending with Row 2 of drop-stitch pattern. Mark end of center back section with removable marker.

Second sleeve:

Discontinue garter st edge sts and work as follows:

Next row: K across.

Next row: P across.

Next row (decrease row): K2, K2tog, K across to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.

Next row: P across.

Continue in drop-stitch and decrease pattern:

Row 1 (drop-stitch row): K across, wrapping yarn twice around needle in ea st.

Row 2: P across.

Row 3: K across.

Row 4: P across.

Row 5 (decrease row): K2, K2tog, K across to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.

Row 6: P across.

Rep last 6 rows until second sleeve measures same as first sleeve to ribbing, ending with Row 4 (you should be back to the original number of cast on sts - 22). If not, decrease evenly on next row to get to 22 sts).

Knit 1 row.

Purl 1 row.

Change to smaller needles.

Work K1, P1 ribbing for 3”. Bind off in rib.

Finishing

Sew sleeve seams from cuff to markers, leaving center back section unsewn. Remove markers and weave in all ends.

For personal or charity use only. Do not duplicate pattern for commercial purposes.