ARAN WEIGHT TOP DOWN RAGLAN SHRUG Designed by Michelle Ciccariello This shrug is worked from the top-down. You will be knitting two sleeves and a back, no fronts. Shrug is pictured atop Aran Weight Lace Shell with Raglan Cap Sleeves. Experience Level: Intermediate to Experienced. Size and Yarn Requirements: - elann.com Super Cable Aran (aran weight 100% cotton – 18 st/4" – 93 yards per 50g ball) For a child 3-4 balls; for an adult 4.5-6 balls. Any other Aran Weight yarn (17-18 st/4") can be substituted. Garment is pictured in size S-M-L for women, with a finished bust measurement of 38" (19" across back at underarms), and a finished length of 23.5" from back neck to point at lower center back, exclusive of fringe. If you wish to change the size of the garment, simply increase or decrease your yarn requirements, according to the percentage you adjust the finished bust. e.g. if you were to make the bust 42" wide, rather than 38", you would calculate that 42" is 10% wider than 38" (42 divided by 38 = 1.1), so you would need 10% more yarn – i.e. 6-7 balls rather than 5-6. Other Materials: - 4.5mm (US 7) circular and double pointed needles, or size necessary to obtain correct gauge. - Stitch Markers. Gauge: 18 st = 4", measured over stockinette stitch on 4.5 mm (US 7) needles. Stitch Pattern: The basic shrug looks lovely worked in plain stockinette. An eyelet pattern, such as quatrefoil (as pictured), can be used allover without changing the yarn requirements at all. Quatrefoil Eyelet (multiple of 8sts, 16 rounds or rows) R1 and all odd rounds: k for rounds, purl for rows. R2: k R4: K3, *yo, ssk, k6*, rep from * to *, end last repeat k3 instead of k6. R6: k1, *k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3*, rep from * to *, end last repeat k2 instead of k3. R8: Repeat R4. R10: k R12: k7, repeat from * to * of R4, end k1. R14: k5, repeat from * to * of R6, end k3. R16: Repeat R12. Based on Barbara Walker, A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, p.171. Cast On: (You will be casting on 2 sleeves and a back, separated by 2 stitch markers. Stitches before the first marker will be the first sleeve, and stitches after the second marker will be the second sleeve. Stitches between the 2 markers will be the back.) For child: 15 sts, place markers after 3 sts and 12 sts, work back and forth as follows. For sizes S-M-L for women: 30 sts, place markers after 6 sts and 24 sts, work back and forth as follows. For sizes XL and up for women: 45 sts, place markers after 9 sts and 36 sts, work back and forth as follows. If unsure of size, use this formula: Measure around the back and sides of your neck in inches Multiply this number by your gauge per inch (4.5 stitches) Round this number to the nearest multiple of 3 Place 2 markers at one-fifth and four-fifths of total stitches – at either end of your needle, each sleeve will be one fifth of your total number of stitches, and between these, the center three fifths will be the back of your shrug. Back & Sleeves, From Neck Down to Underarms: All RS Rows: K-f&b at beginning and end of row, and before & after each increase marker (total: 6 inc sts.) All WS Rows: Purl across. Continue to underarms (to determine correct length, measure the vertical distance from the neck to the underarm of the wearer, then add one inch for ease). Garment, as pictured, measures 8" from neck to underarms. Verify by measuring your gauge. Knit until stitches across back section (between your two markers) equal half of total needed for chest measurement you desire. Garment, as pictured, measures 19" across back at underarms, for a finished chest measurement of 38". Move back stitches to a length of narrow ribbon or scrap yarn, and finish the sleeves before returning to the back. Sleeves: Move sleeve backs to one circular needle and sleeve fronts to a second circular needle, using a different ball of yarn for each sleeve (or use dpns and knit each sleeve separately). Knit around, decreasing 1 st ea side of underarm every 4th rnd. End at three-quarter length with any ribbing, moss, or other non-curling stitch, or any lace stitch or lace edging. Sleeves, as pictured, end in 4 rows of moss stitch and measure 21" from neck to lower sleeve edge. Back: Pick up and knit underarm sts (8 on each side), and knit back and forth, decreasing 1 stitch at the beginning and end of each RS row. Continue until underarm sts have been decreased away, then choose a back length for finishing. For standard, short back: K1, P1 rib, for 8 rows (or as desired), decreasing 1 stitch at the beginning and end of each RS row. Then bind off in K1 P1 pattern. For gradual tapering off, longer back: Continue in pattern to desired length, decreasing 1 stitch at the beginning and end of each RS row, and delay K1, P1 rib to last 8 rows, then bind off. For a shawl-back (as pictured): Continue decreases until only one stitch remains. Trim with fringe or knitted or crocheted lace edging. Shoulder-Neck Edging: Pick up all sts that were not picked up and knit for the shrug back, beginning at one underarm and moving up front of shoulder at a rate of pick up 2, skip 1, pickup all sts across back of neck, then continue down the other side of the front, resuming a rate of pick up 2, skip 1, and ending at the opposite underarm. From RS, knit across all (or from WS, purl across all), placing markers to show raglan positions. Work back and forth in a K1, P1 rib, beginning each row with a sl1-k2tog-psso, and decreasing 1 st on ea side of raglan markers on all RS rows. Continue until rib edge is 1 inch or more, as desired. Alt. edging: substitute any decorative or eyelet ribbing, knitted-on lace edging or crochet a shell stitch border or lace edging. Bind off in pattern. Abbreviations: Approx - approximately, beg - begin(ning), BO - bind off, CC - contrast color, cm - centimeter, cn - cable needle, CO - cast on, cont - continue(ing), dec - decrease, EOR - every other row, ER - every row, es - edge stitch, inc - increase, k - knit, L - left, MC - main color, meas - measures, mm - millimeters, P - purl, patt - pattern, pm - place marker, psso - pass slip st over, rem - remain, rep - repeat, Rev - reverse, R - right, rnd - round, RS(R) - right side (row), sc - single crochet, SKP - slip 1, knit 1, psso, s - slip, SSK - slip, slip, knit - slip next two stitches knitwise, one at a time, to right-hand needle. Insert tip of left-hand needle into fronts of these stitches, from left to right. Knit them together. One stitch has been decreased, st st - stocking stitch, st(s) - stitch(es), tbl - through back loop, tog - together, WS(R) - wrong side (row), wyib - with yarn in back, wyif - with yarn in front, yb - yarn back, yf - yarn forward, yo - yarn over. Please note this pattern is copyrighted material and the entire contents of this pattern are copyrighted as a collective work under the copyright laws of Canada and the United States. You may print a copy of this pattern for your own personal use and enjoyment, but editing, publishing, transmitting, e-mailing, posting it to a list service or database, or otherwise commercially exploiting this pattern is strictly forbidden. Copyright Michelle Ciccariello