Pattern: Pam Allen’s Reading in Bed Shrug from Interweave Knits Spring 2007

Yarn: Spirit Trail Fiberworks 100% Silk - @ 275 yds - 3 skeins

Needles: US9

Gauge: 16 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches; unstretched

Finished Size (before stitching sleeves): 24 inch x 10 inch rectangle w/out added body edging

Modifications: Added 1×1 ribbing around the body opening. When finished with the pattern as written, I thought it could use a bit more structure - so I decided to add a ribbed edging to the body to match the sleeve edging. I picked up 1 stitch for every existing stitch and knit 1×1 ribbing for 5 rows, decreasing on Row 6 on the back in pattern (beginning with a knit stitch, Slip 1, K2tog, PSSO - this leaves one knit stitch in the center of two purls, keeping the 1×1 rib) 6 times evenly across (12 stitches decreased). Knit 4 more rows in pattern (Rows 7-10). Yarnover, K2tog for Row 11, decreasing on the back again by K3tog 6 times, following the placement of the prior decreases. Bind off in purl stitch, which created a nice beaded edging. This created an eyelet edge to mirror the sleeve edging. I put the edging on waste yarn a couple of times during the process to test the fit and determine how much to decrease the back - this worked out pretty well, at first the edging was much to loose in the back.

Time to complete: just over 1 week - and could feasibly have been done with more concentrated effort in a couple of days - I worked on this on the way home from work a few days, and a couple of hours off and on aside from that.

Verdict: Love it - This is a perfect pretty summer shrug. The edging added just the right amount of fabric, as written without the edging, it looked a little too teeny for my broad shoulders. I think it might even be worthy of wear at an upcoming wedding, but we will see.

I needed a few “comfort” projects to smooth things over following the spectacular failure of Chuck’s Cabled Socks and this fit the bill completely. The silk was soft and smooth in my hands, the pattern simple and practically mindless (yet pretty!), the colors beautiful and very precisely applied with regular repeats. Isn’t the knitted fabric just lovely?

The subtle striping of green and gold is so soothing. I have not forayed into dyeing yet, but this color balance and application is something that I would aspire to. I purchased the yarn last year at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival - I understand that they will be there again this Spring, and I will certainly be on the lookout for them!

A valuable lesson that I learned in knitting this piece is that silk yarn + rough hands = lots of snags. It felt wonderful in my rough fingers, but even though they don’t look too beat up, I kept catching the yarn on them. In the future I would give my hands a good exfoliation before working with this type of yarn. As it is, we have a lot of work yet to do on the house, and I didn’t feel it was worthwhile just for them to get roughed up again.

Ahh - a successful FO, and on to the next small project: