I understand why this item of clothing is called a "shrug", but this term doesn't really do the piece justice. "Shrug" sounds so uncouth and rough. It conjures up more of the disdainful or uncaring gesture than a comfy garment.

So… I knit a shrug. And for the most part, I like it. (I chose the wrong size – too big, but I can live with this.)

I did a lot of pattern searches (Thanks, Ravelry!) before deciding on this shrug. I knew I wanted to knit a warm, solid (no lace pattern) shoulder warmer, and I knew I the yarn I wanted to use. It was just a matter of putting these two items together in a pleasant way.

Pattern: Two-Tone Ribbed Shrug from Fitted Knits

Yarn: Brooks Farm Four Play (wool + silk, yum) in M 4P 3 - variegated rose and caramel colors; 2 1/2 skeins used

Needles: KnitPicks Options Harmony, size 3.75 mm and 5.0 mm

Started: August 8

Finished: September 13

Ravel it!

Notes: Obviously, I didn't make this shrug two-toned, as suggested by the pattern. As I said above, I picked the wrong size and so it's a little large on me and the sleeves are longer than expected, but I'm okay with that. It is still a comfortable shrug and I expect to get much use out of it, especially this winter (with a baby).

One thing that threw me off was that I didn't expect to like or wear the collar "up", and the pattern suggests that you can simple fold the collar down. But it doesn't look right that way (and probably why all the photos show the collar up). But I've come to accept the dramatic look with the collar up, and am okay with this.

Um… and sorry that I didn't share this FO with y'all earlier. Sure, I've been sitting on this for six weeks and, heck, I even wore it to work and knit nite once it was finished. But I've been bad about getting pix of my FOs and knits-in-the-works. (Oh, yeah. There's more.) Better late than never, eh?

Plus, as a bonus you get preggers pix of me and a spooky Walter. w00t!?

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