A simple yet very warm shrug that can be knitted quickly. It’s my second pattern which owes a lot to bohemian shrug patterns I have seen, I like the combination of ribbon and big yarn. The simple pattern has been tweaked to accommodate the bulky and very warm properties of Colinette Point 5 yarn... the ribbon insert panels allow air flow and open sleeves stop your hands from overheating and leave them free to write, pick up drinks, browse the internet (whatever you are doing).



The sleeves can be seamed all the way down to the cuff if desired, or can be laced up like the back using further ribbon rather than just left open as I have done here. Similarly the back lacing can be ignored and the two sleeves extended by 1 or 2" (depending on the width of your back) and seamed together or knit together with a three needle bind off.

This is a pretty rough pattern, so if you spot any confusing areas let me know. Basically you are going to knit a bell shaped sleeve with 3 ribbon panels every 5". The cuff and back are edged in a simple k2tog, yo lace patt.



Recommended Yarn: Colinette Point 5 (any super bulky yarn will do) & Louisa Harding Kimono Ribbon in two matching / contrasting colours.

3.5 skeins of Colinette Point 5
2 skeins of Kimono Ribbon Yarn
2 meters of wide satin ribbon in a matching or contrasting colour (length depends on how wide you want to lace it and how long you want the tails at the back)
One set of 12mm straight knitting needles or two sets of circulars (dcr CO by 2sts which are used for seaming if knitting in the round)

Gauge: 20sts and 22 rows for 4" of sockinette
One size: 23" sleeves, aprox 16" across back knitted, 2-4" for lacing. As laced in photo shows 20" back. 66" aprox from cuff to cuff.

Measure your back to adujust the cross back length to suit you. Using a new tape measure stand with your arms straight out infront of you. Measure from shoulder to shoulder across the back, keep the tape level, don't let it droop or arch over the neck. You can make your adjustments after the final ribbon pannel as pointed out below.

Make 2 sleeves as follows:

- CO 35 sts
- k1, *yo, k2tog* to end
- p all sts
- *k2tog, yo* till one st before end, k1
- k in sockinette for 5" (thick and thin yarn does not take well to patterning, but if you are using a smoother bulky yarn and have no ribbon then you could use another simple repeating lace patt or k2, p2 for 2 rows and p2,k2 for the next 2 rows)
- Change to ribbon (holding 2 matching / contrasting ribbon yarns together) k sockinette for 4 rows
- Change to main yarn, k sockinette for 2" / 6 rows
- stay in pattern, dcr evenly by 5 sts leaving 30 sts in total
- k sockinette for 3"
- Change to ribbons and k sockinette for 4 rows
- Change back to main yarn and k sockinette for 2" ending in a purl row
- k1, dcr 1, k till 3 sts before end, dcr 1, k1; leaving 28 sts in total
- Change back to main yarn and k sockinette for 3"
- Change to ribbon yarns and k sockinette for 4 rows
- Change to main yarn and k sockinette for 8" ending in a purl row **if you have a wider or shorter cross back measurement adust here to accomodate your cross back measurement**
- *k2tog, yo* to last st, k1
- p all sts
- *k2tog, yo* to last st, k1
- p all sts
- BO

Weave in all ends. If knit in flat seam from the one row before the last ribbon row down to one row after the first ribbon row. Lace the sleeves together using a thick ribbon using the holes left by the yarn overs ... you can create a few different patterns with the two rows of yo's.

It’s a good idea to weave in elastic a little shorter than the diameter of your opening to stop the fabric warping with wear and keep it snug over your back and shoulders.

Diligent knitters will block this garment, but with Colinette Point 5 and in such a simple design I think it’s a bit pointless... I will be told that I am wrong.


Beribboned Shrug by Tamora Burn is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.