Cuff to Cuff “Shrug-u-lator”.
Posted on 07.26.05 by lucia @ 9:13 am
shrugWould you prefer to knit your shrug cuff to cuff?

I've had several people email me because they want to knit their shrug in a decorative stitch patterns, and I've advised them to look at my first shrug pattern generator an modify the directions. Since a number of people are interested, I'm writing a second version or the "shrug-u-lator", knit from the cuff to cuff. If knit in stockinette, shrugs knit from either pattern generator will look exactly the same!

My first shrug pattern was organized so both sleeves were knit from the top down. This organization is convenient, because you can adjust the fit as you go. However, it's inconvenient for some stitch patterns because it create a discontinuity in the stitch pattern at the row where you pick up stitches to knit the second sleeve. So, for those cases, it's best to knit from cuff to cuff. You lose some ability to tweak the fit while knitting, but that's ok if you have learned exactly how you like your shrugs to fit.

How do you know which organization is best for your shrug? Well.... I could explain in detail, but the general rule is this: If your first row of knitting is an all knit (or all purl) row, and the stitch pattern looks more or less the same seen right side up or upside down, you'll be ok. If you aren't good at figuring out whether the discontinuity will occur, you can always check when swatching. Use a provisional cast on for the swatch. Knit a few rows. Bind off; then pick up the stitches from the cast on and knit. If it looks fine, use my first shrug generator. If not, use this one.

You can use this generator to create a pattern to knit a shrug like mine. Previously, I discussed swatching and figuring out the shape of the schematic. This page just lets you enter data for your custom shrug pattern.

My shrug is knit in stockinette with garter stitch. If you want to knit a fancy stitch pattern, you can. The program will do all the calculations for you; you need to be intelligent enough to substitute your stitch pattern. (But, you are, right? If you've picked a complicated stitch pattern with special challenges, leave a question in comments. )

And now... The cuff-to-cuff shrug-u-lator!



Enter Swatch Data
Enter number of rows and stitches knit in stockinette. stitches by
rows.
Enter dimensions measured after washing and blocking. inches wide by
inches long (or tall).
If this yarn shrinks (or grows) after washing and blocking, select "shrunk" in the pull down menu below. If you pick "shrunk", enter dimensions measured before washing and blocking in the boxes to the right.
inches wide by inches long (or tall).
The program has calculated the gauge of your swatch after washing and blocking. This is shown to the right. stitches/inch and
rows/inch.


Pick the sweater size.

Use this handy pull down toggle to select the size range. The program will recommend values for the shrug. To understand the relationship between the values and the shrug dimension, click to pop-up the schematic.

You don't need to imitate my shrug exactly. You can make the sleeves longer or shorter, the width narrower or wider. If you want to customize dimensions, select "custom" from the pull down menu, then edit the design values in the text boxes below.

My sleeves are about elbow length. If you want to modify and get the sleeve length "just right", read How long Should Sleeves Be?
Misses's size:

These are the dimensions for your schematic.
The values in these boxes were calculated based on the size you selected.
Length at center back:
 inches.
Cuff Width inches.
Sleeve Width (below underarm.) inches.
Half shoulder width.
 inches.
Total sleeve length
( from center back to cuff bind-off. )
 inches.

Directions to knit shrug.

Materials
  • Sufficient yarn to knit shrug. I used 125 grams of "mystery yarn" knit at a gauge of roughly 4.1 st/inch.
  • Circular or double pointed needles in a diameter you used to knit your swatch.
  • Circular needles and double pointed needles one diameter size smaller than used to knit your swatch.
  • Some waste yarn, scizzors, tapestry needle and/or crochet hook, stitch marker, and row marker. (I use yarn for the row marker.)

Beging at cuff


  1. Using smaller diameter circular or double pointed needles, cast on stitches then cast on an "extra"stitch. Slip first stitch, knit until 1 stitch remains, slip that stitch. Bring points together, slip last knit stitch back to left needle; knit the first and last stitches you cast on together. Mark this as the "seam" stitch. (The knitting is now joined. If you need picture, visit "How to join circular".)
  2. Round 2: Purl until you reach the "seam stitch". Row 3: Knit the seam stitch; knit all stitches. Row 4: Purl the seam stitch; purl until you reach the "seam stitch".
  3. Change to larger diameter needles and begin to knit stockinette knitting all rounds: Increase stitches evenly across round. (You now have stitches.) 
  4. Do the following times:
    • Knit rounds even, but on the final round, when you reach the "seam stitch", M1, knit seam stitch M1. (The M1s are called "Make ones" and create stitches. If you don't like M1s, substitute any nearly invisible method to increase stitches on either side of the seam stitch. You can see how I work paired increases here. )
  5. Do the following times:
    • Knit rounds even, but on the final round, M1, knit seam stitch M1.
  6. Knit rounds.
  7. There should be stitches on needle.
  8. Shape underarm. You will now increase a stitch one side of the seam stitch only every other row. So, work this two row procedure times.
    • Row 1: Knit round until you reach the seam stitch. M1, knit the seam stitch.
    • Row 2: Knit even.
  9. You've reached the back! There should be stitches.
Back: worked back and forth in stockinette; (Knit all even rows, purl all odd rows.)
  1. Begin at shoulder. Change to larger needles; there should still be stitches; place a row marker. (Note: while knitting this will measure inches wide; after laundering, it will measure inches.)
  2. Knit even until work measures inches from row marker. Hang another row marker to indicate the center back.
  3. Work even until work measures inches from cast on, finish by knitting a wrong side facing row. Turn work.
  4. With right side facing, hang a marker on the left hand edge. The left hand edge will be the underarm.
  5. Test fit to by draping over shoulders and pinching the ends closed. Decide if you think the opening for the shoulders is correct. If it's too tight, knit a few more rows. (If you swatch shrank, try to account for shrinkage when making this decision.)
Underarm: Worked circular in rounds; knit all stitches.
Note: When you pick up stitches to knit the second sleeve, you begin here, but mirror the directions.
  1. You will now join to knit circular and begin shaping underarm. Slip first stitch. Place a stitch marker. Knit across row until one stitch remains before marker. Put tips of needles together and knit 2 stitches together. This stitch will be the "seam" stitch under the arm. Slip marker.
  2. Knit next round even. Slip marker.
  3. You will now decrease for the underarm. Knit around until 2 stitches remain before marker, k2 tog, slip marker. Knit 1 round even (that is, don't work a decrease on this round). Repeat these two rounds times.
  4. When you finish this set of instructions, stitches remain on needle. Work measures inches from cast on.
Begin Lower Sleeve: Knit circular; knit all rounds. You will periodically decrease on either side of a "seam stitch". While knitting this, check to make sure your stitch and row gauge didn't change when you switched to knitting circular. If they did, adjust by using larger or smaller diameter needles.
  1. For the purpose of reading the instructions, consider the round to begin two stitches after the slippable marker until you reach the 3 row garter stitch cuff. (When you reach the cuff, it begins at the slippable marker.)
  2. Do the following times:
    • Knit rounds even, but finish the last round as follows: k2tog, slip marker, k1 (this is the "seam stitch"), ssk .
  3. Do the following times:
  4. Knit rounds even, but finish the last round as follows: k2tog, slip marker, k1 (this is the "seam stitch"), ssk.
  5. stitches should remain.
  6. Knit rounds.
  7. Change to smaller diameter needles and begin to knit garter stitch. (Alternate knit and purl rounds.)
  8. On next round, decrease stitches evenly across row.
  9. Work 3 more rounds in garter stitch. Bind off.
Finishing.
  • Using smaller diameter needles, pick up stitches evenly across the top edges and an equal number of stitches along the bottom edge. Knit 3 rows garter stitch. Bind off.
  • This is a free pattern and required you to think to run the program. You're an intelligent knitter, do I really need to tell you to tidy all loose ends, block etc?
I call web patterns that automatically recalculate for your yarn and size "pattern generators"; you can find a partial list of my knitting pattern generators by visiting knitting pattern generators. Hey, some even estimate how much yarn you need!

Copyright Lucia Liljegren 2005

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