Spring Shrug

My favorite patterns, hands down, are the ones from Knitting Pure and Simple. They truly are pure and simple. Most, if not all, are top down. Although they do not do much in terms of shaping, they offer easy blueprints onto which you can add cables, lace, and other knitting touches that you can use to make the project your own. The ones that I have used start out the same...come to think of it, I think the only differences are the sizes that I have knit, the yarns and needles that I've used, and what closures the pattern suggests (buttons, zippers, or a tie closure). They are so easy and predictable, in fact, that I have hesitated to buy a new pattern because I sometimes think that I can just figure out the pattern on my own. My most current project was one of those... I kept going back to it at my FLYS (in fact, I bought one a long time ago and forgot about it, what a dork). I kept telling myself that all I have to do is take my measurements for the yarn that I wanted to use, yada yada yada. Well, darn it, why do I want to rewrite the wheel? For a small cost, I could already have the directions, all with the gauge and needles required. So I went ahead and bought it (again! aaaargh!)

It was the best quick project I have ever done. Quick as in three days (which is really quick for me because I don't knit as often as I want to). I think it only took 6 hours, given the actual amount of time that I was able to work on it. And instead of using a traditional button closure, I opted for a shawl pin. How's that for cutting down the finishing even more. I deviated a little from the written pattern. Instead of using YOs for the raglan shaping increases, I used Kf&b. I dislike immensely the holes that would have otherwise resulted from the YOs. I also added a few more rows to the body than the pattern states. If I remember correctly, the body measures (from the bottom of the underarm) 12 inches before I started the K2P2 ribbing.

I will definitely knit this again. I love that it is a pattern for bulky yarn, because all I have to do is combine yarn to get the gauge. What a great knit for the springlike weather we are having!