Square X Shrug
This pattern makes a cozy shrug inspired by a combo of an Agnes B sweater and a baby blanket pattern from 1899. I recommend circular needles that are at least 48” in length, if not longer. The shrug is knit in rounds gradually decreasing to the center of the square, then folded in half and stitched partway up the sides. A row counter device helps to keep track of the rounds.
Materials:
10.5 gauge knitting needles
~450 yards medium weight (100 grams) yarn
Yarn needle
Needle with a large eye
Button
Row counter
Instructions:
*cast on 272 stitches then connect and K an entire round to prevent curling of the edges.
*1st round of pattern– PM, K1, P2 tog, P2, K1, P57, K1, P2, P2 tog, and repeat 3X to finish the round
*2nd round- SM, K1, P 3, K1, P55, K1, P 3, and repeat 3X to finish the round.
*3rd round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P55, K1, P1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X.
*4th round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P2, K53, P2, K1, P2, and repeat 3X.
*5th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2, K53, P2, K1, P2 tog and repeat 3X
*6th round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K53, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*7th round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P51, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slip stitch over, and repeat 3X
*8th round- SM, K2, P2, K1, P51, K1, P2, K1, and re- peat 3X
*9th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P51, K1, P1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*10th round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P2, K47, P2, K1, P2, and repeat 3X
*11th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2, K47, P2, K1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*12th round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K47, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*13th round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P45, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slip stitch over, and repeat 3X
*14th round- SM, K2, P2, K1, P45, K1, P2, K1, and re- peat 3X
*15th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P45, K1, P1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*16th round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P2, K41, P2, K1, P2, and repeat 3X
*17th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2, K41, P2, K1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*18th round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K41, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*19th round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P39, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slip stitch over, and repeat 3X
*20th round– SM, K2, P2, K1, P39, K1, P2, K1, and repeat 3X
*21st round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P39, K1, P1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*22nd round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P2, K35, P2, K1, P2, and repeat 3X
*23rd round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2, K35, P2, K1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*24th round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K35, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*25th round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P33, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slipped stitch over-and repeat 3X
*26th round– SM, K2, P2, K1, P33, K1, P2, K1 and repeat 3X
*27th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P33, K1, P1, P2 tog and repeat 3X
*28th round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P2, K29, P2, K1, P2, and repeat
*29th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2, K29, P2, K1, P2 tog and repeat 3X
*30th round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K29, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*31st round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P27, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slipped stitch over, and repeat 3X
*32nd round– SM, K2, P2, K1, P27, K1, P2, K1, and repeat 3X
*33rd round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P27, K1, P1, P2 tog and repeat 3X
*34th round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P2, K23, P2, K1, P2, and repeat
*35th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2, K23, P2, K1, P2 tog and repeat 3X
*36th round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K23, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*37th round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P21, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slipped stitch over, and repeat 3X
*38th round– SM, K2, P2, K1, P21, K1, P2, K1, and repeat 3X
*39th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P21, K1, P1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*40th round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P2, K17, P2, K1, P2, and repeat 3X
*41st round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2, K17, P2, K1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*42nd round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K17, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*43rd round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P15, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slipped stitch over, and repeat 3X
*44th round- SM, K2, P2, K1, P15, K1, P2, K1, and repeat 3X
*45th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P15, K1, P1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*46th round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P2, K11, P2, K1, P2, and repeat 3X
*47th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2, K11, P2, K1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*48th round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K11, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*49th round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P9, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slipped stitch over, and repeat 3X
*50th round- SM, K2, P2, K1, P9, K1, P2, K1, and repeat 3X
*51st round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P9, K1, P1, P2 tog, and repeat 3X
*52nd round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P9, K1, P2 and repeat 3X
*53rd round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, P2 tog, P1, K3, P1, P2 tog, K1, P2 tog and repeat 3X
*54th round- SM, K1, P1, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P1, and repeat 3X
*55th round- SM, K1, K2 tog, P2, K1, P1, K1, P2, slip 1, K1, pass the slipped stitch over, and repeat 3X
*56th round– SM, K2, P2, K1, P1, K1, P2, K1, and repeat 3X
*57th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, P2 tog and repeat 3X
*58th round- SM, K1, P2, K1, P1, K1, P2, and repeat 3X
*59th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, K1, K2 tog, P2 tog and repeat 3X
*60th round- SM, K1, P2 tog, slip 1, K1, pass the slipped stitch over and repeat 3X
Now there are only 12 stitches remaining. Cut yarn leaving an 8” length for sewing. Thread yarn needle and weave through remaining stitches. Pull tightly to close and secure end.
Next fold square in half with the face on the inside. Establish the very corner stitches and align the edges of the piece so stitches are paired with each other. Pinning the stitches on the short edge of the rectangle helps to secure the piece. Use a length of the same yarn, approximately 12”, to mattress stitch from the corner along approximately 5” of the short side.
When you have sewn both of the short sides turn the shrug inside out. If you choose, the shrug may be completed at this stage. But if you’d like to fasten the shrug in the front sew your button on the center corner point (it’s the corner formed by the two sewn sides that lays center of the chest), opposite side of the cast-on tail. Next you will use the cast-on tail as the button loop. To do this thread your standard needle and pin the tail down to the appropriate length. You want it long enough tohook over your button but not so long that it stretches away from the body. Then sew the tail down. Weave in any loose ends and voila! Lovely shrug is complete!
