FO!
I finished the Isis shrug last weekend, and I LOVE it! (You know I really do love it when I manage to take a decent photo for once) I finished this in only 4 days, it is a really cute pattern and uses the same lace that Charlotte's Web uses, so I already had it memorized from my two Charlotte's.
I made the smallest size, and you can see from this picture that it fits me very differently than it fit the girl in the picture, who was wearing one too big for her. My bust is about 37" and this size's finished measurements were about 35, but the next one was 40 and I didn't want it to be loose. My finished shrug is just a tad too small, but I like the "stretch-to-fit" shape, which is only possible due to the stretchy lace.
I did, of course, make a few changes. First I made short rows in the two fronts, a full pattern repeat's worth, because I was afraid the fabric wouldn't cover anything otherwise. I also did three-needle bind off at the top of the sleeves so that it's an invisible, neat seam. I hate physically doing three-needle bind off but it was worth it in this case, the seams are up to my standards.
I also changed the neckband finishing technique -- the pattern calls for you to pick up in purl one stitch for every rib row and then decrease. I find this not only difficult and akward, but also messy. Instead, I picked up stitches (in knit) evenly along the back neck, and did the same thing as you do with applied i-cord. It looks very neat and lays nice and flat.
The last thing I did was to hard block this both in pieces and after it was put together, because I needed the lace to stretch out in order to fit. Before stretching, the back was only like 13" wide!
I am totally in love with this silly thing, and I think it's very flattering over a tube top. People talk about how bad it is to have a horizontal line cutting you off, but I really like it, especially with a longer shirt underneath. And it does provide warmth, because I made it in 100% cashmere. It's actually too warm to wear on a warm day, it's for cool nights only.
In fact, I love this so much I'm making another one in this shape, but completely different pattern and construction. It'll be a Chiagu pattern once it's done.
6 Responses
Donyale Grant
Thanks so much for pointing me here….will keep it all in mind.
Alison G. W.
That’s so cute! And very fashionable – I’m seeing these all over the city this year…
Bobby
That is the first time that I’ve seen a shrug that made me wish I was a girl. It looked like hell(to me) in the mag, but it looks fab on you!
Allison
Good job! It looks fantastic. And you have the right curves for the horizontal line. Believe it does not look nearly as good on most people.
melissa j
very cute! now i’m inspired to make one of my own. i have some light blue calmer sitting around – perhaps that would do. :)
Francesca
June 26, 2005
Cool! I am making it too in a cashmere/mircrofiber/merino blend. I was making it longer, but now that I’ve seen yours I’ll tear back and make it short. I was worried about the cutting off in the middle, but it looks great on you! and hopefully me too.