COZY SHRUG

It's been a bit chilly here in So Cal.  I went on Pinterest, and found an easy pattern for a nice, warm shrug.  I figured that I could have something handy that is better than wearing a blanket around the house, but would also be appropriate to have in my office where the temperature fluctuates daily from 60 to 80 degrees!  Believe it or not, this pattern is actually just row after row of single crochet stitches!

The pattern is from allaboutami.com and you can find the link here.  I was able to find the yarn at Michael's on sale for about $2.50 a skein, so the total cost was only around $15.00.  I'm a very novice clothing crocheter, so there were a few challenges with this piece.  Here are my suggestions:

• Buy extra yarn.  I ended up using a bigger hook than suggested so it used more yarn.  Plus, you can always return it if you don't use it.

• The collar piece is a bit challenging.  The blogger actually added that on to the original pattern so you really don't need to add it on.

• Search the stitches (front post double crochet, back post double crochet, etc.) on the internet and don't be afraid to try it.  I ripped out several sections to start over, but this is a quick project.

• Make sure you add one single crochet at the end of each row before turning.  That will keep the number of stitches the same throughout.

• Go by the measurement of the piece, not the number of rows.

I loved using the Bernat Softee Chunky yarn.  I would recommend any thick yarn, however, it would be fun to see what this looks like in a thinner version.

I hope you give it a try - it really was the type of project that you can do while watching TV.  No stitch counting or fancy stitches to worry about for the main piece.

Don'tcha love Pinterest???