Inspired Shrug....in miniature.

So after tweeting "Need ideas for my next #crochet project.....any suggestions?" @KrisFisher tweeted back "@ShopUniqueLeeMe a shrug, then share the pattern with me cuz I'm having trouble w/1 I'm wrking on".  Well it made me think of a couple I have seen on youtube and ravelry....I did send her the ravelry link but could not find the one I had seen on youtube.  It was super frustrating because I thought it was a super easy shrug and super cute.

So I decided I would try to recreate the youtube shrug idea and at that time my two year old came up to me wanting to sit in my lap dragging around her mini perpetually naked cabbage patch doll and the idea to create it in miniature was born.

I scrounged through my "last bits" yarn basket to find the brightest yarn possible in hopes that after I made this mini shrug my daughter would actually leave it on her doll.

The shrug in the video was made from a square into a circle but could just as easily be made from a circle to a circle or from a rectangle for more coverage in the back.  First you measure across your back to determine how wide the square will be and crochet out enough chains for this.  You create your square or rectangle to desired size with really any stitch or stitch pattern that you desire.  Heck, you could even make the back from granny squares.

Once you have your square you determine the number of chains you are going to need to create your arm hole.  This is pretty forgiving because it can be as tight or as loose as you want.

Connect your chain like so with a slip stitch and crochet the number of stitches down this side as there are on the opposite side so that your pattern is even and symmetrical. Make and connect another chain with the same number of stitches as your last chain like so.

Now all you have to do is crochet around your shape making it into a circle, keeping in mind to evenly increase as you go to keep your circle flat and symmetrical.

Crochet as many times around as necessary to get your shrug to proper size, don't forget to try it on as you go frequently from the complete armhole chains on so that you can adjust your pattern where needed.  Once you have your shrug to size you can now add your "flair" or decorative edging, tie, buttons, whatever to add your personality like so. 

My only suggestions would be to not crochet this using a worsted weight acrylic yarn.  It would be softer, fall better and not blisteringly hot, and much more comfortable in a soft non acrylic yarn of a much lighter weight.  I would just swatch a few I was considering.  As for the circle to circle shrug, very same concept only you start with a circle, work it out to desired diameter to cover desired amount of back.  Create armholes the same way and continue your circle shrug until complete. 

I hope this has inspired you to try your hand as this simple shrug, even if it is in miniature as mine is.

 

Thanks to my very cooperative model, my daughter and @KrisFisher for sparking the inspiration.