Plaza Shrug

This is Plaza Shrug, one of my all-time favorite designs! It can be found in Crochet!, Autumn 2016. I love how such a simple design can be so beautiful! Also, I have this thing for lines…I love when there are interesting lines in a design. This pattern, because it uses a mitered square and a striping yarn, has square-shaped stripes on the back, and a diagonal line from one shoulder to the opposite hip that is formed by the increases.

Even a beginning crocheter could make this once they have even tension and maybe a little guidance on seaming. You intermediate and advanced crocheters can make this while you binge watch your favorite TV show on Netflix or listen to an audio book.

The yarn used is Plymouth Yarns Gina Chunky #0102 Calm Brights. You’ll need 3 or 4 skeins, depending on the size you make. It uses a 10 mm hook (my 10 mm hook is an N, but sometimes they are called a P hook). Because of the chunky yarn and large hook, this pattern will work up pretty quickly, which we all love, of course!

When I make a design for a magazine, the yarn manufacturer typically provides the yarn. I have to estimate ahead of time how much yarn I will need to finish a design. Well, designers tend to estimate generously, because it is much better to have too much, than too little. If you don’t have enough, they have to pay to ship more, and you have to match dye lots…really a mess. 

I overestimated by quite a lot when I designed this shrug, so you, dear readers, are going to benefit. I will gift 4 skeins of Gina Chunky in the colorway shown here to one lucky crocheter so that you can make this shrug for yourself! You can enter this giveaway by signing up for my monthly newsletter. You can click this link to sign up. In one week, I’ll choose a winner from all those subscribed to my newsletter (that’s right, if you’re already signed up, you are entered as well). This is open only to those in the US (sorry, but shipping anywhere else is too pricey for me right now).

Happy stitching!

April