Outlander Inspired Crocheted Claire Shrug

Hello all! Here is a crocheted version inspired by the shrug Claire was wearing when she first met Geillis. I posted a knitted version several posts back, and I used the same yarn for this one. The stitch pattern develops from alternating front-loop-only (FLO) and back-loop-only (BLO) rows all in HDC.

If you are a beginner don't let those terms scare you. Here are great videos by CrochetEverAfter to explain how to do the FLO and BLO in HDC.

 I hope you like it!

HOOK: J HOOK / 6.0 MM

YARN: ARAN WEIGHT - BERROCO PERUVIA COLORS 2 SKEINS (348 YARDS)

Gauge: 13 stitches and 11 rows = 4 inches

Size: Medium Women's

Dimensions: 12 inches tall, 33 inches wide

PATTERN:

Set up rows:

1. Chain 110 (or if you do a foundation row, work 109 FHDC, turn and go to Row 1)

2. Starting in the 2nd chain from your hook, work a row of HDC, turn (109 st)

DO NOT SKIP TO THE 2ND STITCH WHEN WORKING YOUR HDC'S FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS PROJECT (why? because it looks better if you work into the first stitch, just like you would for a SC)

Row 1 (wrong side): Ch 1, Work HDC in BLO until you have 1 st left, do a HDC into that last stitch under both loops instead of just the BL, turn. (109 st)

Row 2 (right side) : Ch 1, Work HDC in FLO until you have 1 st left, do a HDC into that last stitch under both loops instead of just the FL, turn. (109 st)

why work that last HDC into both legs/loops at the end of every row? because your edges will look better than if you work that final stitch through the BL or FL

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have 12 inch tall piece of fabric. For me this was 30 rows. End with a right side row (row 2). why end with a row 2? because it doesn't curl outwards like row 1 does.

Figure out how long you want your underarm seams to be. I used hair clips to hold the fabric while trying it on. My underarm seams were 5 inches. I did a simple seam, nothing fancy.

Weave in your ends.

Extra Notes and Stuff:

Pattern is also on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/claire-crocheted-shrug-starz-outlander-inspired

If you need to change the dimensions, like make the arms longer or the back longer, etc, you will need more yarn than what I used. I used up nearly the whole 2 skeins of my berroco on this, so if you are using this yarn and you wanted to make a bigger shrug, you would need 3 skeins. I estimated every row takes about 10 yards of yarn but don't hold me to that.

What if you like the wrong side better than the right side? Choose whatever side you like to face outwards. I prefer the right side stitches to face out, thats all. Its your shrug so you do what you want! :)

Claire Starz Outlander Sassenach Shrug Free Pattern

Here is my interpretation of the shrug that Claire was wearing when she met Geillis in episode 2. Hers was in variegated browns, but I had this wonderful blue/green mix which I found was perfect.

Yarn: Berroco Peruvia Colors, 1 skein
Needle: 9 mm / Size 13 (Worked flat but on circular 29 inch needles)

The one skein of Berroco Peruvia Colors was JUST enough to make this shrug at these dimensions. Keep in mind this yarn which is not springy on its own, is knitted with fairly large needles, and therefore allows for stretch and give.

Finished dimensions: Approx 10 inches tall, 33 inches long

THE PATTERN:

Cast on 83 stitches. (I used long tail method)
Knit 47 rows.
Bind off (I did the basic bind off, loosely)
Fold in half lengthwise.
Make armholes. For me, that was about 7 inches of seaming for each arm. I used a simple whip stitch.
Weave in ends.
Go pick some fresh herbs from the potager garden.

If I were to knit this again, I think I’d spring for the 2nd skein and make it longer down the back by knitting another 10 rows or so. The arms would be bigger as well, which I don't really need, but that would be an overall result. 

Can be worn as a makeshift cowl if you put one arm inside the other.

The knitty gritty: I had quite a few false starts with this pattern. I knew it was simple enough in construction - garter stitch, worked flat, seamed armholes. I estimated the gauge but when I knitted it up, it just didn’t look right. Three types of yarn, a variety of needle sizes, and a headache later, I realized it was the YARN. I believe this shrug resembles Claire’s best when a heavy-worsted 1-ply roving/yarn is used. The stitches are clear. There are no ‘ply shadows’. I learned a lot from this project.

If you have any questions or comments please let me know! :)

Listed on Ravelry as well.