Lacey Shrug for Girls

Have you ever looked and looked for a pattern but just could not find the right one? Recently I found myself in this situation. My beautiful sister in law is getting married in a couple months, and my sweet 6 year old is going to be one of her flower girls. My daughter is so excited! My problem is she is super tall and thin, meaning we never can get clothes to fit just right! Her dress is adorable, but in order to get the length right it is so wide on her shoulders and mid section. Normally it isn't a huge deal, but the dress is a tank and it causes all sorts of problems on her. I had the idea to make her a little shrug jacket to go with her dress. I absolutely adore shrugs, a short little sweater/jacket not only adds a little bit of modesty but I also think it can add so much personality to an outfit!

Once I decided to make her a shrug I knew right away it needed to be light and airy since the wedding is in July. I chose to go with a cotton yarn since cotton is really breathable and light. Normally I just pick up what yarn I need at our local Walmart, since our nearest crafting store is about an hour away, except in this case our Walmart does not carry any cotton yarn except for Peaches and Creme (which is great for dish cloths and scrubbies, not so much for clothing). I contemplated about buying online, but I like to feel the yarn before I buy, so I made the hour trip to Joann Fabric. I ended up purchasing Bernat Softee Baby Cotton which is a cotton/acrylic blend. Since it is baby yarn, its soft, light weight and great for this project!

So back to finding a pattern. I knew in my head what I wanted her to wear, but was struggling to find a pattern just right. Naturally I searched google images for inspiration, I found a lot of shrugs, but some had aspects I really liked but nothing exactly like I wanted. You know that feeling right? I found several that had the shape I liked, they were the ones with two half circles used for the front panels. This is the direction I chose to go with. So clearly this isn't really a new technic but I didn't follow another's pattern, just went with my own creativity. I had no intentions of even writing this down. I figured it would be a one done sort of project but I was quite please with myself once I finished it, and decided to share a photo in a Facebook crochet group. There was such an overwhelming response from other lovely crocheters, who all wanted a pattern (probably most of you reading this) that I figured I better just write it up as a thank-you for all you kind souls that help boost my confidence in crochet!

Lacey shrug

Size S/M Girls. I made this to fit my 6 year old daughter who normally wears a size 8, but as I mentioned she is quite thin. I used one of her other tops as a guide, which was a size 6x. So I am pretty confident this would fit girls in the 6-8 range. Although, you could easily adapt this pattern to fit other sizes by adding or subtracting increase rows. Eventually I would like to add other sizes and clean this up a little and make it a PDF document on Ravelry.com but for now this will have to do.  Because this is my first garment pattern, please be patient with me.  I didn't intend on writing this up so I'll probably have a few mistakes to correct as I make more, but I wanted to get it out to you all as quickly as I could.

Disclaimer: Constructing a shrug like this is not a new process, and I do not claim that as my idea. I found several images online that looked similar but not exactly what I wanted. I did not follow a pattern but I used Google images for inspiration and this the result. You are welcome to use this pattern to sell the items you make from it, but I do request that you give credit where due. Please do not copy and sell any part of this written pattern. I respectfully ask that instead of printing this page, please continue to visit the page when possible. I would love to continue to blog and offer lots of free patterns, but to make this work I need page visits to show there is an interest. Thank you so much.

This garment is constructed in 5 separate pieces. Back square, 2 front semi-circles, 2 semi-circle cap sleeves. You will have a ch3 at the beginning of each row, but it does not count as the first DC+ch1. To avoid confusion, you will notice that each row ends in a DC+ch1, and then a ch2 on the next row, that is your ch3. Do not omit it, you need that space for the following row.

Supplies:
Bernat Softee Baby Cotton,  3 weight, 4.2 oz/120 g 254 yd. -  1 Skein.   I probably used 2/3.
4 mm G hook.   (I used a Clover hook, this might be useful since I've noticed different brands can slightly vary in size)


Stitch abbreviations in US terms:
ch – chain
dc- Double Crochet
sc- single crochet
MC – Magic Circle
DC+ch1- You will make a double crochet and a chain 1 in the space. Where there are increases, you will work 2 DC+ch1 (DC+ch1, DC+ch1) in the same space.
Sc+ch1 -- single crochet and a chain one.

Front Semi-circles:

Row 1- Form MC Chain 3. Crochet 4 DC+ch1 inside MC.
Work in ch1 spaces.
Row 2- Ch2. Work 2 DC+ch1 in each space. (8)
Row 3 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next space } Repeat around. (12)
Row 4 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 2 spaces } Repeat around. (16)
Row 5 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 3 spaces } Repeat around. (20)
Row 6 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 4 spaces } Repeat around. (24)
Row 7 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 5 spaces } Repeat around. (28)
Row 8 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 6 spaces } Repeat around. (32)
Row 9 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 7 spaces } Repeat around. (36)
Row 10 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 8 spaces } Repeat around. (40)

Back Square:

Chain 43. DC+ch1 in 4th loop from hook, (skip ch., DC+ch1 in next chain) repeat to end. Turn.

For the rest of the pattern, you will be working in the ch1 spaces. You should have 20 DC+ch1 in each row.

Row 2 - row 22:   Ch2. Work DC+ch1 in each chain space.
     Repeat until square is the same length as half circles  Depending on how tightly or loosely you crochet you may make more or less rows.


Cap Sleeves:
Row 1- Form MC Chain 3. Crochet 4 DC+ch1 inside MC.
Work in ch1 spaces.
Row 2- Ch2. Work 2 DC+ch1 in each space. (8)
Row 3 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next space } Repeat around. (12)
Row 4 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 2 spaces } Repeat around. (16)
Row 5 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 3 spaces } Repeat around. (20)
Row 6 – Ch2. Work {2 DC+ch1, DC+ch1 in next 4 spaces } Repeat around. (24)
Row 7 – Ch2. DC+ch1 in each space around. (24)

Construction:  

There isn’t a real right or wrong way to sew this together, but here is what I did.   I lined up the straight edge of one of front semi-circles on the square back.   I used a whip stitch and sewed slightly less than 1”  of the tops together.    Then I sewed from bottom up approximately 2” (it happened to be about 5 rows for me)      Repeat with the other semi-circle.     You have now created your arm holes.   They should be approximately  6.5”.  

The sleeves might be a little trickier, but better if you pin it in place.  Keep in mind that the bottom of the shrug has the longer 2” seam.    The curve of the cap sleeve is the top of the sleeve.  Fold the sleeve semi-circle in half to locate the middle.   Pin the middle to the upper seam (the 1” seam) and around if needed.  Attach the sleeve by whip stitching the curved portion to the top half of the arm hold.   Repeat with other side. 

Once you have all your pieces attached, sew in your ends and move on to the finishing edge. 

Edge:

Attach yarn to edge of arm hole.   Sc+ch1 around the sleeve.   If you notice too much pulling in or making your arm hole too tight, try adding some increases.   This really depends on how tight or loose you crochet.    Repeat on other sleeve.  

Row1-   Attach yarn to bottom of the back piece.   Working in the tops of the DC, work sc+ch1 in each stitch around.  Join with  Sl st.  *NOTE  I chose to do a few decreases along the top to taper it in some because my girl has narrow shoulders.  I don't think it is necessary unless the girl you are making it for also has narrow shoulders.    

Row2-   Working in the tops of the sc:   Ch1 sc in next stitch, chain5, skip 3 ch1 spaces, **sc+ch1 in next sc, sc in next, chain 5, skip 3 ch1 spaces**   repeat ** around.  Join with Sl st.  (   You may end up with extra sc or not enough, just chain less or more to make up the different.   You most likely won’t notice it anyway.  )

Row3 -   SC around, placing 1 sc in the ch1 spaces and, 7 in the chain 5 spaces.   Join with sl st.   weave in ends. 

You can try other edges, or contrasting colors.  I think this pattern will adapt to many ways depending on your style.   Please feel free to comment with questions and I will do my best to answer them.   I normally work on amigurumi or hats, so making a garment, not to mention writing a pattern for one,  is completely new to me.  I hope I was able to make enough sense for you to follow.     

If you make something from this pattern I’d love to see!  You can tag me on Instagram @bsquarecrochet  #bsquarepatterns , or on Facebook Bsquare Crochet.   Thank you again for all your support!   I hope to post again soon!