The Shrug Contest (I won)

We've had this book for a while, but as soon as I looked through it, I knew exactly what I wanted to make.

Not that I'm a shrug person, but this shrug is adorable, the Brioche Lace pattern is just the right degree of challenging (a.ka. it looks challenging but is relatively easy), and shrugs are just a great way to showcase new yarns without making another scarf.

Also, I knew I had to make this shrug because Tonya wanted to make it, too. We're like Jennifer and Mylea: the powers that control the universe seem to require that we always want to knit the same projects. Except Tonya wanted to make her shrug out of Louisa Harding Kashmir Aran in a pretty powder blue.


I chose something completely different. I decided to use Louisa Harding Coquette for the ribbing and Online Alpha Egyptian cotton for the body. Margie says that it looks like chocolate cake with caramel icing.

And not that you have to race just because you're knitting the same thing, but there was definitely a contest element surrounding the shrugs. And I won. Hands down.

Tonya has since torn out her shrug. She says she wanted to use her yarn to make baby Leo a sweater instead. Beating a pregnant woman--drunk on hormones, distracted by opposing waves of hunger and nausea--isn't necessarily a remarkable victory, but I'll take my successes as they come. I totally won the contest. Yes!

(The shrug has since been finished and is up in the store. More pictures to come.)