Act 15

Your Granny’s Art—An Adaptable Wrap/Shrug/Cowl/Pixie Hat

This is something I came up with last week as I was re-learning how to knit for Act 14. I was really just making it up as I went along, but I thought the result was pretty cool so I have put it up here, with instructions for those of you who share my love of flexible, adaptable, body friendly clothing.

More images and instructions under the cut

I used Moda Vera Fairy Floss yarn, in an emerald green colour, with 6mm needles. In hindsight, having worn it several times now, although I love the finished look of this yarn (and it was a good starter project because it knitted fast and was inexpensive) it sheds fibers horribly, so you may want to keep that in mind. It does look great though, and it is lovely and warm, just a little fluffy.

Originally I thought I would knit up a big rectangle and then sew the edges together to make a shrug, so I knitted a piece that was the length of the distance from one elbow to the other (with my arms out straight) and the approximate width of the widest part of my arm. I used stocking stitch but of course you could use any stitch you like, as long as it ends up as a rectangle the right size to go across your shoulders.

But then I started experimenting with the idea of making it adaptable, so that it might be worn as a scarf as well.

I found these lovely etched wooden buttons at my local craft store

and worked out that if I sewed them on diagonally opposite corners I could pin the wrap in a wide variety of ways.

I sewed on the buttons (I cheated and used ordinary cotton rather than yarn, because the fairy floss was too thick to be manageable)

About two centimeters in from the end, and one centimeter from the edge.

And a second one on the diagonally opposite corner

Then in the two remaining corners, using a crochet hook and more of the fairy floss yarn, I chain stitched a loop just big enough to act as a button hole.

And that is it!

By fastening the buttons around the arms just above the elbows you get a nice cozy shrug wrap:

Or you can wrap it around your neck and fasten at the back for a cowl effect (this is my favourite way):

But I am also partial to wearing it as a movie star/pixie hat (not shown) by placing the centre of the shawl on the top of my head, crossing it over at the front of the neck and bringing the ends round to button at the back.

And you can even do up one button at the front and one at the back for a halter vest style: