Carnelian Shrug in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK - Downloadable PDF

Carnelian Shrug by Marie Wallin in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK

The Carnelian Shrug is a beautifully elegant knitted bolero designed by Marie Wallin, worked in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK yarn. This intermediate-level pattern produces a graceful, wrap-style shrug with a distinctive decorative edging, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for a range of occasions. The design is available as a downloadable PDF, allowing knitters to access the pattern instantly and begin their project straight away.

Garment Overview

The Carnelian Shrug is a classic bolero-style garment that wraps around the body, covering the shoulders and upper arms while leaving the front open. Its construction is elegantly simple at its core — the body is worked as a single rectangular section that is then folded in half and seamed at the sides — yet the finishing details elevate it into something truly special. The addition of a carefully worked crochet edging around the front, neck, and hem gives the shrug a polished, decorative finish that is characteristic of Marie Wallin's refined design aesthetic.

Sizing and Fit

The pattern is graded across five sizes, designed to fit bust measurements ranging from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) up to 122–127 cm (48–50 in). The actual garment measurement around the body opening edge is generous, ranging from 140 cm to 180 cm depending on the size chosen, reflecting the relaxed, draped nature of a shrug silhouette. This ease allows the piece to sit comfortably across the shoulders and back without restriction.

Construction and Making Up

The construction method for the Carnelian Shrug is straightforward and well-suited to an intermediate knitter. The body section is worked flat and then folded in half, with markers used to align the fold correctly. The side seams are joined from the markers down to the cast-on and cast-off edges using either back stitch or mattress stitch, creating neat, tidy seams that form the sleeve openings of the shrug. This simple fold-and-seam approach means there is minimal shaping to navigate during the knitting itself, with the structure of the garment emerging through the making-up process.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting — the main body section is worked back and forth in rows
• Seaming — back stitch or mattress stitch is used to join the side seams
• Crochet edging — a decorative border is worked around the front, neck, and hem edge using a 3.00mm (US C2/D3) crochet hook
• Double crochet (dc) — the edging begins with a foundation round of double crochet worked evenly around the entire front, neck, and hem opening
• Slip stitch joining — the crochet rounds are joined with a slip stitch to create a neat, continuous edging
• Stitch count management — the number of double crochet stitches worked must be divisible by 6 to ensure the subsequent edging pattern works out correctly, requiring the knitter to adjust their stitch count as needed

Stitches Used

• Knit and purl stitches — forming the main fabric of the shrug body
• Double crochet (dc) — used throughout the decorative edging
• Chain stitch (ch) — used within the crochet edging construction
• Slip stitch (ss) — used to join crochet rounds

Yarn and Materials

The Carnelian Shrug is knitted in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, a luxuriously soft yarn that combines the natural warmth and gentle halo of alpaca with the practicality of a DK weight yarn. This yarn weight makes it an ideal choice for a lightweight layering piece such as a shrug, providing warmth without bulk. The sample garment shown in the pattern photography is worked in Deep Rose 206, a warm and flattering shade that suits the romantic, feminine character of the design.