Afton Shrug in Blue Sky Fibers Worsted Cotton - 20164 - Downloadable PDF

Afton Shrug Knitting Pattern by Sarah Smuland – Blue Sky Fibers Worsted Cotton

The Afton Shrug is a beautifully simple, versatile layering piece designed by Sarah Smuland as part of the Blue Sky Fibers Classic Series. Rated as a beginner knitting project, this pattern is an excellent introduction to garment construction without the intimidation of complex shaping or multiple pieces. The finished shrug works effortlessly over jeans or dresses and transitions smoothly across all seasons, making it a practical and stylish addition to any handknit wardrobe.

What Is Being Made

The Afton is a shrug, also categorized as a bolero-style garment, designed to drape across the shoulders and upper arms while leaving the front of the body open. What makes this design especially approachable is its ingeniously simple construction: the entire shrug is knit as a single rectangle, then folded in half and seamed under each arm to create the sleeve openings. The result is a cozy, elegant wrap with a polished ribbed border on each end and a clean garter stitch body.

The pattern is sized for Women's XS, S, M, L, and XL, with finished widths of 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32 inches respectively. The finished lengths range from 24½ to 31½ inches depending on size, providing ample coverage across the back and upper arms.

Construction Technique

The one-piece rectangle construction is one of the most beginner-friendly approaches to garment knitting. Rather than working separate sleeves and body panels and seaming them together, the knitter casts on all stitches at once and works straight through to the bind-off. The finishing step involves folding the rectangle in half and sewing a 6-inch underarm seam on each side, beginning at the fold. This creates two armhole openings and shapes the garment around the shoulders naturally. The simplicity of this method means there is very little finishing work, and the construction is easy to understand even for those new to knitting garments.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Garter Stitch: The main body of the Afton is worked entirely in garter stitch, which is created by knitting every row. Garter stitch produces a squishy, textured fabric with horizontal ridges and lies flat naturally, making it ideal for a beginner project. It also works beautifully with cotton yarn, showcasing the stitch definition of the fiber.
• Wide Rib (Wrap Rib): Both ends of the rectangle feature a wide rib border, referred to in the pattern as a Wrap Rib. This stitch pattern is worked over a combination of knit and purl stitches in a k3, p2, *k4, p2* repeat, creating a structured, slightly stretchy border approximately 2½ inches deep on each end. The rib is worked on smaller needles to give it a neat, fitted appearance that frames the garment.
• Seaming: A simple mattress stitch or whipstitch seam joins the underarm sections after blocking, requiring only basic finishing skills and a tapestry needle.
• Needle Switching: The pattern uses two needle sizes strategically — smaller needles for the ribbed borders and larger needles for the garter stitch body — a common technique to ensure the rib is firm and the body fabric is relaxed and drapey.

Materials – Yarn

The Afton Shrug is designed specifically for use with Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted, a 100% Organic Cotton yarn sold in 100g/150-yard hanks. The pattern calls for 3 hanks for XS, 4 hanks for S, M, and L, and 5 hanks for XL. The colorway shown in the pattern is No. 626 Stone, a soft neutral that highlights the texture of both the garter stitch and the rib beautifully.

Organic Cotton Worsted is a natural fiber yarn that is breathable and comfortable against the skin, making this shrug suitable for warmer months as well as air-conditioned environments. Cotton does not have the same elasticity as wool, which is why the garter stitch and rib construction are particularly well-suited to this fiber — both stitch patterns work well with the fir