Ripples Shrug

Ripples Shrug by Emily J. Designs

What is Being Made

The Ripples Shrug is a cozy wrap-style shrug featuring a striking cable design that ripples down the body. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a versatile layering piece available in six sizes ranging from XS to XXL, with widths from 32 to 44 inches and lengths from 27 to 31 inches. The design is worked in a chunky yarn for a quick, satisfying knit, and the shrug can be sized up for a more oversized fit if desired.

Techniques Used

The Ripples Shrug employs several essential knitting techniques suited to intermediate crafters. The garment is knit bottom-up construction, meaning you begin at the cuffs and work toward the body. Cable techniques form the signature rippling design element that runs down the shrug, requiring the use of a cable needle or spare needle to create the twisted, textured pattern. The piece utilizes stockinette stitch as the primary fabric base, which provides a smooth canvas for the cables to stand out. Seaming is used to join the pieces into the final shrug shape after the main knitting is complete. Cuffs are cast on and bound off at the edges, and stitch markers help track pattern repeats and shaping throughout the project.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch – forms the main fabric base worked over the larger needles using two strands of yarn
• Cable Stitches – create the rippling texture that flows down the body of the shrug
• Cast-on and Bind-off – used at the cuffs to begin and finish the edges

Materials

The Ripples Shrug is designed to be worked in Cascade Yarns ReVerb, a chunky-weight yarn blend consisting of 70% polyester and 30% alpaca. Each skein provides 273 yards (250 meters) and weighs 100 grams (3.5 ounces). The pattern requires 5 to 9 skeins depending on size, with the smallest size (XS) needing 5 skeins and the largest (XXL) requiring 9 skeins. The sample shown was knit in colorway #02 Silver Gray.

Needles required include US 10 (6mm) circular needles measuring 32 inches (80cm) or longer for the main fabric, and US 9 (5.5mm) needles in the desired length for edging work. Additional tools include a cable needle or spare needle for manipulating cable stitches and eight stitch markers to track pattern sections and increases. The recommended gauge is 14 stitches and 20 rows per 4 inches (10 centimeters) when working stockinette stitch with the larger needles using two strands of yarn held together.