How do we cope with it all? You might want to consider the benefits of knitting something for yourself or someone you love. Knitting can help calm your mind and give you something else to think about…transport you to another realm of possibility.

Stay safe lovelies, and knit something beautiful! I hope you feel my virtual bear hug from me to you.

A special friend of mine was struggling in her life and I wanted to be there to support her. She lives far away from me, so it wasn’t possible just to stop by and give her a friendly bear hug. Then I came up with the design “Bear Hug Shawl”. The cables in the midsection represent
friendship, love, and support.

The Bear Hug Shawl is worked from the neck down. It is an easy and quick, two skeins knit, worked in garter stitch and a cable pattern to make it squishy and comforting. Each right side row increases by 4 stitches, and each wrong side row increases by 2 stitches. An i-cord bind-off makes the edge stable and delicate.

Materials
Needle: US size 7 / 4,5mm, 32” / 80cm circular needle. A long circular needle is recommended in
order to accommodate a large number of stitches.
Yarns Used: Approximately 460m / 503yds Enchanted Forest Fiber, Merino DK Natural, 100%
superwash merino wool, in the color “Bear”, 115g = 230m / 250yds per skein.
Gauge: 18 sts and 28 rows = 4 x 4” / 10 x 10cm in Garter stitch unblocked. Gauge is not crucial
for this project.
Final Measurements: Depth 16,5“/ 42cm. Wingspan 68,5“/ 174cm.
Notions: 4 stitch markers, cable needle, tapestry needle.

Special thanks to Lisa Beth Houchins for tech edit the “Bear Hug Shawl” pattern, a huge thank you to my wonderful testing team!

Note from a knitter:
“I LOVE this project! I cast on last evening and it is really going fast! I have completed through Row 24 and it is absolutely stunning. This is my first real cable project and it causes just a tiny bit if anxiety, but each row is easier.”

NORSK

En nær venn av meg hadde en tung periode i livet og jeg ville vise at jeg støttet henne. Hun bor langt unna meg, så det var ikke mulig å bare stoppe innom og gi henne en vennlig bamseklem («Bear hug»). Da kom jeg opp med designet «Bear Hug-sjal».
Flettene i midtpartiet representerer vennskap, kjærlighet og omsorg.

Bear Hug har klassiske fletter som alltid vil passe inn i garderoben din. Sjalet strikkes ovenfra og ned. Det er enkel og meditativ strikk. Mønsteret er en blanding av rillestrikk og fletter, noe som gjør det mykt og lunt.
På hver rettpinne økes det fire masker, og på hver vrangpinne økes det to masker. I-cordavfelling gjør kanten stabil og gir en delikat avslutning på sjalet.

Pinner: 80cm rundp nr. 4.5. Anbefaler å bruke en lang rundpinne pga høyt maskeantall.
Garn brukt: ca en hespe Enchanted Forest Fibers Merino DK Natural, 100% merino, 115g = 230m per hespe.
Strikkefasthet: 18m x 28omg = 10 x 10cm.
Ferdig mål etter utblokking: Dybde 42cm. Vingespenn 174cm.
Språk: Norwegian