Leif is a good many-seasons shrug with an elegantly simple top-down construction, featuring long sleeves (extra long in the original, with instructions for modding them if you don’t want them quite so cozy), textured garter stripes, stockinette, and lace. It’s an enjoyable knit, but not very difficult, and the results are nice!

This shrug uses luxury sock yarns; in an approximately 440 yard put-up, you can make a size small with just one skein! The handknitting pattern is offered for personal use, and features detailed line instructions and simple sizing options.

The pattern features line-by-line instructions, with numbers to help you keep your place. It’s built to be intuitive and easy to mentally manage, but in spite of its inbuilt rhythm, there’s lots of detail to serve as a lifeline.

Leif makes use of multiple needle-sizes to make a fitted sleeve that tapers to the wrist and hand, with the bonus of adding durability to cuffs, where the sweater might see more wear.

The pattern calls for US5(3.75mm) circular needles in 24 inch and 16 inch sizes, plus double-pointed needles in US 4 and US 3 - or size to get gauge, plus needles one and two sizes down.

A note: I am pretty sure that my gauge, especially in lace, is currently slightly relaxed, and you may want to start at US6-7 to get the pattern’s recommended gauge, depending on your own knitting habits. Use needles 1 and 2 sizes down from your main needle size.

Gauge is 4 stitches/inch or 16 stitches/4 inches measured over blocked stockinette sections of the body. (My not-blocked gauge is 4.5 stitches/inch.)

The first offering from the forthcoming Leif Evolver. Details on this project are at mousearmymittenco.tumblr.com.