STINGRAY SHRUG:
I have named it Sting Ray Shrug, as the shape reminded me a bit of a stingray. It also has elements of their body when swimming, after it is joined. This garment, shawl, shrug combination gives you the malleability of a shawl with enough structure to be worn a little more like a garment. It is fully reversible, and it can also be worn upside down, or right side up! It is a fun & gorgeous piece with plenty of drape. The drape is created by opening up the brioche with a hard block.

YARN:
The design is meant to be worked in fingering (or light fingering) weight yarn. For color choices, you may wish to use yarns with lots of contrast or more complimentary. You can use more colors (as my Urth versions) or fewer (as my Indie Dyed, “Murky Depths” version). This would also be amazing with just a bunch of mini skeins or leftover ends. There are a lot of options to play with color within this format. Sizes XS, S & M can be made with less than 1,320 yds (6 x 50.g = 300.g) most fingering. Sizes L & XL will need more yarn (4 x 100.g = 400.g) most fingering.

NEEDLES & GAUGE:
US 4’s/3.5mm round needles. Since you are working with two yarns (or colorways) in conjunction, you need round needles for this project. Since the project widens in Brioche, you can either start with a long cable or switch needles to end with something close to 40” or longer. I used interchangeable needles with varying length cables for different parts of this piece.

GAUGE uses US 4’s/3.5mm in Seed Stitch and Brioche, before and after blocking. If you do not wish to pre-check gauge, use the suggested needles or smaller. You will hard block to open the piece up. Gauge is most crucial if you have fewer available yards of yarn to use.

Pre-Block
SEED ST. GAUGE
24 Sts to 4” and
48 Rows to 4”
BRIOCHE GAUGE
24 Sts to 4” and
30 Rows to 4”

Post-Block
SEED ST. GAUGE
18 Sts to 4” and
26 Rows to 4”
BRIOCHE GAUGE
18 Sts to 4” and
24 Rows to 4”

SIZE:
Adult – XS, S, M, L, XL (lower edge : 20.5”, 22.75”, 25”, 27.25”, 29.5”)
This is a very oversized garment, these measurements are post-block and for reference.

NOTIONS:
A yarn sewing needle for sewing & tucking in some ends. Markers, some removable.

Yarn Choices:
This piece is knit in light fingering or fingering weight yarn. It would work wonderfully in most fingering weight yarns, including yarns from your stash.

The first three sizes can be made with 300 grams of yarn (6 skeins of Urth, Collection 16, fingering works very well).
For the largest two sizes, you will be closer to 400 grams of yarn (4 skeins of Caspian, Murky Depths works very well).

The YARNS:
ALL SAMPLES were knit in ADULT MEDIUM (Cast On 111 stitches)

URTH YARNS, Collection 16 -
Fingering, 100% Superwash Merino Wool,
220 yards / 50 g - one skein each, six colors.

Rainbow – sample (one skein each)

1. RED (R70) & GREEN (G60)
2. ORANGE (O30) & BLUE (BL60)
3. YELLOW (Y20) & VIOLET (P60)

Tonal – sample (one skein each)

1. PALE PINK (R40) & DEEP TAN (BR40)
2. MED PINK (R30) & MED TAN (BR30)
3. DEEP PINK (R20) & PALE TAN (BR20)

MURKY DEPTHS, Caspian - Fingering,
60% Merino, 20% Alpaca, 20% Nylon,
437 yards / 100 g – two skeins each color.

Denim Blues & Greys– (two skeins each)
C1 – Scattershot
C2 – Round Midnight