Rena -- How I Love Thee!

When Andra first showed off the beautiful Rena Shrug made in Berroco's Softy (one of my least favorite yarns) I was torn. I loved the simplicity of the pattern and the cuddliness of the shrug, but Softy sets my teeth on edge. Enter Furz. Can be knit at the same gauge, is wonderfully warm and cuddly, and doesn't shed at all.

So, two Christmases ago, I knit M a shrug specifically to use as a bed jacket (an item which, along with leg warmers, tops my list of supremely practical garments that get an undeserved snub from the fashionistas) out of #3882 (blue violet), a color she had fallen in love with but couldn't think of anything to do with. She uses it regularly as we often spend Saturday morning lounging in bed with the papers (our two local papers print their "big" issue on Saturday rather than Sunday). I have suffered from shrug envy ever since and finally broke down about a month before I was fired and bought some Furz in #3829 (pomegranate) to make myself one.

It's done, and I love it! In fact, since I have the cold side of the office, I will probably be wearing it in here, too.

Pattern: Rena Shrug from Berroco
Yarn: Berroco Furz #3829, 8 balls
Needles: Susan Bates Quicksilver 32" #11 circular
Mods: Aside from changing the yarn, none. It's nothin' but a big rectangle with two seams

Here's the blue one I did for M:

It's a little bigger than mine partly because it's stretched out and partly because she's got broader shoulders and longer arms.

Oh, and just to add to the finished object-ness, another Project Linus blankie.

One of the kids made a very large square, so we decided to make it the center of this blanket which really looks like stained glass. I believe there are only two more blankets-worth of squares to be crocheted together. M keeps muttering, "It sounded like such a great idea at the time...."