do you know about the twisted float shrug?

I didn't.

I didn't really know what I was taking a class to learn. I just knew I wanted to experience a class with Annie Modesitt, and I was offered the last space at Abundant Yarn's all-day shrug workshop. (I wondered how a shrug workshop could even take a whole day, but I found out soon enough.)

First, Annie is just awesome. I love her no-nonsense yet utterly creative approach to knitting. It is so effortlessly both of those things, it's amazing to experience. If I had known Elizabeth Zimmermann, I bet I'd be saying "Annie reminds me so much of Liz!" or something like that. She's funny, too, and a total genius.

The shrug pattern...well...it's so cool.

The shrug pattern was first published in Vogue Knitting in 2005, then republished in their 25th anniversary issue last year. The twisted float method is very much like the braids on Anna Zilboorg mittens, and since I've done those braids I took to it without any mind bending.

But the shape of the shrug is just a thing to behold and was so enjoyable to discover as we students realized bit by bit how it was going to happen. It begins at your back, in a tiny circle. Annie dispensed immediately with any thoughts of difficulty about starting a tiny circle, and we were off. Strangely, the knitting you do is the "private" side and you need to flip over to see what you're creating.

I will not tell you how it's all going to happen. But I can tell you you start with measuring your own body, and you make calculations based on your body that tell you when certain things occur, such as when you put in your threads for afterthought sleeves. The entire thing is an eight-slice pizza, and the sleeves fit in two of those slices. It ends up 100% reversible both in an inside-out sense and because it can be worn as a shrug or turned upside-down and it becomes a longer jacket. As Cara would say, "Dude."

The math of the whole thing is elegantly simple, as most math is.

I've made four swatches now, and can start one of these puppies in my sleep. I think the one above is "it," and I swear on all that's fun and good in this world that I'm going to try to really make this thing. It's too amazing not to.

Comments

[Julia]

How inspiring! Annie has such a unique way of doing things. I've never been sure if that piece was my style or not, but it has intrigued me since I first saw it. Now I'm even more intrigued. Can't wait to see yours.

[Valerie]

Every time I see Annie's name I just want to burst into song. She's the knitter who gave me the confidence to bring my "backward" combination knitting out of the closet. Laaaaaaa!

That shrug was on the cover of that VK issue and at the time I didn't subscribe to any knitting magazines. I remember stopping in my tracks when I saw it at the bookstore, my husband saying, "What? What's wrong?" Because I was breathing funny. Your color combination is beautiful; I hope you do make it because I would LOVE to see more.

[Knittripps]

Craziness! I haven't heard of that shrug before but it sounds pretty mind blowing (boggling?) to me.

[farmgirl]

ooh! i have that original Vogue...now you've inspired me to dig it out and cast on!

[Theresa]

very intriguing...i am anxious to see how it turns out.

[Cara]

Dude!
It's gonna be great!

[Marlena]

I wasn't crazy about that shrug when I first saw it, but the more I hear about it, the more intrigued I am. I love the colors you're using for yours!

[Berlinswhimsy]

Wow, I'd love to take a class with Annie Modesitt---her designs are so amazing! I saw some of your photos over on Flickr and wondered where they were going... I was intrigued because this circular design was sort of like crochet but without crocheted stitches----I'm very interested in this!