Help with Shrug pattern from Family Circle Crochet

[goldi316]

Okay, I’ve wracked my brain until I have a headache, and I still can’t come up with the answer, so I hope someone can help me, particularly someone who has the Family Circle Crochet magazine.

I’m working on the shrug pattern shown on page 23 (pattern instructions on page 67). I am stuck at the sleeves. Having completed the instructions for the back and both the right and left sides, I have a single piece laid flat, with U-shaped armholes (there are no side seams in this pattern). The instructions move on to the sleeves and now read:

 

Row 1 (RS) Join yarn at center of armhole. Work (X number of) hdc evenly around armhole. Do not join but work back and forth in rows. (Ch 2 to turn at end of every row).

 

Here’s what has me stumped: I cannot find any mention anywhere in the pattern of what to do with the shoulder seam. Starting at "center of armhole" seems to imply the bottom of the U, do I just stitch across the opening at the top on my way back down to the center on the other side, leaving that shoulder seam open? Or do I join the yarn at the edge of the back piece and work my way down and around the U to the top of the other opening, sewing the sleeve (and shoulder) seam at the end. There is absolutely NO mention of that shoulder seam anywyere in this pattern, and the diagram is not giving me a clue, neither is the modeled picture shown on page 23, other than to make it appear that the shoulder must have been joined. Help!

 

I was really hoping to have been done with this project by now, it had been zipping along so nicely until I hit this snag. I have been struggling to figure this out for two evenings now (granted, without actually trying to stitch anything, but I’m trying to avoid having to frog this bulky yarn I’m using). Is it possible there’s a missing piece of info in this pattern, or am I just not reading it right?

 

Since I can’t spend too much time online from work, I may not be able to check back on this thread until later, but I’m hoping somebody will have an answer for me by then. TIA!

[lilburglarcatz]

In looking at the pattern I see what you mean. But looking at the picture you can definitely tell there is a shoulder seam of some sort. If I were you I would go ahead and sew the shoulder seams together and then start at the bottom of the armhole and work your half double crochets around the arm hole to the other side has the pattern states till you get the right sleeve length fasten it off and sew the sleeve seams. you might be able to use an invisable seam stitch on both the shoulders and you sleeve seams so you won't have too much bulkiness in your seams if your using a bulky yarn like the pattern. Hope this helps