Happy Monday! Time to look back at the previous week’s recently added knitting patterns on Ravelry and pick a few favorites.

First pick: “Shoggoth” by Lee Meredith (part of an e-book, sold at $5.00)

It was a terrible, indescribable thing vaster than any subway train — a shapeless congerie of protoplasmic bubbles, faintly self-luminous, and with myriads of temporary eyes forming and un-forming as pustules of greenish light all over the tunnel-filling front that bore down upon us, crushing the frantic penguins and slithering over the glistening floor that it and its kind had swept so evilly free of all litter… — “At The Mountains of Madness” (H. P. Lovecraft)

I’ve played enough Arkham Horror to know that a Shoggoth isn’t something you want to meet ever, let alone have in your home — but this mini Shoggoth-pincushion is welcome to take up residence on my knitting table.  The designer captures the fluid asymmetry this particular monster should possess, while simultaneously making it cute.  A great first amigurumi project — you  can mess up a bit, and it would still be right! — and a perfect home for those odd buttons I’ve been saving up.

Second pick: “Reversible Tiara Hat” by Kristina Schling (part of a book, sold at $15.00)

This pattern makes clever use of the reversible nature of double-knitting to make a charming and warm beanie worthy of a princess. Although I love the popsicle colors of the sample hat, I think I might have to use golden yellow and princess pink — don’t you think?

Third pick: “Sho-sho” by Nokko Asano (FREE!)

I’m intrigued by this drapey shrug… I’ve been wanting to make one of these “rectangle with sleeves items for a while, because they look so comfy and wonderful.  I have put it off though, because it involves knitting a giant rectangle (just the kind of knitting I abhore).  This pattern, with large needles and a silk/linen yarn, may be enough to put me over the edge.  There isn’t any sizing on the pattern, which means I’d have to guess how much bigger to make it for myself.  (I’m not really “tiny Japanese” shape, more like “European peasant stock.”)  Still, it’s pretty and should knit up reasonably quickly. Pretty!