Line Art

Line Art Shawl by Jennifer Dassau

What Is Being Made

Line Art is a sideways swoop shawl designed by Jennifer Dassau, featured in The Knitting Vortex. This elongated bias-shaped shawl measures 60 inches in length and 16 inches in depth, making it a versatile accessory suitable for both men and women. The design can be customized to any size based on available yarn, offering flexibility for crafters working with specific yardage or stash yarn.

Design and Aesthetic

The shawl features a clean stockinette stitch canvas accented by contrasting garter stitch lines that create bold linear art. Crafters are encouraged to choose either bold monotone colorways or a rainbow of colored leftovers to personalize their piece, allowing for creative expression through color selection.

Knitting Techniques Used

This beginner-level project incorporates several fundamental knitting techniques that build foundational skills:

• Cable cast-on: Creates a sturdy, elastic foundation edge
• Knit and purl stitches: Form the stockinette and garter stitch patterns
• Increasing and decreasing: Shape the shawl's bias construction
• German short rows: Add depth and dimension to the shawl; Jennifer Dassau provides a tutorial link for this technique

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

Stockinette stitch forms the primary canvas of the shawl, creating a smooth, refined surface. Garter stitch lines contrast against the stockinette, producing the visual "line art" effect that defines the design. The combination of these two fundamental stitch patterns creates visual interest while remaining accessible to beginner knitters.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is worked in fingering weight yarn, specifically shown in Spirited Fibers Fingering, which contains 80 percent superwash merino wool and 20 percent nylon, offering durability and easy care. The main color requires approximately 400 yards (366 meters) per 100 grams; one skein of the main color is used, plus approximately 12 yards each of three or more contrasting color fingering weight yarns. Any amount of main color yarn may be used, and an infinite number of contrast color scraps are welcome, making this pattern ideal for stash busting.

Additional materials include a US 6 (4mm) 32-inch circular needle sized to match gauge, one stitch marker, and a yarn needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge and Customization

The pattern specifies a gauge of 19 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch after blocking. While gauge is not critical for this project, variations in gauge will affect the final dimensions of the shawl. The customizable nature of the design allows crafters to adjust yardage and size according to their preferences and available materials.