Sinuosity Shawl

Sinuosity Shawl by Janelle Martin

What is Being Made

The Sinuosity Shawl is a top-down, triangular shawl designed by Janelle Martin. This knitted accessory features sinuous waves flowing through the body of the garment, creating dynamic visual movement. The shawl is available in two finished size options: Medium at 66 inches (167.64 cm) wide by 27 inches (68.58 cm) centre depth, or Large at 82 inches (208.28 cm) wide by 36 inches (91.44 cm) centre depth when stretched and blocked. The design showcases the natural luster and exceptional drape qualities of Blue Faced Leicester wool fibres, making it an elegant layering piece.

Techniques Used

This shawl employs top-down knitting construction, a technique that begins at the neck or top edge and expands downward through strategic increases. The design incorporates wave-like stitch patterns that flow throughout the body of the shawl, creating visual interest and movement. The pattern includes instructions for two distinct edging options—a narrow edging and a wide edging—allowing knitters to customize the finished appearance. Blocking is essential to achieve the stated finished dimensions and to fully develop the drape characteristics of the completed shawl.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Sinuosity Shawl features sinuous wave stitch patterns that form the primary design element. The pattern is worked at a gauge of 20 stitches per inch, creating a fabric with excellent drape and fluidity. The specific stitch pattern repeats create the flowing wave motif that gives this shawl its distinctive name and aesthetic appeal.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn Requirements: The shawl requires 840 yards (768 meters) of yarn for the Medium size or 1,392 yards (1,273 meters) for the Large size. The yarn should be a wool fingering weight that knits up to 8 stitches per inch. The sample shown was knitted in String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn 'Bluestocking' in the Marmalade colorway, which consists of 80% Blue Faced Leicester wool and 20% nylon, with each skein providing 420 yards (384 meters) and weighing 3.99 ounces (113 grams). Two skeins were used for the Medium size pictured. When substituting yarn, Janelle Martin recommends selecting a wool blend that contains Blue Faced Leicester wool or silk to achieve the same amount of drape and luster characteristic of the original design.

Needles: The pattern calls for a US #3 / 3.25 mm circular needle measuring 32 to 40 inches (80 to 100 cm) in length, or a size adjusted to obtain the specified gauge of 20 stitches per inch.

Difficulty Level

The Sinuosity Shawl is rated as an Intermediate skill level project, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic knitting techniques and are ready to tackle more complex stitch patterns and shaping. This difficulty level assumes familiarity with circular needle knitting, reading stitch patterns, and understanding increase techniques used in top-down construction.