Shattered is a long shawl/scarf that tells a story of calamity, loss, violence, and change after any sort of life-changing, traumatic event in one’s life.

In the first part of the piece, the yarn is held doubled and worked top down for life before any traumatic incident. Life was simple, solid, and safe. The two-stitch cables add a bit of interest to this piece and stand for solidity, regularity, and the routine of everyday life before the event.

Then the life-change happens and shreds the life of the victim in a violent, harsh manner. This is symbolized by the serrated short-row edging in the contrast color as the violent act rips every shred of normalcy from your life.

The piece then turns and begins to be knit from side to side to signify that life after the event is topsy-turvy and completely different from the past. The fragility of the single strand of yarn worked at a loose gauge combined with the dropped stitches epitomizes the uncertain, scared fragility of life moving forward from the event. The dropped stitches also symbolize the deep scars that an incident leaves upon the victim. What once was easy and simple becomes complex, uncertain, and carries a fear with it that cannot be simply forgotten.

Shattered is also long to wrap around someone who is going through any sort of life-altering, traumatic event such as a natural disaster, death, or violence committed against them and give them warmth, love, and comfort.

I designed this shawl to carry the potency of the past, present, and future that all victims of any sort have to deal with as well as to give them the sense of love and comfort that they need. By wrapping the past and present around someone, the piece becomes a homogenous whole, symbolizing the future and what the victim lives with on a daily basis: never able to escape the present, wishing for the past to return, and dealing with the pain and uncertainty of the future.

Size: 122 inches along the top edge X 17 inches at the deepest point. This is the size of the blocked sample and as such, due to blocking differences, gauge differences, and knitter’s preferences, your shawl may be a different size.

Recommended yarn: Two colors of fingering weight yarn in semi-solid/tonal/solid colors. The sample shown uses Malabrigo Yarns Sock (100% Merino; 440 yds per skein) in the color ways Alcaucil (A) and Playas (B)

Yardage: Color A: 440 yds/402 m; Color B: 330 yds/ 302 m

Needles: 32” US size 10/6.00 mm circular needle

Gauge: 4 sts to the inch in Garter Stitch with the yarn held doubled on a US size 10/6.00 mm needle.

Notions: 14 stitch markers, scissors, tapestry needle.