Product Description
The illusion is based on Beata Beatrix, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The original painting, which is now in Tate Britain, was dated 1864 but not completed until 1870. Rosetti later created several other versions.
When you look at illusion knitting from directly in front you only see narrow stripes. The imaage appears when you look from the side.
The illusions shown in the photos were made using DK yarns and measure approximately 80 cm x 60 cm (32” x 24”). One uses approximately 360 metres (400 yards) of each of two colours plus some extra for the border. Any weight of yarn can be used but other yarns might change the overall size.
The pattern includes several versions of the chart including one for mobile devices where you can view 20 ridges at a time and always be able to see the numbers across the bottom of the chart. Never lose your place again!
Beata Beatrix Illusion Knitting Wall-Hanging by Steve Plummer
What Is Being Made
The Beata Beatrix Illusion is a decorative knitted wall-hanging created using illusion knitting techniques. This design is inspired by the famous painting Beata Beatrix by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, originally completed in 1870 and now housed in Tate Britain. The illusion knitting method creates a visual image that emerges when the finished piece is viewed from certain angles, making it an engaging and artistic home decoration project. This downloadable PDF pattern was designed by Steve Plummer and Pat Ashforth of Woolly Thoughts.
Artistic Inspiration and Background
The painting that inspired this knitting design dates to 1864 but was not completed until 1870. Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the original artist, drew inspiration from the work of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who wrote during the thirteenth century. The painting's model was Rossetti's wife, Elizabeth Siddal, who passed away in 1862. Rossetti created the painting from numerous earlier drawings he had made of her, making it a work rich in personal and literary significance.
Knitting Techniques and Stitches
This project employs illusion knitting, a specialized technique that creates hidden images within the knitted fabric. The illusion effect relies on strategic color changes and stitch placement that reveal a picture when the work is held at particular viewing angles. To achieve the best results with this technique, knitters are advised to work with tension that is tighter than their normal knitting gauge, requiring the use of smaller needles than typically recommended for the yarn weight being used.
Yarn and Materials
The wall-hanging is designed to be worked in Double Knitting (DK) weight yarn. The pattern requires two contrasting colors to create the illusion effect. Approximately 360 metres (400 yards) of each color is needed for the main design, with extra yardage required for the border. While the pattern is written for DK yarn, it can be adapted to other yarn weights, though this would affect the overall finished size of the wall-hanging.
Needle Requirements
Needles should be selected one or more sizes smaller than those typically recommended for the DK yarn being used. This deliberate choice of smaller needles creates a tighter gauge, which is essential for the illusion knitting technique to work effectively and produce a clear, visible image in the finished piece.
Difficulty Level
This project is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters who have progressed beyond basic techniques and are ready to explore more specialized knitting methods such as illusion knitting.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | DK |
| Pages: | 11 |
| Designer: | Steve Plummer - Woolly Thoughts |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Notes: | The illusion will work using any thickness of yarn. A different yarn might change the overall size. |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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