Product Description
This is a large shawl with an illusion inspired by Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. When you look directly at the knitting you only see narrow stripes. The hands will appear and disappear as you move around whilst wearing it.
The shawl measures approximately 160 cm by 80 cm using DK yarn and 3.5 mm needles. At approximately 5 stitches to the inch the shawl requires about 520 metres (570 yards) in each of two contrasting colours. Another 150 metres (165 yards) is needed for the border.
You can use any yarn but a different thickness will change the overalll size.
There are several different versions of the charts including some for users of mobile devices. The pattern also includes instructions for making a rectangular wall-hanging.
Creation of Adam Illusion Shawl by Steve Plummer
What Is Being Made
The Creation of Adam Illusion Shawl is a knitted design that recreates the iconic imagery from Michelangelo's fresco of the same name, located on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome (painted around 1512). The pattern features the instantly recognisable near-touching hands from the centre of the fresco, which are considered the most famous hands in the world. This illusion knitting project is designed by Steve Plummer and Pat Ashforth of Woolly Thoughts and offers versatility as both a wearable triangular shawl and a rectangular wall-hanging.
Project Options
- Triangular Shawl: A classic shawl configuration suitable for wearing
- Rectangular Wall-Hanging: An alternative format that can also be worn as a shawl, making this pattern adaptable to different uses and display preferences
Knitting Techniques and Stitches
Illusion knitting is the primary technique used in this design. Illusion knitting creates hidden images that become visible only when the finished piece is viewed from certain angles or under specific lighting conditions. This advanced technique relies on careful colour work and stitch placement to reveal the artistic imagery—in this case, the famous hands from Michelangelo's masterpiece. The pattern guides knitters through the precise colour changes and stitch sequences necessary to build the illusion effect.
Yarn and Materials
This project uses DK weight yarn, which provides good stitch definition for the detailed colour work required in illusion knitting. Yarn requirements vary depending on which version you choose to create:
- Triangular Shawl: Approximately 520 metres (570 yards) of each colour, plus additional yarn for the border (approximately 150 metres of one colour for the border shown)
- Rectangular Wall-Hanging: Approximately 600 metres (660 yards) of each colour, plus additional yarn for the border (approximately 300 metres of one colour for the border shown)
The pattern requires multiple colours to achieve the illusion effect, allowing knitters to select yarn colours that complement both the artistic design and their personal aesthetic preferences.
Difficulty Level
This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to explore more complex techniques. The illusion knitting method and colour work involved require attention to detail and pattern reading proficiency, but the downloadable PDF format provides clear instructions to guide knitters through the process.
Pattern Format
The Creation of Adam Illusion Shawl is available as a downloadable PDF, allowing immediate access to the complete pattern instructions for both the triangular shawl and rectangular wall-hanging options.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | DK |
| Pages: | 16 |
| Designer: | Steve Plummer - Woolly Thoughts |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your experience.