Bubbles Illusion

Bubbles Illusion Knitting Wall-Hanging by Steve Plummer & Pat Ashforth

What is Being Made

The Bubbles Illusion is a decorative knitted wall-hanging designed by Steve Plummer and Pat Ashforth for Woolly Thoughts. This innovative piece creates a striking optical illusion: when viewed straight-on, the knitting appears as simple stripes, but when viewed from the side, an illusion of a child emerges. The design is inspired by Sir John Everett Millais's painting originally titled A Child's World, now more commonly known as Bubbles—the artwork famously used in Pears soap advertisements. This wall-hanging transforms traditional knitting into an interactive art piece that rewards different viewing angles with entirely different visual experiences.

Techniques Used

The Bubbles Illusion employs illusion knitting as its primary technique, a sophisticated method that relies on the directional properties of knitted fabric to create hidden images. The illusion effect is achieved through careful color placement and stripe work that only becomes visible when the fabric is viewed at an angle rather than head-on. The designer recommends working the piece fairly tightly to ensure the illusion effect works optimally. The pattern includes chart-based instructions that guide knitters through the color changes and stitch placement necessary to create this optical phenomenon. This technique demonstrates how knitting can transcend traditional flat patterns to create dimensional, perspective-dependent visual effects.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch used throughout the Bubbles Illusion is garter stitch, which creates the ridged texture essential for the illusion knitting technique. Garter stitch is formed by knitting every row, producing horizontal ridges on both sides of the fabric. This fundamental stitch is ideal for illusion knitting because its consistent texture and directional properties allow the color changes to create the optical effect when viewed from different angles. The simplicity of garter stitch makes this project accessible to intermediate knitters while still delivering sophisticated visual results.

Materials

Yarn: The pattern requires 440 metres (480 yards) of DK weight yarn in each of two colors. The designer used Lobelia and Parma Violet for the original version. Additional yarn is needed for borders. The pattern notes that any thickness of yarn can be substituted, though this will affect the overall finished size of the wall-hanging. DK (double knitting) weight yarn is a medium-weight option that provides good stitch definition while remaining workable for detailed colorwork.

The pattern also mentions that yarn weight flexibility allows crafters to adapt the project: a cushion, sweater, or afghan made with this illusion technique would benefit from softer yarn than what is recommended for a wall-hanging or bag, as the tighter tension required for the illusion effect may create less comfortable fabric for wearables.

Needles: Size 3.25 mm needles are recommended to achieve the fairly tight tension necessary for the illusion to work effectively. However, the pattern encourages adjustment based on personal gauge and desired fabric characteristics. The needle size choice directly impacts both the finished dimensions and the success of the optical illusion, making gauge testing essential before beginning the main project.

Finished Size and Tension

The completed wall-hanging measures approximately 70 cm x 80 cm (28" x 32") when worked at a tension of approximately 5 stitches to 2.5 cm (1 inch) using garter stitch. This generous size makes the piece a substantial wall decoration suitable for displaying the illusion effect prominently. Tension is critical to this project's success, as the illusion depends on the fabric behaving in a specific way when viewed from angles.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. While garter stitch itself is a beginner technique, the illusion knitting concept and the need to work from a detailed chart with precise color changes require intermediate-level skills and understanding of how knitted fabric behaves. Knitters should be comfortable reading charts, managing multiple colors, and maintaining consistent tension throughout the project.