Product Description
The Flying Dragon Illusion knit has been designed to be viewed from the side. The pattern gives instructions for completion of the piece as a shield shaped banner, a square wall-hanging or a triangular shawl.
The amount of yarn depends on which piece you are making but, as a rough guide, using DK yarn and 3.25mm needles, the banner will take about 270 metres in each of two colours, the square wall-hanging about 290 metres in each of two colours and the shawl about 400 metres in each of two colours. In each case extra will be required for borders.
The chart includes various versions of the chart including some for use on mobile devices.
Banner: Width 60 cm (24”); depth 71 cm (28”), excluding edging. Shawl: Width 142 cm (56”); depth 71 cm (28”), excluding edging. Square: 60 cm (24”) square, excluding edging.
Flying Dragon Illusion Knitting Pattern by Steve Plummer - Woolly Thoughts
What is Being Made
The Flying Dragon Illusion is an illusion knitting design created by Steve Plummer and Pat Ashforth that produces a dragon motif through strategic colour changes and knitting techniques. This versatile pattern can be crafted in multiple formats: as a shield-shaped wall-hanging (as shown on the pattern cover), a draped shawl, or a square wall-hanging. The illusion effect creates a striking visual impact where the dragon image emerges through the interplay of two contrasting colours worked into the knitted fabric.
Project Formats and Yarn Requirements
- Banner (Shield-shaped): Approximately 270 metres (300 yards) of each of two colours, plus 180 metres additional yarn for the border
- Shawl: Approximately 400 metres (440 yards) of each of two colours, with extra yarn required for border
- Square Wall-hanging: Approximately 290 metres (320 yards) of each of two colours, with extra yarn required for border
Materials and Yarn Specifications
The Flying Dragon Illusion pattern accommodates DK (Double Knitting) weight and sport weight yarns. The original sample was created using DK yarn in two contrasting colours—Dark Brown and Jaffa were used in the designer's version. While the pattern can be adapted to other yarn weights, doing so will affect the overall finished size of the piece. Two distinctly contrasting colours are essential for achieving the illusion knitting effect, as the colour changes create the visual definition of the dragon motif.
Needles and Tension Considerations
Knitters should select needles that are smaller than typically recommended for their chosen yarn weight. However, tension should remain loose enough to allow proper drape, particularly important for the shawl format. This balance between needle size and tension ensures the illusion pattern displays correctly while maintaining the fabric's intended fluidity and wearability.
Knitting Techniques and Stitches
Illusion knitting is the primary technique used in this pattern. This advanced knitting method creates hidden images that appear to emerge from the fabric when viewed from certain angles or distances. The technique relies on precise colour work and strategic stitch placement to generate the optical illusion of the flying dragon. The pattern instructions provide guidance for adapting the design across different project shapes, indicating the use of structured shaping techniques appropriate to each format—from the geometric shield shape to the flowing triangular shawl construction.
Difficulty Level
Rated as intermediate difficulty, this pattern is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to explore more complex colour work and illusion techniques. The Flying Dragon Illusion requires attention to detail in following colour changes and understanding how the illusion effect develops across the knitted fabric.
Designer Information
This pattern is designed by Steve Plummer and Pat Ashforth of Woolly Thoughts, an independent designer brand known for innovative and creative knitting patterns that push the boundaries of traditional knitting techniques.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | DK | Light Worsted, Sport |
| Pages: | 14 |
| Designer: | Steve Plummer - Woolly Thoughts |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Notes: | Any thickness of yarn can be used. A different yarn might change the overalll size.. |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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