Trans Futures Tapestry by Lydia Morrow

Trans Futures Tapestry

Knitting
August 2024
Aran (8 wpi) ?
18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches
in stockinette worked flat
US 6 - 4.0 mm
377 yards (345 m)
one size
English
This pattern is available for £5.00 GBP buy it now

After making a version of this embroidery for a sample of my Curious Crop pattern, there was a lot of demand for me to make a standalone pattern for this design as a tapestry. Gender-affirming community and healthcare are essential for trans young people who face dangerous discrimination, and I wanted to create a way to speak up about this important issue. The sample I have made will be auctioned off for a friend’s gender affirming care fund, and I will be giving 80% of all income from this design to trans charities and individual fundraisers for at least the first six months.

The wall hanging is made in stockinette stitch with moss stich borders. Folded hems are worked at the top and bottom of the piece to create channels for doweling that will make it easy to hang. This pattern will also give instructions for how to use duplicate stitch embroidery to create the design shown. You are welcome to use intarsia for this project instead if it is your preferred medium.

This tapestry is designed with one stitch count only since the design is based around the motif, however it can be made at a variety of scales by using different yarn weights.

Yarn/yardage:

The sample has been made in aran/worsted weight by holding a strand of fingering weight double with a strand of DK. This pattern can be made from any yarn available as long as your gauge stays in the proportion laid out below. The yardage will also be variable depending on your chosen gauge, however I calculated yardage for an inexpensive aran weight yarn:

West Yorkshire Spinners ColourLab Aran Yarn, 100% Bluefaced Kerry Hill, 166m (182yds) per 100g ball:
300m / 330yds of the main colour, 30m / 32 yds of C1, and 15m / 16 yds of C2.

Gauge:

The pictured sample in aran/worsted weight yarn is 18 sts and 24 rows/rounds per 10cm / 4in in stockinette stitch worked flat and in the round using a 4mm / US 6 needle. If you wish to use a smaller or larger gauge, however, just make sure it is at a sts : rows ratio of approx 3 : 4.

Needles:

Main Needle - 4mm / US 6 or size needed to obtain your desired gauge in your preferred lengths for medium stitch counts (I used 32in / 80cm.) I knit on flexible circulars but this pattern can also be worked with straight needles.

Supplies Needed:

  • tapestry needle
  • contrast waste yarn

SPECIAL THANKS

I’d like to say a special thanks to the team who helped me put this pattern together. It was important to me to make the best pattern possible and it would have never been possible without the help of these guys:

Heather Storta - Technical Editor
https://heatherstorta.com

Dave Morrow - Graphic design
@boxdog.inc on instagram

Rose Dagul - Additional support and editing
@rose_dagul on instagram

Antonia Verdier - Proofreading
@_neverghost on instagram