The Desert Bloom Tapestry: A Free Knitting Pattern for a Textured, Southwestern-Inspired Wall Hanging

Bring the Desert Home: The Desert Bloom Tapestry

Bring the warmth of the desert into your home with this richly textured, knitted wall hanging. Featuring a stunning combination of cables, bobbles, and slipped stitches, this piece evokes the rugged beauty of the American Southwest. The Desert Bloom Tapestry is a perfect weekend project for adventurous beginners and intermediate knitters alike, offering a satisfying mix of techniques that create a truly unique piece of art for your wall.

Materials Needed

To create your own Desert Bloom Tapestry, you will need the following materials:

• Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in three colors:
  • Color A (Terracotta): 200 yards (sample uses Lion Brand Wool-Ease 'Spice')
  • Color B (Cream): 150 yards (sample uses Lion Brand Wool-Ease 'Fisherman')
  • Color C (Sage Green): 100 yards (sample uses Lion Brand Wool-Ease 'Fern')
• Needles: US 8 (5 mm) knitting needles
• Notions: Cable needle, tapestry needle, crochet hook (for fringe)
• Gauge: 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row). Gauge is important for achieving the finished size, but not critical for this project.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Finished Size

Approximately 12 inches wide by 24 inches long (excluding fringe).

Abbreviations

• CO: Cast on
• K: Knit
• P: Purl
• St(s): Stitch(es)
• C4F: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit next 2 stitches, then knit 2 from cable needle.
• C4B: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back, knit next 2 stitches, then knit 2 from cable needle.
• MB (Make Bobble): Knit into the front, back, front, back, and front of the same stitch (5 stitches from 1), turn, purl these 5 stitches, turn, knit these 5 stitches, turn, purl these 5 stitches, turn, knit these 5 stitches together (decrease back to 1 stitch).
• Sl: Slip stitch purlwise with yarn in back (unless otherwise specified).
• K2tog: Knit two stitches together.
• SSK: Slip, slip, knit (slip two stitches knitwise, one at a time, then knit them together through the back loops).
• BO: Bind off.
• wyib: With yarn in back
• wyif: With yarn in front
• WS: Wrong side
• RS: Right side

The Pattern

With Color A (Terracotta), CO 54 sts.

Cable Section 1 (Rows 1-17)

Row 1 (WS): Purl across.

Row 2 (RS): K2, *P2, K4, P2, K2; repeat from * to end.

Row 3: P2, *K2, P4, K2, P2; repeat from * to end.

Row 4: K2, *P2, C4F, P2, K2; repeat from * to end.

Row 5: Repeat Row 3.

Row 6: K2, *P2, K4, P2, K2; repeat from * to end.

Row 7: Repeat Row 3.

Row 8: K2, *P2, C4B, P2, K2; repeat from * to end.

Row 9: Repeat Row 3.

Rows 10-17: Repeat Rows 2-9 once more.

First Color Block (Rows 18-33)

Row 18: With Color A, knit across.

Row 19 (WS): With Color A, purl across.

Row 20 (RS): Switch to Color B (Cream). K1, *Sl 1 wyib, K1; repeat from * to last st, K1.

Row 21 (WS): With Color B, P1, *Sl 1 wyif, P1; repeat from * to last st, P1.

Row 22: With Color B, K1, *Sl 1 wyib, K1; repeat from * to last st, K1.

Row 23: With Color B, purl across.

Row 24: Switch to Color A. Knit across.

Row 25: With Color A, purl across.

Row 26: Switch to Color C (Sage). Knit across.

Row 27: With Color C, purl across.

Row 28: With Color C, K3, *MB, K5; repeat from * to last 3 sts, MB, K2.

Row 29: With Color C, purl across.

Row 30: With Color C, knit across.

Row 31: With Color C, purl across.

Row 32: Switch to Color A. Knit across.

Row 33: With Color A, purl across.

Second Color Block (Rows 34-37)

Row 34: Switch to Color B. Repeat Rows 20-23 (slipped stitch pattern).

Row 35: With Color B, purl across.

Row 36: Switch to Color A. Knit across.

Row 37: With Color A, purl across.

Cable Section 2 (Rows 38-53)

Rows 38-53: Repeat Rows 2-17 (cable section).

Third Color Block (Rows 54-71)

Row 54: With Color A, knit across.

Row 55: With Color A, purl across.

Row 56: Switch to Color B. Repeat Rows 20-23 (slipped stitch pattern).

Row 57: With Color B, purl across.

Row 58: Switch to Color A. Knit across.

Row 59: With Color A, purl across.

Row 60: Switch to Color C. Knit across.

Row 61: With Color C, purl across.

Row 62: With Color C, K3, *MB, K5; repeat from * to last 3 sts, MB, K2.

Row 63: With Color C, purl across.

Row 64: With Color C, knit across.

Row 65: With Color C, purl across.

Row 66: Switch to Color A. Knit across.

Row 67: With Color A, purl across.

Row 68: Switch to Color B. Repeat Rows 20-23 (slipped stitch pattern).

Row 69: With Color B, purl across.

Row 70: With Color A, knit across.

Row 71: With Color A, purl across.

Final Cable Section (Rows 72-89)

Rows 72-87: Repeat Rows 2-17 (cable section).

Row 88: With Color A, knit across.

Row 89: With Color A, purl across.

BO all stitches loosely.

Finishing

Weave in all ends using a tapestry needle. Block the piece to size by wetting it gently, laying it flat on a towel, and stretching it to the desired dimensions (12 inches wide by 24 inches long). Pin in place and allow to dry completely. This will open up the cables and slipped stitch patterns beautifully.

Fringe

Cut 12-inch lengths of Color A, B, and C. For each fringe, take 3 strands (one of each color) and fold them in half. Using a crochet hook, insert the hook from the back to the front through the bottom edge of the tapestry, catch the folded loop of the fringe, and pull it through to the back. Then, pull the ends of the fringe through the loop and tighten gently. Space fringe evenly across the bottom edge, about every 4th stitch. Once all fringe is attached, trim the ends evenly to create a neat, uniform look.

Hanging

Cut a 24-inch piece of Color A. Thread it through the top corners of the tapestry, tying a secure knot at each corner to create a hanging loop. Alternatively, for a more structured look, you can sew a wooden dowel or a piece of driftwood to the top edge by stitching through the fabric and around the dowel. Your Desert Bloom Tapestry is now ready to hang and bring a touch of the Southwest to your home!