knit/lab

boucherouite

A vibrant shawl pattern inspired by dazzling Boucherouite rugs, handwoven by the Berber people in the valleys of the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The name refers to the scraps of clothing and textiles used as the raw material by the weavers. The rugs are used to cover and protect more valuable woollen carpets in the home, and as saddle covers for trips to the market. They have become popular around the world as works of art.

 

There is a museum in Marrakech dedicated to this style of weaving and which has some interesting videos.

 

This composition of diamonds and zigzags is worked in the intarsia technique, on 5mm/US8 needles with approximately 260g/1200yds/1092m of Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift and similar yarns in lots of colors.

Dimensions: approximately 60ins/152cm long by 29ins/74cm wide

Gauge: approximately 19 sts and 24 rows = 4ins/10cm in intarsia knitting

 

Techniques include intarsia, trapping, and splicing.

 

The pdf includes lots of large charts, instructions for using the charts, short written notes, suggestions for customizing the shawl and a phototutorial on splicing.

 

$7.00

 

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Reverse of knitting showing trapping of yarns

You can introduce your own variations in the pattern by skipping or repeating rows of the various charts, breaking up color blocks, reversing color sequences, introducing bands of intarsia patches, or just making things up as you go along. See the collage below as an example of what can be attempted.

Below: some rugs from Morocco and a loom with shredded plastic materials

Above and below: Artistic Director