Cushion from the Tomb of Mafalda by Richard Rutt

Cushion from the Tomb of Mafalda

Knitting
January 1987
28 cm (11 in.) square
English

Pattern Description from A History of Hand Knitting: “The second cushion is smaller, 28 cm (11 in.) square, and came from the tomb of Mafalda, Alfonso VIII’s little daughter… The pattern is a rectangular gridiron on both sides of the cushion. Bands of alternate couloured stitches (dark and light chequer) 6 stitches or 6 rows wide, divide the field into 36 squares. Each square contains a motif, light motif on dark ground in one square, being counter-changed with dark motif on light ground in another square. Two colour combinations are used: dark red and cream, dark green and warm fawn (originally possibly red, white, black and yellow). The colour-combination changes at midpoint in each of the horizontal chequered bands. On one side the motifs are: a spread eagle in the central four squares; a fleur-de-lys in 12 squares surrounding the central four; and a lion passant guardant in the 20 squares around the outside edge. On the other side of the cushion the central four squares have four birds; the surrounding 12 have an eight-pointed star; and the outside 20 have an eight-petalled rosette. The dark and light backgrounds are arranged as on a chessboard. On the side with eagles and lions they face towards the centre, except for two lions in the top and bottom borders which are arranged so that the lions in those two horizontal bands face alternately left and right…. The edges of the cushion are surrounded by bands of square check, each square 2 stitches by 2 rows. There are 3 rows of squares (6 stitches all told) edged with a row of dark colour and a row of light. The hues are those of the main motifs, maintaining the alternation of colour bands.” (pages 39-44)