After testing the printing onto knit I really wanted to evolve the style of the knit by adding a design that I could make on the knit machine. Looking back to diagnostic stage of foundation and doing a week with one of my tutors where we focus on using the knitting machines and different techniques that you can create by using the tools given in the knitting machines. I remembered that I saved some videos of my progress of each of the different techniques and really fell in love with the lace knitting where you take one of the needles away so that it doesn’t connect onto the needle and you are left with a hole. This video was so helpful especially at this stage where I’m starting to really focus on what textiles that I want to take forward in my designs. From my research into knit, my nan at her age and since I can remember, my nan has always worn knitted cardigans, also from when my mum was younger she would always be knitting socks or hats for her kids. I wanted to incorporate this idea of her knitting past and now that she doesn’t do knitting but wears it. Knit has always been incorporated into her life and I want to include this into my final garment. However, I want to relate this to my customer as she is young and quirky, so I don’t just want to make an ordinary cardigan I want to use the idea of knit in a textiles sense, but with the shape of the garment I want to make it look appealing for the younger generation. From focusing on the shapes of pillows on the top part of the garment I was thinking of creating a bandeau top style but still need to develop and research into different shapes. However, with the idea of this bandeau it looks young and would be worn by someone who has confidence in there body which matches my customer perfectly. I really liked the testing of the printing onto knit because it also captured the theme of time in my project with the old and new. With the understanding of the use of knit links to my nan’s past in knitting, then using an updated print with the trends that we have now, just combines the theme of time perfectly and will take this idea of printing onto knit forward to my final designs. From extracting shapes from my nan clothing I have found a reoccurrence in diamond shapes, which I have developed by using the acrylic and laser cutting but I didn’t want to take that idea further so, I want to develop it further by using a different material. From the tutorial back in diagnostic stage it gave me the idea of creating a diamond pattern using the knitting machine, which was really successful. I then wanted to them develop it further by testing printing onto the knit with the diamond lace. I know from last time printing on to knit that the heat press flatters the knit so I was worried if the holes from the diamonds would close up, however I was pleasantly surprise because the heat press actually made the diamond shapes clearer then before. The knit which I will print on and do the diamond pattern I will take forward to my final designs.
Alice's Fashion and Textiles Blog 