3D Knit2011. Left: I was invited to use this knitting technology as part of an exhibition called ‘the craft of machine knitting’; an interesting contradiction because these 3D machines are a hands-off industrial knitting process. To craft an output is to find a way to bring some serendipity to this mechanical knitting process, a machine that is designed to make mass produced template based designs. It knits a garment in one whole piece without seams. Even though it makes a garment in3D, the programmed templated designs are based on the 2D flat pattern cutting system, so tends to make the garments look flat, and still consequently2D. So what I’ve created here is a way to build some dimensional quality to the knitted form, to create something authentic that’s not a template design, dropping stitches to instead make threads float across the textile. But also to get this opportunity to work with a knit technician to experiment and play with this machine, is a rare event for a designer.
Right: Collaboration with Melbourne design company – Lightly; developed with Textile and Design Lab,Shima Seiki 3D Knitting Machine AUT University, Auckland.
