Chapter 6 Option A Knit Structures.

IMAGE 1 Reworked samples from previous chapter Left sample. Hand coloured double sided paper folded and plaited. Right Sample .Stencil with Markal Paint sticks sponged from edges repeated across watered silk background.

IMAGE 2 (SIZE 16INS X 24INS)

Top left sample knitted with alternate bands of size 14 and size 1 needles.

Top Right sample . Returning to the colours and themes of the Scottish hill side in my colour study,a fabric of garter stitch diamonds was knitted and then dipped in dilute PVA .The sample was moulded and dried over large size bubble wrap to resemble colours and contours of the hill side.

Centre sample. For this sample I used a length of braid constructed for the previous chapter which was formed from lengths of wool and ribbon, stitched randomly together. I then knitted into the edge of the braids using the constituent threads and worked individual shapes around it.

Bottom Sample. This sample was worked first in sand coloured fine string with a variety of coloured pebbles knitted into it in differing threads ,using a bobble stich. The sample was then covered over by a mesh knitted from blue silk and filament to represent water flowing between the pebbles.

IMAGE 3 ( SIZE 16INS X24 INS)

Top left sample Knitted in green soft nataural fibre garden twine interwoven with geen organdy ribbon. The sample was worked into bands of sequin waste.

Top right sample. The background yarn was a fine nylon sparkly fringe. The yarn teasle heads were worked into the knitting in a contrasting , tea dyed ,mohair plus finge threads. The real teasle heads were then inserted into holes made during the process of knitting the background. The centre sample was made by knitting casette tape and narrow strips of organza around silk tops and lengths of throwsters silk waste in toning colours. ( I'm not sure if it plays a tune!!!!)

Bottom left sample. This was knitted from electrical wiring

Bottom right sample.This is 12 strands of machine embroidery threads in a variety of colours knitted on size 4 needles.

Samples photographed on dyed scrim. IMAGE 4 ( SIZE A4)

This sample was constructed by knitting feathers and beads into a fine cotton stocking stitch background. The bottom shafts of the feathers were knitted in with the yarn while the top feathery sections were left free.

The two large beads in the centre may be eyes peering out from a feathered head!!

IMAGE 5 (SIZE 16 INCHES BY 8 INCHES)

I wanted to construct a sample to demonstrate the potential of a flat piece of knitting to be transformed by shaping and stiffening. The first stage was to knit a piece of stocking stitch fabric in fine white crochet cotton with a series of slits knitted into it. After this was completed ,stitches were picked up along one edge of each of the slits in turn and a number of rows of stocking stitch was then worked in a white cotton fringed yarn using increasing size needles . (This meant that the knitting was being worked at right angles to the original. and would balloon out from the background.)

A centre row of garter stitch was then worked to form a ridge for the eventual fold and a number of matching rows of stocking stitch were then worked on decreasing size needles. Stitches were then picked up along the opposite side of the slit and the 'gusset' stitches were then grafted seamlessly on to these and cast off on the reverse of the fabric.

IMAGE 6 (SIZE 16 INCHES IN HEIGHT 2.5 INCHES DIAMETER)

Once each of the slits had been completed by the method described in image 5 the sample was then wound over a cardboard tube ,covered in cling film, and the seam stitched down. The whole sample was then sprayed with starch and left to dry on its tube.

IMAGE 7 (SIZE 16 INS LONG 2.5 INCHES DIAMETER.)

Once dry, the sample was removed from the tube and formed rolling surf on a wavy dyed fabric.

IMAGE 8 (SIZE 18 INCHES SQUARE)

Retaining my water theme I then embarked on a sample based on the sail shapes from my early sketchbooks.

I used a wire frame and wound this with a woven pattern of white cotton threads to represent rigging.

Starting at the top of the wound threads I then knitted a small number of stitches into the centre section. I then worked in knitting down the sample keeping one edge straight and increasing along the other edge.The sample was worked in fine white mohair on large needles and a series of holes were worked to reveal the supporting threads. On each row some of the background threads were picked up and incorporated into the knitting to ensure that the two elements of the structure were meshed together and that the shape was maintained.

A couple of rows of Tussah silk were added to form a row of stitching near the bottom of the sail.

The bottom inch was worked in ribbing and a final row of bone tooth-like beads were added.

The stitches were then picked up along the straight edge of the sail using a mixture of torn threads linked together to give the appearance of a tattered edge.

At the top point of the sail a pennant ,knitted in fine silver wire ,was added.

IMAGE 9 (SIZE A4)

To demonstrate a fused/ bonded sample I utilised the remains of a 'sandwich' of white acrylic felt with metallics and organza from which I had cut discs to form braids in the previous chapter.

I knitted an openwork mesh background using two fine threads of gold lurex with one fine copper wire thread. The fact that wire was an element of the knitted thread ensured that the holes in the mesh were well defined.

I made the background mesh bigger than the felt and then turned the edges to the front ,using a soldering iron to fuse the edges of the knitted mesh to the felt and organza. A similar method was used to fix the remaining circles to the background. Markal paint sticks and metallic acrylics were used to colour any remnant of white felt and beads and sequins were added both for decoration and to give additional fxing between the two layers. the sample was mounted on the rewoked stencilled fabric seen in image 1.

IMAGE 10 ( SIZE11INCHES X17 INCHES)

For my resolved sample in knitted structures I decided to design something entitled Foreshore using a variety of knitted strips and shapes to represent seaweed and sea creatures on a knitted honey-comb background.

This is the diagram with the shapes and threads, together with the proposed assembly. .

IMAGE 11 ( SIZE 15 INS X 10 INS)

The sample was worked in a number of stages using knitting and crochet techniques. The first stage was to knit the basic background in sand coloured cord using an open honeycomb stitch. Once this was complete stitches were picked up along the edges using a number of different dyed fringe and yarns. I made three spirals using a technique for a twisted spiral scarf but with a very fine crochet cotton rather than a heavy mohair yarn. Shells, sea urchins and bladder wrack seaweed were knitted and then fastened to the background. At two corners stitches were picked up using silk noile and an open work ladder stitch. Some of the holes in the ladders were then filled in by knitted dyed ribbons in toning colours.

A seaweed cluster was knitted on a stem of yarn surrounded by a cluster of knitted bobbles which were then edged with a fine crochet border .

Dead Man's fingers wer made by using a lon knitted thread of a single stitch in green space dyed yarn ro cover fine wire. These were then added at popints along the edge.

Timings for Knitted Structures

52 hours

Photography and typing 3 hours.