83122 Machine-knitted Textiles
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
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Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Requisite elaboration/waiver:
No prerequisites required
Recommended studies:
N/A
Description
This subject introduces students to constructed textiles through exploring the structural, conceptual and technical opportunities offered by knitting. The subject is practice-based and includes technical knitting processes and production using a variety of domestic knitting machine gauges.
Students are taken through basic techniques using standard yarns (provided and self-sourced), and are encouraged as they progress through creative design thinking to experiment and challenge conventions, and explore a range of materials and processes that can be used in specialist areas such as women's and men's wear or complementary design disciplines.
This subject is unique in that it is the only one of its kind offered at university-level in New South Wales, appealing to students who have a desire to create innovative fabrics with imaginative visual and material properties.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Develop technical skills and competency in using a variety of domestic knitting machines gauges. |
|---|---|
| 2. | Develop creative design outcomes through challenging materials and processes. |
| 3. | Develop effective visual presentation skills relevant to fashion and/or textile design. |
| 4. | Develop an original aesthetic through experimentation with 2 and 3 dimensional techniques. |
| 5. | Demonstrate professional workshop practice and participation, incorporating Occupational Health and Safety knowledge and requirements within the Knit Lab, and machine maintenance and booking systems. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Effectively communicate concepts in fashion and textiles in performative, oral, visual and written forms (C.2)
- Respond to constructive criticism and feedback (C.3)
- Demonstrate an ability to speculate, experiment, challenge boundaries and take risks (I.2)
- Demonstrate the ability to acquire, use and integrate relevant technical skills into creative projects. (P.2)
- Effectively manage time to complete projects with accuracy, rigour and care (P.4)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject contributes to the course educational aims to produce graduates with high levels of:
- creativity and innovation
- communication and interpersonal skills, practical and professional skills
- critical thinking and research skills
- professional and personal attitudes and values.
The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:
C = communication and groupwork
A = attitudes and values
P = practical and professional
R = research and critique
I = innovation and creativity.
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).
Teaching and learning strategies
3 hour design/technical knit studio
NB: there will be no extra hours outside of class time - all the machine knitting for this subject has been designed to be completed in class
Feedback
Your Design Mentor/Tutor will demonstrate techniques and offer daily feedback in your studio session. Formal written feedback will be provided for each of the assessment tasks and will be available from REVIEW.
Engaging in Lectures, Studio and Seminars
Students are encouraged to prepare themselves each week by researching the topic. There will be opportunities for students to ask questions, clarify issues, explore ideas and create discussion.
The studio sessions will involve meeting with your tutor to discuss your research, concepts and design progress.
Independent and self-managed learning
There is ongoing encouragement for students to learn from each other as well as reflect on their experiences through studio discussions. The requirement for self-directed learning and time-management mirrors the requirements of professional practice. Self-management strategies and independent learning are crucial to continuing development as a design practitioner. It will be up to students to adhere to the week-to-week program.
Content (topics)
A core aim of this subject is to introduce you to machine knitting techniques and enable you to develop the ability to be innovative, challenge design aesthetic and explore your ideas through two-dimensional and three-dimensional enquiry.It is an introduction into machine knitting that will give you the skills to develop further as you progress through your degree.
You will cover the following in this two week knit workshop
- Knit Lab Induction as per the UTS guidelines
- Introduction to the knitting machine, functions, parts and maintenance
- Inspiration and design ideas for knitting
- Yarns suitability and experimentation
- Understanding knit tension
- Casting on, knitting single jersey, casting off-various techniques
- Increasing and decreasing knitting to create new shapes and form
- Changing yarns and colours to create stripes and linea patterns
- Learning to design and use punch cards to create picture knits
- Professional presentation of knitted samples
Outcomes
This subject will provide you with an understanding of your own creative thinking using machine knitting techniques. By the end of the subject, you will have a portfolio of technical and experimental machine knitted outcomes, that can be used to inform future work across a range of disciplines.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Machine-Knit technical File
| Intent: | This assessment task introduces students to machine knitting, with a focus on techniques. Students will learn new terminology relevant to machine knitting for industry practice. Principles and tools of machine knitting will be introduced, and assessed through practical examples, resulting in a submitted technical file. In-class progress is taken into consideration for assessment, involves students demonstrating progress in-class each day, responding to feedback, and undertaking preparatory activities where applicable. The assessment brief for Task 1 & 2 can be downloaded from Canvas | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 3 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): C.2, C.3, P.2 and P.4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Exercises | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Experimental Knit Project
| Intent: | This task is builds on the technical knit techniques learnt in Task 1. It is a self initiated project where students explore innovative approaches to machine knitting through experimentation with materials and processes. Students will research and develop a concept drawn from WGSN Women’s Textiles Forecast A/W 24/25: Future Terrains to create a portfolio of innovative knitted samples; including post treatments such as dye, print, bonding and felting. Students will continue to evolve their professional visual presentation skills through the development of the knit design portfolio. In-class progress is considered for assessment, involves students demonstrating progress in-class week-to-week, responding to feedback, and undertaking preparatory activities where applicable. The brief for assessment Task 1 & 2 can be downloaded from Canvas
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 2, 3, 4 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): C.2, C.3, I.2, P.2 and P.4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.
References
Allen J 1986, The machine knitting book: how to design and create beautiful garments on your knitting machine, Readers Digest Services, Sydney
Black S 2002, Knitwear in fashion, Thames and Hudson, United Kingdom
Devaney B 1989, The harmony guide to colourful machine knitting, Lyric, London
Elliott S 2015, Knit: Innovations in Fashion, Art and Design, Lawrence King Publishing Ltd, London
Entwistle J and Wilson E (eds), 2001, Body dressing, Berg, United Kingdom
Evans C 2003, Fashion at the edge: spectacle, modernity and deathliness, Yale University Press
Gale C and Kaur J (eds) 2002, The textile book, Berg, United Kingdom
Hemmings J (ed) 2010, In the loop: knitting now, Black Dog, United Kingdom
Kawamura Y 2005, Fashionology, Berg, United Kingdom
Landahl K 2015, The myth of the silhouette: on form thinking in knitting design, (Doctoral thesis), University of Boras
Seymour S 2009, Fashionable technology: the intersections of design, fashion, science, and technology, SpringerWein, New York
Turney J 2009, The culture of knitting, Berg, United Kingdom
Udale J 2014, Fashion Knitwear, Laurence King Publishing Limited, United Kingdom
Journal:
Knitting Industry Creative, https://www.knittingindustry.com/creative/
Knitting Industry, https://www.knittingindustry.com/
Knitting Trade journal, Mowbray Communications Ltd, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, UK (copies can be obtained from the UTS library)