Who am I, where do I come from?

Knitting

Report
Mark Rautenbach
Surface Design 2

Amber Jade Hendricks
213266431

On the 4^th August we were introduced to a brief that entailed knitting a garment, specifically a jersey. Our garment needed to have meaning and a story behind it. I did research of my family tree, heritage and traditions and found out interesting things that I didn’t know before. For instance, clothing mostly knitted jerseys that I now wear today, have been passed on from my parent’s parents, but still look new and is in fashion.

My inspiration for my garment was to be this information that I found out, because now I would be making a garment to wear and keep and hopefully later in life it will also be passed on. The other part of my inspiration for my garment was my grandmother who taught me how to knit and whose passion for knitting has passed on to me. She knitted my sister and me many things such as, jerseys, beanies, gloves and scarves. The colours I use in my garment will be representative of the colours that she used to knit my garments in.

I have never knitted a jersey before, so research had to be conducted. What I did know is that I wanted a button down cardigan.

Neckline/ openings
If a closed cardigan is being knitted, the front neck width should be the same as the back neck width.

Different types of necks
-Crew neck                                          - Round neck
- Sport neck                                         - V neck

Collars
Collars can drastically change the look of a garment and give it a very polished or fashionable finish. An overly exaggerated collar can enhance the garment you are knitting and take it to a whole other level with design.
Different collars work best with different necklines, specifically the v- neck or round neckline.
When knitting a collar you don’t usually shape the back neckline, and when attaching a collar, it is best not to so that the collar does not draw down at the back.

Straight Collar: 

As the name implies it is a straight collar.  It is the same length as your neckline, round or v - neck.  The wider the collar the more flat it will lie on the shoulder, the narrower the higher it will sit. Stacking them one on top of the other gives dramatic look.

Buttons, buttonholes and closures

-  Band width is 2 times the width of the button
-  If using closures, band width should be around 1" - 1.5" or more
- You are NOT counting button spaces, you are counting the space between buttons

Rib knit
Rib knitting alternates knit and purl stitches on the same side of the fabric, then on the other side the knit stitches get purled and the purl stitches are knitted. This forms the vertical ridges on the fabric above. Rib knit is also very stretchy. Rib knit typically looks the same on both sides and does not curl. Rib knit is great for collars and necklines, because it stretches a lot and because it adds stability to jersey knits in those areas.

Garter Stitch
This is achieved by knitting every row. The end result is a flat, reversible, ridged fabric that stands up well to wear and does not roll at the edges.

When you get to the end of your first row of knit stitches, transfer the full needle to your left hand and start the process of knitting each stitch all over again. After several rows you’ll begin to see it taking shape, and in time your growing strip of garter stitch will start to look like a real piece of knitted fabric.

Stockinette stitch
Stockinette stitch is knit and purl together. It is the V-patterned fabric that people most often associate with knitting. Unlike garter stitch (which appears ridged and does not roll), stockinette stitch has a much smoother appearance and a tendency to curl at the edges. Many people use this inclination to their advantage, creating everything from rolled necks and cuffs to rolled edges of handbags and scarves.

References

About knitting machines 2013. Necklines and armholes. About knitting machines. [Online]. Available: http://www.aboutknittingmachines.com/NecklinesArmHoles.php

Knitty 2008. Thinking beyond the pattern. Elann. [Online]. Available: http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/FEATfall04TBP.html

Craftsy 2014. Armhole shaping: style and fit. Craftsy and Sympoz. [Online]. Available: http://www.craftsy.com/article/armhole-shaping-style-fit

Mora, M. 2014. Types of knit fabric. Melly Sews. [Online]. Available: http://mellysews.com/2014/03/types-knit-fabric.html

Vogue Knitting 2014. Basic knit stitches. Vogue Knitting. [Online]. Available: http://www.vogueknitting.com/pattern_help/how-to/techniques_abbreviations/basic_knitting_stitches.aspx