Final Knitwear Garment

Final Knitwear Garment (2)

Garment Design

The following image shows the initial stage of one of my garments for my 'Neglect' project. The dress is made up of over 8 pieces of fabric, in which they have been produced on both a standard and chunky gauge domestic knitting machine. I have used a variety of techniques with which each of the smaller pieces making up the garment are all entirely different. The dress consists of pieces that have been knitted in different directions along with different sizes to create a sense of distortion and unexpectedness. 

I aim to extend the dress to almost floor length and finalise the solid black hem around the neckline to add a sense of order and intention to the finish of the garment. 

Large manipulated knitted fabric

This piece of fabric is made up of two smaller samples. It is an example of how I would like to create my garment, by using smaller pieces to construct one large unexpected and unplanned garment. As the fabric construction is a very intricate and lengthy process, it is difficult to design a garment structure with the normal technologically aided design. It will need more of a manual trial and error approach, whereby, as the fabric begins to grow, I will pin it on a mannequin to help identify my next move. This procedure allows the garment to become more abstract and less obviously 'designed'. 

Fringed & Layered Knitted Sample

Chunky knitted sample...

This sample has been developed from the previous samples using more contemporary yarns and much more colour. I feel that this sample is very successful, due to the use of contrasting machine gauge's and direction of the knitting. I think the mono-filament is a little much on this sample and also difficult to use, therefore I may try a replacement yarn to stop the unwanted breaking and laddering. I believe this sample to be a great contender for my up and coming garments. 

Developing original knitted samples...

The knitted samples below are the initial developed samples for this design unit. One of the main differences is that I have begun to incorporate more glamorous and contemporary yarns to contrast the original overpowering earthy and derelict qualities.  I also am trying to broaden my use of colour which has been inspired by some of my earlier research... 

Final Unit Presentation

This is my final presentation board  for the first design project during my third year...(not the best quality image)

I have simply presented the most successful samples form this unit, which will play a major role within the subsequent final design unit along with my final knitwear fashion collection...

Experimenting with more ideas...

The following knitted samples represent the idea of texture and distortion with the inclusion of different media (cardboard) and a weaving-in technique using a textured chunky yarn.  I feel that that top sample is successful and I would like to develop this idea more...I do similarly like the use of the cardboard within the bottom sample, however I would like to experiment more ways of including it within the knitting... 

Photoshop edited knitted samples

These are a couple of quick Photoshop designs I created using an a single Givenchy image and used the existing garment shape as a template to edit in my own knitted samples. I like to experiment with digitalised illustrations to get an insight into how my designs may look, before I fully begin to develop my own garment designs. 

Larger and further developed knitted samples...

Working back into the knit samples...

Below are a selection of knitted samples which I have subsequently affected using a variety of techniques and materials...

Textured yarn dripped with white latex... 

Plain knitted sample with a transfer paper printed image on top...

Two dubied knitted samples hand felted together...

Smashed Porcelain pieces encased in a knitted sample and tied with yarn...

Knitted sample with bleach...

a loosely knitted textured sample hand felted...

Knitted sample covered in clear latex...

So far so good...

Below are images of my textiles presentation boards...I had to produce these for a mid-way through project pin up. They consist of aspects of my inspiration and ideas, along with any successful knitted samples/development that would be suitable for a fashion context...This is only half the way through this first project within my third year...so I still have a long way to go...

Further Knitted Samples...

Below are a few knitted samples that have followed on from my initial sampling. They are a combination of experimenting with both yarns and techniques. I will be developing the more successful samples later on in the project...

A few knitted samples from my current project...

Below are some of my favourite samples that I have produced so far on the domestic knitting machine. They incorporate a variety of yarns including mohair, mono filament and textured yarns...I really like the combination of densities within the samples however during my further developemnt process I would like to push colour and densities to really express the ideas of distortion and layering...

I purposely haven't removed (woven in) the ends of the yarn as I am really beginning to love the loose fringe effect and so I am going to develop this idea further within my knit sampling... 

A few drawings from my current project...

Below are a selection of drawings and paintings I have produced in conjunction with my research and ideas project...they fuel my inspiration and in turn determine the translation between my research and knitwear design...

At this stage they really express my desire for working with very textural and intricate surfaces. Most of the drawings have been produced by layering a variety of media to create the interesting surfaces...