WHERE I STARTED AND WHERE I AM GOING- HOPEFULLY......

In 2004 , I visited the USA for the first time. I stayed with a very close friend in San Francisco and travelled with her to New York. It was in the states that I really started to take notice of knit wear, as they are known for their sports wear consisting of luxe knits of beautiful yarn quality and simple/classic design style, my attention was captured. 
It was in Neiman Marcus, SF, that I saw the Stella McCartney knit pictured left. I was captivated and in awe of the colour, quality and quite simply it's being.... I wanted it.... I couldn't have it...... it was from the love at first sight with this timeless garment that my love for knit grew.
As I child my mum used to knit us jumpers, ones we used to wear to firecracker night (Guy Falkes night). I have more vivid memories of the stiff and scratchy wool that the jumpers were made of rather than the visual feast that was bursting into the sky. From these memories I didn't dare venture near knitted items for EVER.....until approximately 20 years later I discovered 'THE' Stella McCartney knit. A relationship was reborn.
I was working in the fashion industry in Australia at the time of my visit to the USA, and was surrounded by creativity on a daily basis however I was in a sales role, I had been questioning being in customer service for the rest of my life yet didn't know what I wanted to do...... 
My attention was pointed toward the Diploma in Textile Design at RMIT, they offered knit, which is what I wanted to discover and explore. I continued on with the Diploma for 2.5 years. At first, I was part time while I worked full time then unfortunately with the changes of manufacturing in Australia, I was made redundant. I joined the Diploma full time yet before completing the Diploma I decided to see if I could get accepted in to the Degree, as I had heard so many great things about the course (within Industry) and knew of the accreditation the course held within Industry. I was accepted, THANK GOD, and the rest is history. 
My main passion in knit, the tactility of the fabrics and yarns, however I have also discovered a love for playing and exploring colour, pattern and texture. 
As I approach the end of the Degree and the (daunting) prospect of the workforce, I have resolved I would (ultimately and hopefully) like to start in a large/r commercial fashion company in which they have systems and procedures in place. I would like to obtain a position where I have a clear role and job description, allowing me to focus on my new role as a designer. I want to be part of a big team and test the corporate waters........

RECENTLY CREATED....

Above are images taken on a photo shoot of the finished garments I created during my time a Nottingham Trent University (NTU). Our brief was we had to choose from 5 trends allocated to the 2^nd years by the teachers, based on trends from WGSN.com, spring summer 2012/13. We were to take the trends and create our own interpretation; the trend I chose was 'Future Modern' and my concept within this trend was organic graffiti- drawing inspiration from images of Lichen I had taken whilst on holidays in Australia. I was drawn to the texture and uniqueness (and colour) of lichen and found it a great place to start generating my idea's. Early in the process I decided I wanted to experiment with print on knit and organic patterning on the power machines (Shima Seiki or Stoll). I knitted every panel, all (except the Gilet which was knitted on a Stoll 14 gauge machine) on Dubied machines, 7 and 10 gauge (pictured below), which was long and laborious. I then screen printed on the panels I needed to- I actually really enjoyed this process but still wonder  about the environmental viability of screen-print as there just seems to be so much water wastage. Anyway......

After all the panels were complete, I had to construct 4 garments; toiles were constructed first to confirm the measurement for the garments from the initial paper pattern.

The whole experience was fantastic for me; I feel I really discovered myself and what is my real passion- fashion knitwear. I feel I grew as a designer and learnt how to believe in my concepts, my ideas and myself. The facilities at NTU were amazing with both teacher and technical support in all areas. There were permanent technicians in the knit rooms and make-up room (construction). The steam BEDS were amazing and a real novelty to me and as you can see (from the top image of the knit room) machines were in abundance varying from 5-14 gauge. Having access to fine gauge machines was incredible and I think I will miss that in 3^rd year, the feel of the fine weight knits was divine but mostly having the ability to play with so many various gauges was inspiring.

I am so pleased that I did the semester exchange and would quite happily do it again. However saying that I am really looking forward to tackling the year ahead and creating some beautiful knits that express myself as a designer and encapsulate my design aesthetic which will hopefully lead to me achieving employment in a commercial and fashionable knitwear company.

New Experiences- Ruddington Knit Museum

 Having the opportunity to travel to the UK for a semester study has been such an amazing, liberating and eye-opening experience. Nottingham itself was not the loveliest places in the UK as it is really a shell of the industrial history that once boomed, it was a major player in the past knitting industry of the UK. What I found inspiring was the access to technology and industry experience in the knitting field that has become so difficult to find in Australia.

While reading the 'What's Nottingham' guide book I was intrigued to find that there was a frame knitters museum in Ruddington- a 30min bus ride from Nottingham's town centre. Off I went to discover a little gem. The museum was a working example of a frame knitters factory of Victorian times. 

What is there to see and do?

• A short introductory video
• Walk through the cottages to see how knitters' families lived in 1850 and 1900. Peep inside the cottages.
• Explore the outbuildings and washhouse.
• See the frameshop with the machines crowded together as they were originally. Look at the machines.
• Learn about Rev. William Lee who invented the first knitting machine in 1589
• Experience a demonstration of framework knitting
• Try your hand at knitting on a nineteenth-century sock machine
• See examples of the best of the knitters' art
• Visit our shop
• Enjoy a cup of tea

 The museum gives an amazing insight to how difficult things were in the 1800's-1900's, yet how much pride and care was taken to produce the goods and earn a measly living. Here I was also lucky enough to explore draws full of various knit samples of socks and stockings from this era, stockings were made here for Queen Victoria- fine silk stockings with the Royal emblem hand embroidered at the sides.

The pictures I have taken somewhat capture the development of technology through the main production period of this factory with working circular knitters (the oldest dating to late 1700's if I remember correctly, pictured left). These machines were either found on sight and saved, with the buildings, from demolition or donated by locals who's ancestors had been part of the very proud and local industry.

The next image (above) is of one of the first 'Frame knitting' machines at which a man would sit at for no less than 14 hours a day in a room with no carpet or rugs to help adsorb the sound, industrial deafness a definite at a very early age if blindness didn't get them first as they worked by candle light before dawn and after sunset (in winter the sun is very late to rise and very early to set). This machine was awe inspiring as you could see the makers marks on the leather strapping seat and within different parts of the machine. It really helped me to understand the progress of industrial knitting machines yet you could still really see the relationship and similarities between this machine and the Dubied machines that we worked on at NTU.

These pictures (above and below) really capture the essence of the work room and the conditions that the workers endured, I think the colours are fantastic and apart from identifying a very different time and working conditions the images are just beautiful in their rawness. I think I will always look back at this collection of images and feel inspired in knit.

The lighting of the workroom........

This is the first power knit machine for stockings, the image is not the clearest as the machine is in a case of perspex yet I feel it still really indicates the progression in the, by then, booming industry. The colours set on the machine are lovely also helping to capture the mood and fashions happening at the time of this development.

I couldn't resist this picture as this was a companion for me whilst wondering through the museum and homesickness was evident in these early stages of my journey (missing my baby, cat, more than my man) and the face on this little one just reminded me of my littlen when he is milking (pardon the pun) my emotional side for food or pats.

All in all this was such a fantastic day (the weather was still very mild for this time of year in England) that myself and my dutch buddy ventured out to Ruddington again a couple of weeks later just to re-immerse ourselves in the history of our chosen creative path.

Ruddington Frame Knitters Museum website- http://www.rfkm.org/

Great Walls......

 

These are inspirational designs of random texture yet in repeat (on large scale).

Jodie put up one image for our group project, I followed the trail & really enjoy these designs. They are beautifully rough & random.

http://www.bassoandbrooke.com/prints/autumn-winter-2011/

Communication Board

 

'Start Locally, Think Globally'.

‘EcoMistic’ is the idea of NaturaLiving & EcoDesign which re-examine’s the past & takes this in to consideration for the future whilst taking into account the design & product impact on the environment. People are making conscious positive decisions daily leading to a higher personal environmental responsibility,

Colours are muted natural colour paired with highlights of bright fresher warmer tones while silhouettes involve contrasting textures, accentuated yet soft pagoda shoulders, capes and baggy/pauper pant waists, long & loose & lean-unstructured silhouettes.

Silhouettes

Nature +

These images have been collected from Vogue Living Sept/Oct 2011 issue. I have collated images that captured my attention whilst also having a coming thread of Nature + something and annotated the various elements of design that are becoming more pronounced.