The Textile Artist's Studio Handbook

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(Fogra 39) Job:02-28051 Title:RP-Textile Artist Handbook

03-C66286 #175 DTP:225 Page:56

050-069_C66286.indd 56 3/26/12 7:47 PM

(RAY)

(Fogra 39) Job:02-28051 Title:RP-Textile Artist Handbook

03-C66286 #175 DTP:225 Page:57

050-069_C66286.indd 57 3/26/12 7:47 PM

(Text)

Spinning, Knitting, and CroC hett he t extile a rtiS t'S Studio h andbooK

56

Machine Knitting

The knitting machine, along with advanced looms

and spinning machines, played a very big part in the

Industrial Revolution. William Lee invented the first

knitting machine, the Stocking Frame, in 1589. His

device was simple, and it replaced most production

hand knitting. The opening of the first knitting factory

quickly diminished the status of stockings as a luxury

item. The machine eventually became the basis for all

subsequent knitting machines capable of circular and

ribbed knitting.

A knitting machine is built to hold hundreds of

needles. A carriage, or cam box, travels left to right,

creating new loops from the active loops, up to mil-

lions of loops per second. Knitting machines vary in

complexity and ability, and therefore price and size.

Some are manual, and others are electronic. You can

create flat or tubular knits, as well as ribbing, and even

whole garments on most knitting machines.

If you are considering purchasing a knitting ma-

chine for your studio, it is best to research your op-

tions. If possible, take a machine knitting class so

you have a better idea of how the machines work and

whether you enjoy the process. As a starting point, a

200-needle standard gauge machine allows for a lot

of fun and exploration!

Warp and Weft

Did you know that knit fabrics have warp

(lengthwise) and weft (crosswise) threads that

run from finished edge to finished edge)? Weft-

knits are most common; they have rows that

run from left to right and each row of loops is

dependent on the one before. Warp-knits are

more complicated and are almost always cre-

ated by machine. The yarns zigzag across the

length of the created fabric, which means that

when a hole is created the fabric will not “run”

or unravel. Warp-knits are often used in delicate

garments such as lingerie.

tip

ABOVE This Brother KH860 is a

standard gauge knitting machine. You

can attach a second bed, or ribber,

and hand-manipulate stitches.

BELOW Needles on a knitting ma-

chine move back and forth using your

hand or the carriage, which moves

left to right to create new loops.

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(Fogra 39) Job:02-28051 Title:RP-Textile Artist Handbook

03-C66286 #175 DTP:225 Page:56

050-069_C66286.indd 56 3/27/12 8:52 AM

(Text)

Spinning, Knitting, and CroC het

57

The TexT ile ArT isT 's sTudio hAndbook

Crochet Overview

Crochet is more contemporary than knitting, dating

back in literary texts to the mid-nineteenth century.

The word crochet means “hook” in French, referring

to the tool used to pull a new loop of yarn through a

single active loop. Though knitting and crochet use

the same basic principle, crochet only works one ac-

tive loop at a time (with the exception of Tunisian knit-

ting). Additionally, crochet stitches vary by wrapping

the working yarn around the hook a variety of times

before pulling it through the active loop. Crochet has a

different set of symbols than knitting in terms of short

hand and pattern reading. Gauge is as important in

crochet as it is in knitting (see page 54).

Crochet is often used to create lace. It is a won-

derful technique for finishing and embellishing, and it

is also used to create jewelry and three-dimensional

structures. Because of this, some people consider

crochet to be a bit more free-form than hand-knitting.

Generally, a machine cannot be used to create the

look of crochet, and the inherent mathematical struc-

ture of crochet patterns has contributed to illustrating

the theory of hyperbolic geometry!

Yarn Bombing and Other

Contemporary Craft Uses

In the past decade there has been a huge

increase in the use of fibers by contemporary

artists. Yarn bombing is simply the use of knitted

or crocheted pieces in street art or graffiti; it is

often done during the night because it could be

considered defacing public property. Once you

start looking, you’ll find textiles popping up in

public art, which is often ephemeral. Though

groups like Knitta and artists like Olek, who have

been using “yarn bombing” in their work for

some time, there has been a huge increase in

this kind of “textile graffiti” around the globe.

What would you tag with your knitting or

crochet? Take a further look at the work of the

group and artist mentioned above and you can

learn a lot more about the potential political and

conceptual meaning behind such activities.

ABOVE Textile artist Magda Sayeg

of Knitta adorns a public space with

her fiber art.

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(Fogra 39) Job:02-28051 Title:RP-Textile Artist Handbook

03-C66286 #175 DTP:225 Page:57

050-069_C66286.indd 57 3/27/12 8:52 AM