some thoughts.....

• Problem: how to build a relationship with a 1950’s Matador Knitting Machine.

• The importance of developing this particular relationship is to further the understanding of the phenomenon referred to as repetition.

The first step was to find a method in which to approach the use of the Matador. This involved a large amount of time dedicated to track down resources that specialized in manual knitting machines.

After 2 ½ months of exploration a point was reached in which patterning could now consciously be embedded into the knit.

• Analysis of three months of knitting indicates the knitting process to be a repetitive method that embeds moments of time into the linear knits. The knits document relationships between environment-user-machine. There are limitations based on the environment in which the knit is being constructed as well as the limitations of the capabilities of the knitting machine. One large limitation is the size at which the knitted panels have to adhere to.

• Some implications of Matador knitting machine may be to take the repetitive method and start to apply it at a larger architecture scale. Human scale and allowance of the skin of the knit to have a high reaction time to “others” must be taken into consideration.

• The structural dimension of the knitted patterns created by the Matador presents an opportunity to further explore structure through introduction of other structural systems that allow the knits to envelope space.

knitting sequence

light table and scans

scanning process

gaudi

initial set up

drawing process

I have started to scan in the 104+ feet of the knitted patterns created over the past few weeks. Through the process of drawing from the scans I am attempting to try and capture the repetitive behavior. However the scanned images I am producing only captures a flattened 3d surface of the knits... I feel that I need to couple this method with another one to increase understanding of the repetitive structure embodied within the knits. So I am also starting to use a light table to photograph the knits. Before I photograph I flatten the knits out with a clear piece of Plexiglas. The reasoning is because that it allows me to see a binary pattern where as the scan does not. With the combination of the scans and the photographs I hope to achieve a drawing that allows me to explore the repetitive behavior and structure throughout the knits.

beginnings of a drawing

I have been trying to come up with a method of drawing which allows me to explore repetition within my knitted patterns.