Domestic Machine Knitting for Improvers - Nottingham Trent University

Description

Design and make your very own custom machine-knitted sweater in just three sessions! This exciting and hands-on course is designed to help you take your skills to the next level while walking away with a beautiful jumper you’ve made yourself. You’ll learn how to design a basic shape, calculate dimensions, and write instructions for your own take on this classic jumper. You’ll then work from your own instructions to bring your unique vision to life, knit all of the elements, sew them together, and add a trim and then wear it home. By the end, you’ll have a completed sweater, trimmed to perfection, and ready to wear or show off to friends and family. No experience is more satisfying than creating something you can wear with pride. You’ll work on either a Brother or Knitmaster/Silver Reed knitting machine, using single-bed structures for your main garment. You’ll have the option to use ribbing attachments to craft a polished hem and neckline. Whether you prefer a plain design or a punch-card structure like Fairisle or tuck (if you are confident working with punch cards), this course provides the flexibility to match your vision and confidence level. Before the course begins, you’ll design your jumper using a provided template and bring along a favourite sweater for reference. Using this, you’ll calculate the required needles, rows, and shaping for your creation. With expert guidance, you’ll transform these details into knit instructions, ensuring your design is achievable and tailored to your needs. You will learn how to turn a swatch into a finished garment, learning the following skills: • Using a tension swatch to calculate garment measurements and angles. • Writing step by step knitting instructions. • Work on large scale pieces of knitting (this can throw up new challenges). • Complete fully fashioned shaping techniques – widening and narrowing. • Use a ribbing attachment to produce a hem and a neckline. • Make up the garment using the knitting machine. With a combination of expert demonstrations and one-on-one tuition, you’ll gain confidence and skills that will be useful for further projects. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll study during the course. • Day 1: Swatch, sketch, and calculate your garment’s dimensions to create a set of bespoke knitting instructions that reflect your style. • Day 2: Begin knitting your sweater, focusing on the back, front, and one sleeve—bringing your design to life piece by piece. • Day 3: Complete your garment by knitting the remaining elements, calculating and adding the neck trim, and sewing everything together to produce your finished jumper. Prior to the course, you will create a design for your jumper using the template provided, and bring a long jumper that you like the fit of. From this, you will calculate the needles and rows for the width and length of your garment and the frequency of the decreases or increases for any shaping you have included. You will translate this information into knit instructions for a basic, drop shoulder sweater; you will be given advice on this but ultimately, they should be written in a way that suits you best. You will then knit up the pieces, and work with the ribbing attachment and shaping as necessary, all with the support of your tutor. Our tutors bring a wealth of knowledge, industry connections, and passion for machine knitting that will inspire and guide you throughout the course. Kandy Diamond (Saturday course) has over ten years’ experience in lecturing at NTU and as a knitted textile designer/maker, with expertise in machine knitting across both domestic and industrial equipment. Her practice involves crafting products that blur the line between product and art, with the aim of challenging preconceptions and offering an alternative representation of knitting, creating pieces that are at odds with stereotypes. After studying for a BSc in textile design and specialising in knitwear, Kandy launched her label, Knit and Destroy. She has sold her knitted accessories and homewares nationally and internationally. Kandy published her book, Discovering Machine Knitting in 2023 by the Crowood press, which is is the ultimate guide to machine knitting for beginners. Her designs have also been featured in books including State of Craft by Victoria Woodcock and Craftedermy by Tracy Benton and Ziggy Hanaor. In 2013 Kandy released ‘Knit and Destroy…gets handy!’, a book containing 20 hand-knit patterns of Kandy’s designs. Dr Jane Taylor (summer course) has been teaching knitwear design for 17 years, initially at UWE in Bristol and more recently at NTU. She moved up to Nottingham in 2010 to embark on an MA course at NTU, impressed by the universities’ extensive knitwear resource - and never left, having recently completed a PhD entitled ‘The Technical Designer: A new craft approach for seamless knitwear design’. Jane is also a designer maker, academic researcher and educator within the field of knitwear design. She has developed her knitting skills to be able to programme and run computerised, industrial machinery; however, she relishes the opportunity to get back to working with her hands on domestic machines. You will be based in the School of Art and Design on the City Campus. You will have access to an excellent range of facilities and equipment in the knitwear studios, with domestic knitting machines and space to work on your projects. You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing. You will receive an email one week before the course starts with joining instructions on where to go for the first day. You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing. Level: Intermediate Entry requirement: You must have completed a beginner's domestic machine knitting course either at NTU or elsewhere. You must be able to confidently use a domestic knitting machine and transfer stitches with a transfer tool. You must be over the age of 18 in order to attend this course.

What's included in the price?

This course will be delivered in person on Nottingham Trent University city campus. Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include great benefits, such as the use of our modern library, and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course. You will also need to: • Provide your own yarn which can be purchased from the below suppliers (or you can bring yarn that you already have, but it must be suitable for the machine you wish to use. Brother or SilverReed are provided but you can bring your own machine and manual if you prefer): • Merino Sport • 50/50 Wool Acrylic Blend • 4-ply cotton • 4-ply acrylic • Notepad and pen • Scissors • Any images or examples of knitted fabric that inspire you, for discussion • Complete the design template for your sweater before the course, sticking to the rules we have given you (this is to ensure you can get your jumper finished during the course). You will be emailed the template in advance of the course. On successful completion of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance.

Cancellation policy

Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts

Maker

Nottingham Trent University

with Craft Courses since 2015

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