'Love the machine knitting...

.......does it really do such cool stuff?!? Who knew.'
This came in an email recently from a friend. I guess there are many people who think that way.
On the last weekend of May, I attended one of two days of the MKAV (Machine Knitting Association of Victoria) seminar. There were demonstrations, a market hall, exhibition display and a parade of knitted garments by novices to experienced knitters, amateurs and professionals. All in all it was an interesting and full-on experience. My brain was bursting with new techniques and ideas. I wish I had put down my name for the second day as well but I am definitely attending next year!


I attended the workshops/demonstrations by Diane Chambers (ribber work) and Tony Bennett (design process).
Diane's workshop was titled 'get your ribber out of a rut!' Interesting technical tips and how-to's with the ribber was good but some of the information just went over my head as I have not really gotten the ribber out of its box yet, let alone letting it get into a rut!? It will happen but not just yet.....
Tony's talk was named 'picture perfect', I understood. He uses images of ordinary items/objects, taken from his daily walk as starting point to develop new designs, much like the Pics to Pick challenge except it is his own choice of images.
He showed us the original image and a step-by-step development, sometimes from a simple punch card to the blending of yarns and colours to finally come up with something that is quite inspirational and unique, and he demonstrates the final fabric in simple garment forms so that the fabric is the star of the show.


So here are some photos, and I hope that you will agree they are pretty cool stuff:

In the shadow, sample by Tony Bennett,
inspired by image of fencing wire shadow

Grate expectation, sample by Tony Bennett,
inspired by security grilles in a shop front.

Sunburnt country , human knitting machine
by Angela McGregor and others

So cheers to the organizers to a successful event, and much enjoyed by this novice.