Update

This week I have been trying to expand the ideas I was working on. I contacted Bill Miller, the painting tech, about finding a place for me to do something larger scale in resin. He hasn't found anything yet, but said he would get back to me today about that. I also heard that Brown has a room where the whole thing is like a hood, so I am planning on checking that out. I am still not sure if it is worth it to do something larger in resin as the fumes that come off of it even after it is mainly dry might be a lot depending on the scale.

For my "skeleton knit wall" idea where the knit fabric would be a space divider/wall for the home I have been thinking about where the areas of transparency should be. I like the idea of a skeleton wall, that would be showing the structure of that wall based on its function. I worked on a new sample this week fusing 3 different parts of different transparencies together. I have to figure out what kind of units would best work as there is a size limitation with the bed of the knitting machine and I can not do the whole thing in one or two pieces. I will either have to do skinny long vertical pieces that transitition within the patterning from top to bottom, or skinny long pieces that each have their own pattern and then are turned horizontally and fused together. My other option would be to do small patchwork like units, but I am not really as interested in that idea. I think in theory though I could design something that would be fairly large and produced industrially. I would like to find out the largest size a jaquard knitting machine can produce.

I have also been thinking about the fence idea. I have been trying to observe how plants interact with fences and buildings around Providence. Now that all of the plants are starting to grow it is interesting how it has changed certain fences that I see every day. I like the idea that it is then providing more coverage when people are outside more. I took out a book on tree houses because I wanted to see how they built homes around existing trees. I have also been looking into erosion control fences, which I think could be an interesting way to take this fence idea. The structure of them seems like something that could be integrated into a fence for a yard that would also hold back land. Also though it really made me think of where I grew up and the erosion control efforts at the beach. There are fences to keep people off of the dunes as well as signs. I remember when I was younger planting new dune grass to help stop erosion. I was thinking this could be a use for a knit fabric that would also be very integrated aesthetically. This is something that personally would be very important to me, and although a newer idea something I may decide to work on for the final.

Some new samples

I made these samples this week thinking about how something could grow up a knit fabric and also about how these structures would reveal and conceal things. I photographed them when they were on the my drying rack and I like how the photographs help one imagine what they could be like on a larger scale in a space.

Branches of the fence

I noticed the branches crawling up this fence dividing my apartment from the building next to it the other day and it made me think about knit fences.

Ideas

After the mid-term critique I began thinking about the white resin coated sample and other application possibilities than what had originally caused me to make it. I have been thinking about 3 possibilities in particular.

1) Indoor moveable walls

The flexibility of this sample I found to be interesting. I was thinking that on a larger scale this kind of fabric could create a screen, partition, or moveable wall. It could be custom made to fit different shaped rooms (i.e. slanted ceilings, archways, etc). I was also thinking that some sort of magnet system could be employed so that it could be flat and at it's longest capacity closing off a room, or could be moved into a wavelike formation. If there were magnets on the floor and magnets on certain points at the bottom of the hardened knit then different points of the knit could be moved to the places on the floor to create different formations. I was also thinking that things to consider with this would be where in the room you would want the most transperancy. It could be very nice to have a very open knit at the top so that light could come through, and more of a tightly knit structure towards the middle of the room. Also, one could hang things on the knit wall very easily.

2) Outdoor Fence

I was also thinking about trellaces and fences and how a stable knit fabric could be used in that way. The way plants grow up walls, fences, etc is very interesting. I was thinking that the fractal growth of plants could be inspiration for the patterning of this structure and that there would be holes in strategic places for the stems and brances of plants to go through. So many fences are ugly and this could be more natural looking and eventually the plants would take over the fence. Maybe the yarns used would create a look of brances or be red in color to compliment the green.

3) Architectural purposes (i.e. porch roof, "screened" in sunroom, etc)

On a much larger scale I could see this type of knit fabric being used as a porch ceiling, or outdoor wall. I don't think it would be all that insulating but it could serve as many screens do on porches. The curves could be very interesting. This idea could combine elements/inspiration/concerns of the other 2 ideas as it would be both indoor and outdoor.

I am going to be thinking about these possibilities and which would be the best to pursue.

Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting Show

On April 6th I went to the Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting Show at Museum of Art and Design which I really enjoyed and definitly inspired me to keep working. I know a lot of you have seen it, but if you haven't you should check it out. My favorite piece was an installation by Sheila Pepe. Also, at the show I got the website for the online program by MicroRevolt where you can upload any image and it will turn it into a pattern for you to knit, crochet, etc. I had heard of it before, but forgot what it was! If you're interested check it out here. MicroRevolt's mission is to "investigate the dawn of sweatshops in early industrial capitalism to inform the current crisis of global expansion and the feminization of labor."

Lost Application Sketches

Here are the application sketches I had made, but couldn't find, for the chair/blanket.

Resin knits

Carbon Fiber and cars

My mom has a hybrid car, and I really think that looking for new technology when it comes to cars is important! If you're going to buy a new car, why not buy a hybrid? I just came across this article about new advances with sustainability and cars. The car they are talking is the FCX, Honda's newest Fuel Cell Vehicle which runs on hydrogen and also apparently they used carbon fiber in the construction. I thought this was pretty interesting although I'm not sure exactly how they used the carbon fiber. I think it's pretty amazing how lightweight carbon fiber is but that it is stronger than concrete. The car is very new and not available to the public and probably won't be for a long time but it's interesting to see what the car companies are working on for sustainability.

Fun in the CAD Lab

I made this design based off of a sketch. I was thinking this is something that could be laser cut, also though I would like to continue to work with this idea to make more interesting patterns. I really like working with design and repeat....although the CAD lab room is a bit depressing.

Flower design

Spots

Electromagnetic Fortress Paint

When I was checking my mail on yahoo, this article caught my eye. It's about Wi-Fi blocking paint which apparently "creates an electromagnetic fortress by preventing airborne hackers from intercepting signals." There's a link in the article to the company that makes the paint too.

Resin Samples

I forgot to post that the resin did dry! I think the samples were a success...although I did have to pull the nails I used to stretch the samples on off with pliers haha. They do also have some rocks and grass stuck in them from when they fell over. Some samples are harder than others, and I think that is due to the openess of the weave on some and also the amount of resin coating the samples. Still, the question remains, is it worth the health hazard? I'm not so sure the more I've heard about how bad it is for you! Pictures to come.