Abstract
The paper introduces ‘blending through pattern’, a method for significantly enhancing the tactile qualities of individual British broad wool fibres when combined in knitted fabrics. This approach is an alternative to traditional blending processes, such as spinning and twisting, because it utilises weft-knitted pattern structures to combine two, three or more yarn types together. Each yarn type is knitted through a single feeder, with the blending occurring in the same way that a pattern on the knitting machine combines different colours. Successfully blended fabrics exchange yarn types regularly to incorporate different fibre types effectively. This material-led approach to textile design has the potential for wide-ranging use in the fashion industry because it positions material quality decisions later in the production process, offering design flexibility that allows fabrics to be adapted to market requirements. The research explores seven breed-specific wool fibres, investigating whether their tactility improves when combined through pattern and structure. The paper introduces the research process; it details the principal structures, their formation, and the rationale for their selection, and identifies the most effective structures to serve as a foundation for other pattern types. Striped structures were then produced and tested in combinations of two, three, and four yarn types to identify the softest yarn and pattern blends. Using the' sense of hand', the resulting fabrics were evaluated and compared. This study serves as a precursor to a more extensive exploration of the potential for blending yarn types in knitted fabric structures, demonstrating the practical application of the research.
Keywords
Blending; Wool; Knitting; Textiles
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.936
Citation
Julia, W., Elizabeth, G.,and Alana, J.(2025) A practical introduction to the method of blending through pattern in weft-knitted stripe structures to improve the overall tactility of breed-specific wool fibres., in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.936
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 11 - Culture and Craft Design for Regenerative Practices
A practical introduction to the method of blending through pattern in weft-knitted stripe structures to improve the overall tactility of breed-specific wool fibres.
The paper introduces ‘blending through pattern’, a method for significantly enhancing the tactile qualities of individual British broad wool fibres when combined in knitted fabrics. This approach is an alternative to traditional blending processes, such as spinning and twisting, because it utilises weft-knitted pattern structures to combine two, three or more yarn types together. Each yarn type is knitted through a single feeder, with the blending occurring in the same way that a pattern on the knitting machine combines different colours. Successfully blended fabrics exchange yarn types regularly to incorporate different fibre types effectively. This material-led approach to textile design has the potential for wide-ranging use in the fashion industry because it positions material quality decisions later in the production process, offering design flexibility that allows fabrics to be adapted to market requirements. The research explores seven breed-specific wool fibres, investigating whether their tactility improves when combined through pattern and structure. The paper introduces the research process; it details the principal structures, their formation, and the rationale for their selection, and identifies the most effective structures to serve as a foundation for other pattern types. Striped structures were then produced and tested in combinations of two, three, and four yarn types to identify the softest yarn and pattern blends. Using the' sense of hand', the resulting fabrics were evaluated and compared. This study serves as a precursor to a more extensive exploration of the potential for blending yarn types in knitted fabric structures, demonstrating the practical application of the research.