Social Knitting
Stitch Counting Ring
Visual method to keep stitch count, allowing knitters to put more focus on their surroundings
Pattern Bar
Makes it easier to keep track of knitters place in printed pattern and keep that place marked between knitting sessions
Travel Knitting Bag
Knitting bag specifically designed for travel
Design a family of products to increase the ability of knitters to pay attention to their friends and reduce their need to focus on knitting
Knitting is no longer just for your grandma
There are over 600 regularly meeting knitting groups all around the UK
A 2014 study of crocheters and knitters by the US Craft Yarn Council found:
85% say they crochet or knit at least 3-4 times a week
60% say they crochet or knit daily 5
5% of younger consumers, ages 18-34, crochet or knit daily
60% of crocheters and knitters made a project for charity last year.
70% of knitters and crocheters have participated in a knit/crochet group.
Interview Highlights
Leah
Learned to knit and crochet in first grade. Knits gifts for others and to give her hand something to do. Does not think it cost effective to knit for herself. Knits as something to do with her hands in social situations.
Robin
Mostly knits items for herself. Most dedicated of the knitters interviewed. As well as knitting in social situations, she will knit for the sole purpose of getting the project finished.
Layah
Started knitting in college to make a friend a Harry Potter scarf. Continues knitting to give her hands something to do.
Liz
Mostly knits for herself. Knits to “veg out” or enter a meditative-like state. She also knits in social situations to keep her hands busy.
Dawn
Learned to knit and crochet from mother and grandmother. Mostly knits for others. Knits as something to do with her hands in social situations.
Key Takeways
Main Points
1) Knitting is almost never the only activity currently being done.
2) Knitting is often a social activity.
3)Knitting helps to focus and keep from fidgeting.
Insights
Opportunities
Product Pairs
1) Some parts of knitting require increased focus, causing knitters to not be able to pay attention to their surroundings.
2) The social aspects of knitting are as important as the knitting itself, resulting in increased enjoyment and relationship building.
3) Knitting is combined with other activities to keep its repetitive nature from getting boring
Facilitate the ability to do other things while knitting
1) Some parts of knitting require increased focus, causing knitters to not be able to pay attention to their surroundings.
2) The social aspects of knitting are as important as the knitting itself, resulting in increased enjoyment and relationship building.
3) Knitting is combined with other activities to keep its repetitive nature from getting boring
Let knitters be able to maintain a conversation with those around them.
Facilitate the ability to do other things while knitting
1) Some parts of knitting require increased focus, causing knitters to not be able to pay attention to their surroundings.
3) Knitting is combined with other activities to keep its repetitive nature from getting boring
4) Knitting and yarn get tangled in bags, causing frustration when knitters have to untangle them before resuming.
Increase the ease to set up and breakdown knitting gear.
Create easier ways of keeping your place in the pattern.
Promote co-knitting activities
1) Some parts of knitting require increased focus, causing knitters to not be able to pay attention to their surroundings.
5) It is hard to keep your place in the bock of text and dense grids of symbols, causing many to lose their place.
1) Some parts of knitting require increased focus, causing knitters to not be able to pay attention to their surroundings.
2) The social aspects of knitting are as important as the knitting itself, resulting in increased enjoyment and relationship building.
3) Knitting is combined with other activities to keep its repetitive nature from getting boring
Sketch Exploration
Ring Exploration
Bag Exploration
Pattern Reader Exploration
Mock-ups
Proof of mechanics mock-up
from two pieces of 2in diameter PVC pipe that fit in each other. Each ring went from 0-9 meaning the ring could count up to 99 stitches before looping back to zero. When shrunk to ring size the numbers became too hard to read.
Test of construction mock-up
Made using a wood lathe and actual size. Ring only has one row of numbers from 0-20 letting each number be bigger. To reduce the numbers of parts this mock-up did not have a separate spinner and turned directly on the finger, which did not work well due to friction.
Pattern Bar material and form mock-ups
Testing different methods of highlighting the current place in pattern and the possibility of the pattern reader to work on multiple size patterns.
Bag mockup
Testing shape and location of pockets and a special pocket to keep the current ball of yarn clean and tangle free.
How It Works
Stitch Counting Ring
The ring goes on the users first finger of their dominant hand. After each stitch, the user advances the counter with their thumb. The green bead indicates the correct number. This allows knitters to count their stitches while still being able to interact with those around them.
Pattern Bar
Printed pattern slides into the gap between wooden base and acrylic bar. The bar has a red line across it to highlight what line in the pattern is currently being worked on. The bar also offers some amount of magnification.
Travel Knitting Bag
The bag has many pockets inside to hold different types and lengths of knitting needles. Pockets also designed to keep needles from punching through the bag. The bag has a special pocket inside to keep the current ball of yarn untangled and clean.
