Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Potential in Textiles: Space, Surface and Structure of Crochet
Potential in Textiles: Space, Surface and Structure of Crochet
Alex Worden
30 © 2012 enclos 31
Potential in Textiles
125
160
200
250
315
400
500
630
800
1000
1250
1600
2000
2500
3150
4000
carefully crafting the crochet stitch digitally This results in a gradient change in porosity ing, found within a crochet tube, becomes
To learn more about what a technique can through the use of NURBS modeling, the of the openings along the length of the tube. the base for translating crochet from a textile
achieve, one must begin to play with and ex- digital crochet is a simulacrum of the physi- Frequency (Hertz)
Still overstretched in its diameter, the tube product into a built structure. In translating
plore the technique. Explorations can lead to cal textile. Through the employment of gen- remains affectual; the stitches and thread the structure of the optimized crochet tube,
greater discoveries and otherwise previously erative modeling tools such as Grasshopper can renegotiate based on manipulations. action, process and method deeply influence
unknown insights. Through exploration one for Rhino, the digital crochet model can be When the tube is overstretched in its the structure. Through a difference in method
begins to realize that the material employed developed parametrically, translating certain diameter and length, the process of its and execution, this translation exemplifies
is not defined by the technique. Any material qualities of the physical crochet system into construction is clearly visible. A tube is Semper’s statement that “the beginning of
with similar properties to thread can be used the digital model. By adjusting the param- constructed by the use of a single chain building starts with the beginning of textiles.”
in weaving, macramé, braiding, and espe- eters of the model, one can begin to explore that is continually hooked into itself by a slip Through the explorations in stretching, the
cially crochet. Crocheting different types and quickly and efficiently. A simple change or stitch. The crochet tube’s internal structure crochet model was reconfigured into an op-
sizes of material gives rise to unexpected adjustment — such as gauge of thread — can is a helix. timized structure; a single helical beam with
results. completely change the qualities of the model. diagonal restraints between each revolution.
32 © 2012 enclos 33
Potential in Textiles
70
50
This discovery enabled the further Once it is defined parametrically, the next surface. Though only the form of the crochet
exploration of form and space through the step in reconstructing the analog tube struc- model is translated, the articulation occurs
use of the analog model. Each crochet ture is to connect each revolution of the helix when the Grasshopper definition is applied 40
model secured into a jig, connecting various with triangular bracing. This can be done to the digital surface. This digital model
portions of model to nodes of the jig, manually by drafting the bracing between becomes a way to fully explore the design
resulting in an analog machine. With these each helical revolution. However, if the helix by refining and executing the concept. The 30
analog machines, one can quickly test the is altered in any way, the bracing will have analog model is the generator of form. The
variation of form and space in the physical to be rebuilt. To eliminate the redundancy of definition of an analog model is indicative
crochet model. Each model becomes an reconstruction, the bracing is defined by a of its form, structure, and its articulation of
20
analog computer where one force begins set of relationships within Grasshopper. each loop. The digital model, reconstructed
to affect the whole. Though the analog through the use of photography and digi-
machine is an optimized tool in defining Grasshopper enables the mapping of the tized points, is not the same, but rather a
and visualizing an architectural space, the helix and bracing to a target surface. This translation of the analog crochet. The digital
10
question of scale and construction come allows for the manipulation of the target becomes a tool for visualization, exploration
into play. The digital then becomes a realm surface, which results in the corresponding and fabrication.
for exploration where the computer aids in deformation of the helically braced structure. 0
the process of visualization, fabrication and The map to surface component takes the Visualization is one of the digital model’s
125
160
200
250
315
400
500
630
800
1000
1250
1600
2000
2500
3150
4000
testing. relationship of the base curve to the base greatest tools. It enables the objective and
34 © 2012 enclos 35
Potential in Textiles