Knittable Stitch Meshes

Abstract

We introduce knittable stitch meshes for modeling complex 3D knit structures that can be fabricated via knitting. We extend the concept of stitch mesh modeling, which provides a powerful 3D design interface for knit structures but lacks the ability to produce actually knittable models. Knittable stitch meshes ensure that the final model can be knitted. Moreover, they include novel representations for handling important shaping techniques that allow modeling more complex knit structures than prior methods. In particular, we introduce shift paths that connect the yarn for neighboring rows, general solutions for properly connecting pieces of knit fabric with mismatched knitting directions without introducing seams, and a new structure for representing short rows , a shaping technique for knitting that is crucial for creating various 3D forms, within the stitch mesh modeling framework. Our new 3D modeling interface allows for designing knittable structures with complex surface shapes and topologies, and our knittable stitch mesh structure contains all information needed for fabricating these shapes via knitting. Furthermore, we present a scheduling algorithm for providing step-by-step hand knitting instructions to a knitter, so that anyone who knows how to knit can reproduce the complex models that can be designed using our approach. We show a variety of 3D knit shapes and garment examples designed and knitted using our system.

Textile Technology for Soft Robotic and Autonomous Garments

“…[ 205 ] Other researchers such as Wu and colleagues developed similar algorithm sets for hand knitting. [ 206 ] Recently, Kaspar and colleagues have incorporated the use of neural networks into their design methodologies to enable weft knitting machine manufacturing instructions to be generated from images of knit fabric structures, [ 207 ] further simplifying the knit design process. These advances parallel those of the 3D printing boom: lower cost equipment coupled with more user‐friendly programming methods indicate we could be on the cusp of a knitting revolution.…”

Geometric modeling of knitted fabrics using helicoid scaffolds

“…In ground-breaking work, Kaldor et al 32,33 simulated complete swatches and articles of clothing consisting of knitted fabrics by modeling the geometry and physics of individual yarns in these items. This work was extended by Yuksel and colleagues [34][35][36] to produce Stitch Meshes, an approach to generating Kaldor-style, yarn-level geometric models of knitted clothing from polygonal models that represent the clothing's surface. Aspects of this work were utilized by Leaf et al 37 to produce an interactive design tool for simulating yarn-level patterns for knit and woven textiles.…”

Mixing Yarns and Triangles in Cloth Simulation

“…Leaf et al [LWS∗18] extended the model of Kaldor et al [KJM08] with support for periodic boundary conditions, and thus simulate the relaxation of knit patches to aid the design of knit patterns. Yuksel et al [YKJM12] created a stitch mesh data structure that simplifies the generation of knit garments as a tiling procedure, and Wu et al [WSY19] later extended it to fulfill fabrication constraints. Narayanan et al [NWYM19] extended the stitch mesh data structure even further, to augment it with fabrication operations, and thus use it in the context of fabrication‐oriented editing.…”