Knitting Skeletons: A Computer-Aided Design Tool for Shaping and Patterning of Knitted Garments

TL;DR

This paper introduces an interactive CAD-like system that simplifies the design and patterning of knitted garments, making customization accessible for casual users and flexible for advanced designers.

Contribution

It presents a novel design tool combining parametric primitives and pattern layers, enabling real-time customization and transfer of designs between users.

Findings

Enables interactive garment customization with real-time feedback.

Supports transfer of shape and pattern customizations between users.

Demonstrates diverse garments and patterns created with the tool.

Abstract

This work presents a novel interactive system for simple garment composition and surface patterning. Our approach makes it easier for casual users to customize machine-knitted garments, while enabling more advanced users to design their own composable templates. Our tool combines ideas from CAD software and image editing: it allows the composition of (1) parametric knitted primitives, and (2) stitch pattern layers with different resampling behaviours. By leveraging the regularity of our primitives, our tool enables interactive customization with automated layout and real-time patterning feedback. We show a variety of garments and patterns created with our tool, and highlight our ability to transfer shape and pattern customizations between users.