Browsing by Author "Dr. Cynthia L. Istook, Committee Chair"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Consumer Response to Design Elements within Digitally Printed Apparel Products
(2004-06-11) Moser, Carrie Alison; Professor Charles E. Joyner, Committee Member; Professor Nancy B. Powell, Committee Member; Dr. Cynthia L. Istook, Committee Chair
As an emerging technology in the textile industry, digital printing allows the capability to print photo-realistic images on fabric that were never before possible with traditional textile printing methods. The possible consumer response to apparel products with digitally printed imagery is a largely unexplored topic that may be vital to the success of digital printing in the textile industry. The intent of this research was to determine what demographic characteristics, if any, may affect a general consumer's preferences concerning apparel products with digitally printed patterns. Eight photographic patterns were created and validated by design professionals concerning their representation of four basic design elements (line, shape, value, texture). An internet survey tool was developed to collect demographic data and determine general consumers' preferences for specific patterns when applied to six different gender specific apparel products. The subjects' choices were evaluated based on their pattern choices, the garments on which they were chosen, and subject demographics. The results of this research indicated that certain consumers prefer specific design elements within a printed pattern when purchasing apparel products, as well as specific garment styles in combination with these design elements. Some variables such as subject age and garment style had a great impact on which patterns were chosen, including the design elements represented in each pattern. The results of this research indicate the importance of the product design and development process of digitally printed apparel products.
The Taxonomy of Sweater Structures and Their Origins
(2003-11-11) Lambert, Gail Ann; Susan Brandeis, Committee Member; Dr. Traci May-Plumlee, Committee Member; Dr. Cynthia L. Istook, Committee Chair
Evidence of knit apparel has been traced back to at least AD 1000-1200 when the remains of knit cotton stockings were uncovered in Egypt. Children's socks from Antinöe Egypt have been dated back even earlier to AD 600. Due to the fragile nature of the materials used to produce a knitted garment, the earliest examples have long deteriorated, making the study of the origins of hand knitting difficult to trace with complete certainty. Adding to the challenge, written instructions for the earliest knit garments are not available. Ideas and patterns were originally handed down by word of mouth and often kept secret within families or other cultural institutions. The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of the early foundations of sweater design, and to discuss it in regards to sweater construction. This thesis focuses solely on the construction of the hand knit sweater. There are many other facets to the art of garment knitting that have been set aside for the purpose of this study. An extensive literature research follows the line of sweater evolution from the earliest existing example of a completely intact knit sweater (the waistcoat of King Charles 1, 1649) to where the major branches of sweater design lead. In the data section of the paper, a series of schematics, graphs, and photographs will lead you through the construction elements of individual sweater designs. The combination of these will show how variations from the earliest sweater designs evolved. In some regions, the shaping and practicality of a garment was of foremost concern, while in other areas, highly developed patterning and color design took precedence. Unraveling the elements that go into the design of a hand knit garment explains what makes a Fishermen's Guernsey different from an Aran. It illustrates why some sweaters were knit in the round with armholes cut in and why some are shaped as they were knit. It also points to areas where several facets of the textile world join together in the creation of a sweater design. The format of the data analysis section of this thesis gives the reader a clear and concise evaluation of different examples of sweater design. Each sweater has a schematic of the shape of the garment and most have graphs and hand knit examples of the patterns that define each region. It was designed to involve the reader with the historical information in the literature review and the visual information in the data section. Both sections combine an exhaustive amount of data and synthesize it to essential elements. There is an 'at a glance' and accessible reference element that makes this work a valuable tool in the study of sweater structure and design. Sweaters like people come in many shapes and sizes; each with their own history. This work will illustrate how history and necessity have played a role in the sweaters we wear.