Express Swatch Development
From concept to knitted swatch, developed by our industry technical team.
Albion Knitting School’s Express Swatch Development Service provides university students, graduates and independent designers with access to professional knitwear development facilities, industrial Stoll knitting technology and experienced technical specialists.
Designed for projects where time, technical capability or access to industrial machinery is limited, the service allows you to bring us your creative brief and work directly with our Programmer or Product Development Manager to translate your ideas into professionally developed knitted swatches.
This is a technical development service rather than a taught course or lesson. Our team undertakes the programming and development on your behalf against an agreed project brief.
Express Development Day
£1,500 + VAT per day
Next-day collection available*
Your development day includes:
- 1-Hour Project Consultation
- A one-to-one briefing with our Programmer or Product Development Manager to review your project, references, stitch direction, yarn selection and technical requirements.
- 6 Hours of Technical Development
- Up to Five Developed Swatches
- Up to five swatches can be developed within the allocated development time, subject to stitch and programming complexity.
Following approval of the brief, our technical team will programme, develop and knit your swatches using our industrial knitting facilities.
Approximate swatch size: A4–A3
Final dimensions and number of swatches achievable will depend on gauge, stitch structure and technical complexity.
Available Machine Gauges
Development is currently available across:
- 1.5gg
- 3gg
- 5gg
- 7gg
- 12gg
Our technical team will advise on the most appropriate gauge for your chosen yarn, stitch structure and intended outcome.
What You'll Need to Submit
To make the most of your development day, we require a clear project brief in advance.
Please provide:
- Project presentation or PowerPoint
- Hand sketches or technical drawings
- Reference and inspiration imagery
- Nominated stitches or stitch references
- Colour and texture direction
- Technical notes, where available
- Intended application or end product
Clear visual and technical references allow our team to assess feasibility, select the appropriate machine gauge and begin development as efficiently as possible.
