Knitted Pelts

Blonde Squirrel

Spotted Cow

Purple Possum

These animal pelts are knitted from 100% nonwool yarns.

Steampunk Sewing Machine

I got an old sewing machine at goodwill and steamed it up with brassy bits! The propellers spin when the drive wheel and thread move. See the whole flickr set. This was an assignment in my sculpture/metalworking class. What can I say, I have a totally superfluous understanding of the movement, with little of the patience and attention to detail indicative of steampunk. I did learn how to use a bead blaster, though.

Twitchie Scorpion Video

Twitchie Scorpion from make magazine on Vimeo.

I made a robotic toy scorpion. Here’s a video about it! Learn more at the post on MAKE.

Recycled Electronics Earrings

I made these earrings from recycled electronics parts (mainly tiny potentiometers and capacitors). You can buy them at my Etsy shop.

In Stitches

In Stitches is a video sculpture. The viewer gazes into a knitted television cover to see and hear the video, which is of a knitted tube in progress. The effect is eerily gastrointestinal. A gentle clicking of knitting needles can be heard. Here’s the video that plays on screen:

Lighthouse show in PHX

My friend Sarah Hatton and I have pieces in a show of entirely self-illuminated artworks, called Lighthouse, opening Saturday evening at the Alwun House in downtown Phoenix.

Lighthouse @ the Alwun House

Saturday, November 8, 7pm

1204 E. Roosevelt St.

Phoenix, Arizona

Plush You! at Double Punch in SF

I have two plushies in the Plush You! show at Double Punch Gallery in San Fransicso opening this evening!

I sent the above squid and one of my steaks, battery powered.

Plush You SF
November 7 - 30
double punch
1821 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

Open Heart Brooch

At Maker Faire Austin, Jimmie Rogers gave me one of his Open Hearts to work into a portable brooch. I used a LilyPad Arduino board and sandwiched the two back to back, using two layers of fabric to insulate the circuit boards. I used conductive thread to make the connections, and I dangled the board sandwich from the LilyPad power supply, to which I attached a safety pin for making it a brooch. Because of the way I made it, I have access to the programming pins on the Arduino so I can change the animations any time I want.

I made an instructable about how I put it together. You can also view my flickr set. Thanks Jimmie!

Here’s a video of it in action:

New site

I’m using WPFolio now. It’s great!

Body Technology Interfaces at the PDC

Ski Mask for Eating a Sandwich

I’m at the Participatory Design Conference in Bloomington, Indiana for a few days, presenting my participatory art project, Body Technology Interfaces. I knitted a bunch of components (sleeves, rectangles, tubes, etc.) and people can come and make their own BTIs to take home. Here’s the description:

“Our interactions with personal electronic devices provoke a broad range of emotions from frustration to confusion to feverish obsession. Increasingly, these devices dominate our everyday work activities, our behavior in public space, and our personal communications. Becky will conduct interviews to help create custom-knitted coverings for participants’ personal electronic devices. The installation aims to bring critical awareness and consideration to the complex relationship between people and technological artifacts. Each BTI will reflect salient interaction behaviors between the participant and their chosen device, as well as provoke thought in observers.

You’re invited to participate in creating your own Body Technology Interface using the knitted components provided in the installation. After working with Becky on a design and sketch, a kit of parts will be assembled for the execution of your design. You may choose to sit and work on your creation at the table workspace, take your kit with you to assemble during other sessions, or leave it with Becky to assemble and pick it up later. Photos and thoughts will be documented on the project website.”

Stay tuned for pictures of new BTIs created at the conference.

TV-B-Gone Hoodie

Whenever I bring my TV-B-Gone out to restaurants, I always look real suspicious holding it up and pointing it around, so I’ve been looking for a more subtle and dinner-appropriate solution. I got zippered hoodie sweatshirt from the thrift store which had a convenient logo on the upper left front, complete with rhinestones! I thought the IR LEDs would blend in quite nicely, so I stitched it into the sweatshirt. The batteries are in the pocket. I broke out the pushbutton leads and used conductive thread to sew paths to the edge of the zipper, which has a metal pull. I made two little pads with the thread that are bridged by the zipper pull when it passes by, so all I have to do is zip the sweatshirt up or down to activate the TV turning-off action. Works great! I made an instructable for this project so you can see how to make your own. You can also view the full set on Flickr.

You can commission your own TV-B-Gone Hoodie from me through my Etsy shop.

Felt Knobs

I took basic knobs and felted around them with wool roving (in the washing machine and by hand), then detailed them with embroidery floss. Custom orders welcome!

King Kamehameha

The Professor

Berry Pie

Rosebud

Ziggy Starknob

Peaches and Cream

New CAPTCHA painting: asius

Collin points out that Asius is a mythological figure. I found this CAPTCHA when I thought I forgot my Netflix password. I remembered it shortly after. This painting is on a piece of nice plywood and is 18 by 8 inches.

Squid Softie

No, he doesn’t have any electronics in him. Made from red ultrasuede. One of the possibilities for my submission to the Plush You show later this year.

Electronic Embroidery Video Tutorial

I just published a video tutorial for the CRAFT Video Podcast on adding LEDs to embroidery using conductive thread. I also made a detailed photo tuorial.

YarnCraft podcast

At Maker Faire in May I was interviewed by Zontee from Lion Brand’s YarnCraft podcast. You can listen to it; it also features fellow Phoenician Kathy Cano-Murillo and fellow CRAFT blogger (and editor, and well, my boss) Natalie Zee Drieu. They’ve politely timestamped it so you can listen to just my 15 seconds of fame, if you’d like.

New CAPTCHA paintings

I’ve been working on a few new CAPTCHA paintings. If you remember, CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) images are used to thwart internet bots from creating accounts or posting spam. I collect particularly attractive CAPTCHA images, then recreate them in acrylic. These three new ones are for sale at my Etsy shop.

First Amp

I made this audio amplifier from the Little Gem Mk II circuit, and housed it in this box I found at a thrift store. It has a little drawer at the bottom that I’ll use for accessories.

Fetus Amigurumi Cat Toys

Need a cat toy? Buy this one on Etsy. It has catnip in it and looks like a fetus. There’s a non-catnip version, too.

Lemonade

Alex’s parents AND grandparents have lemon trees, which at this point in the year (ok, most of the year) make WAY too many lemons. The challenge: find recipes that use a lot of lemons. For a while I was making lemon bars, and while very delicious, only use 1.5 lemons (zest and juice). Well, yesterday I made a batch of lemonade, and it used FOUR lemons. Here’s the recipe:

Juice of 3 lemons (I roll them on the counter a bit to loosen the juices inside) 1 lemon, sliced and ends discarded (make sure to wash this one, as the slices go in the lemonade) cold, filtered water about 1/2 cup hot water about 1/2 cup sugar

Make a simple syrup with the hot water and sugar: stick the water and sugar on the stove and stir until the sugar dissolves. You can add more sugar if you like, until it no longer stays in solution. Mix all ingredients in a pitcher and fill to the top with cold water, adjust sugar content to taste by adding less or more simple syrup. Add ice if you want to serve it right away.

Lost Maker Faire Luggage

On the way back from Maker Faire Bay Area 2008, my luggage went missing. Because I was traveling with so many “suspicious” things like electronics kits, batteries, components, wires, etc., I chose to check these items in my luggage for a speedy experience through security. My luggage didn’t show up at the other end in Phoenix. US Airways flight 570 was direct from SFO to PHX. It should be noted that everyone I’ve spoke to has been very nice and polite to me. I have also been very polite; these people are just trying to do their jobs.

The most disturbing thing is list of “Items Excluded from Liability” on the US Airways Passenger Property Form if my luggage is ultimately lost. Here’s the list (you can read the form yourself here):

• Currency
• Spirits
• Optics
• Keys
• Blueprints
• Jewelry
• Silverware
• Precious Metals/Stones
• Natural Fur Products
• Antiques/Heirlooms/Collectible
• Artistic Items
• Lifesaving Medication
• Negotiable Papers/Securities/Documents
• Books/Manuscripts/Publications
• Sound Reproduction Equipment & Related Items
• Photographic/Cinematographic Audio/Video Equipment & Related Items
• Computer Hardware/Software & Related Items
• Electronic Components/Equipment & Related Items/Business Samples/Equipment/ Documents and Irreplaceable Items

Now you may easily see why this list is very troubling. Almost everything of value in my suitcase is on that list. Copies of the new Maker’s Notebook (modded and not), electronics kits (boarduino and loud objects noise toy), power and data cables for phone, camera, and electronics, my travel case of electronics and embroidery components and supplies (chips, connectors, LEDs, etc.), my skeleton cardigan (which took at least 80 hours to construct), sample embroidery projects from my demo at the Faire, contact info from the nice people I met over the weekend, and my toy Thingamagoop robot by Bleep Labs.

The replaceable stuff: Embroidery supplies, 1 pair jeans, 1 velvet jacket, 5 shirts including a hand-printed souvenir from Bizarre Bazaar, a kitchen apron, also from Bizarre Bazaar, which I had purchased as a gift for my catsitter, 2 leathermen (juice s2 and squirt e4), socks and underwear, the suitcase itself, my toiletries bag and its contents, my boyfriend’s toiletries bag and its contents.

Here’s a chronology of events: Monday, May 5, 8AM, SFO: Check in at US Airways counter and check bag at the same time and counter as travel companions. Monday, May 5, 9:20AM, SFO: Board US Airways flight 570 direct to PHX. Monday, May 5, 11:07AM, PHX: Arrive on time and proceed to baggage carousel 5. Monday, May 5, 12PM, PHX: After baggage does not arrive (although checked bags for travel companions do arrive), proceed to US Airways baggage office. Monday, May 5, 12:15PM, PHX: After baggage is not located, depart from airport with afile reference number and a lost baggage claim form (which can be mailed in if my bag doesn’t show in 5 days). Gave identifying details about appearance and contents of bag. Ronald suspected it would be in on the next flight from SFO, putting it out for delivery by 4pm. Monday, May 5, 6:20pm: Called PHX office, since they had not called me. They said the bag was not on the next flight from SFO, but might be on the following one. Bag would then be out for delivery by 8pm. Monday, May 5, 7:48pm: Called PHX office, line busy. Continue trying until finally get through at 7:53, no bag. Suspected it may have “overrode” (stayed on the plane), which was going to Tampa. Next flight from Tampa was due in the next morning. Tuesday, May 6, 8:13AM: Called PHX office, they informed me that the Tampa flight would get in at 9:30 and they’d call me when it did. Tuesday, May 6, 10:25AM: Called PHX office, got put on hold then disconnected, but they called me right back, said the bag was not on the flight coming in from Tampa. They “sent out messages” to SFO and Tampa, took more identifying details about bag. Tuesday, May 6: 12:12PM: Called PHX office, got put on hold then disconnected, but they called me right back to say that SFO had not returned their message but that Tampa had, saying they did not have record of the bag. Asked if my name and address was on the bag, if there could be any other luggage tags on it, etc. Tuesday, May 6, 1:25PM: Called PHX office, line busy. Tuesday, May 6, 8:43PM: Called PHX office, line busy, got through at 8:47, no new information. Wednesday, May 7, 9:27AM: Called PHX office, line busy, got through at 9:34, expressed concern over list of excluded liability items, no new information. Wednesday, May 7, 2:10PM: Called PHX office, told them my cell phone battery was almost spent, so I’d have to get a new charger, asked if they provide coverage for this, they said no. Wednesday, May 7, 3:30PM: Mimi at Main US Airways office calls (they, too, are located in Phoenix), asks me for a list of identifiable items inside the bag, tells me they’ll send out messages to many places and call tomorrow to check back in. Thursday, May 8, 3:14PM: Called PHX office, they verified that messages have been sent out to many airports, they’re still waiting to hear back. Thursday, May 8, 5:31PM: Mimi at Main US Airways office calls, says there’s no word yet and instructs me to start filling out the passenger property form. Friday, May 9, 10:51AM: Main US Airways office calls, instructs me again to start filling out the passenger property form, I asked how long it would take to process my claim, they say 6 weeks. Saturday, May 10: Gathered receipts, finalized claim paperwork, got it notarized (yes, it had to be notarized.) Monday, May 12: Mailed claim. Thursday, May 15: They called to let me know they got my claim and that it’s complete; they’re going to use it for their “secondary search” of the luggage warehouse. I’m imagining a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark… Thursday, June 19: They call to say they’ve stopped looking and I can expect a letter followed by a check in the mail. Shortly after: I received a check from US Airways for close to the amount of my claim!

Currently learning to use a knitting machine, which could make for a much quicker replacement of my skeleton cardigan…

Phoenix Indie Craftorama this Saturday

Local event plug: I’ll be at the Phoenix Indie Craftorama this Saturday from 10-4 representing Craft Magazine (mags, box sets, t-shirts, etc.), and there will be book signings, demos, and crafts for sale and giveaways from all the fantastic craft collectives around Phoenix. The Crafty Chica has organized the whole thing and I’m sure it’ll be loads of fun!

Groups include: The Phoenix Fridas The Phoenix Craft Mafia The AZ Crafty Burritos Las Bandidas del Arte Conspire Phoenix The Purdy Girls Calaca Cultural Co-op and me for Craft Magazine

Saturday, April 26th, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Phoenix Duck and Decanter, 1651 E. Camelback Road FREE!

LilyPad Embroidery added to Projects, see it in person

I just finished up a first composition using the LilyPad Arduino, entitled “LilyPad Embroidery: A Tribute to Leah Buechley.” Check it out over at the project page, and/or come see it in person this Friday at 7 at the Cartel Coffee Lab in Tempe, AZ.

Compubody Socks or Knitted Body-Technology Interfaces

I just added this to the Projects page: I’ve been working on a project where I knit sweaters to go from gadgets to your body. They’re supposed to be a fun commentary on how attached and concentrated on technology we are, and to highlight the lack of movement that happens when we’re engrossed in our laptops, keyboards, PDAs, etc. I plan on making many more, and would be curious what ideas fellow crafters and technologists might have for different iterations. the one pictured above is for privacy, warmth, and concentration in public spaces while using a laptop.