Blog

Open Retail

Tonight I’ll be part of a panel discussion at Eyebeam called Open Retail:

Moderated by Dustyn Roberts, Eyebeam

Disscussants: Bre Pettis, MakerBot; Giana González, Hacking Couture; Becky Stern, CRAFT and MAKE Magazines, Sternlab

Using Re:Group exhibited projects MakerBot and Hacking Couture as a point of departure, Open Retail will explore the intersection between the engineering and fashion industries, and the ways in which open source practices are influencing them both. Eyebeam resident artist Dustyn Roberts (engineer and author of the forthcoming book, Making Things Move) will moderate a discussion with Bre Pettis (MakerBot), Giana González (Hacking Couture), and Becky Stern (associate editor for CRAFT and MAKE Magazines, Sternlab), which will consider how newly emerging open hardware licenses might help spur innovation and counteract draconian patent laws, while also building sustainable business practices. Conversely, the lack of copyright in fashion has resulted in an industry focused on branding and closely guarded trade secrets. But how might the absense of copyright (or conversely, open licensing) be turned into a strength rather than a liability in product development?

Open Retail panel
Thursday, July 22 2010 7:30-9pm
Suggested $5-10 donation
Eyebeam Art + Technology Center
540 W 21st St. New York, NY
Also live streamed

Open Retail | July 22, 2010 | posted in Blog | Comments (0)

Machine-Knit Bags

I can’t stop iterating color combinations on my knitting machine! These drawstring bags are padded to house fragile things like potions, cameras, and other inventory.

Available on Etsy or Makers Market. Custom orders welcome!

All patterns by Nathan Rosenquist.

Machine-Knit Bags | July 12, 2010 | posted in Blog, Projects | Comments (0)

Hydroponic Herb Garden

I set up a hydroponic herb garden for my latest CRAFT Video, and had blast doing so. It’s fun and just my kind of geeky to maintain the proper pH and nutrient levels, all the while nomming delicious home-grown herbs. I had a bit of a scare with my arugula at first (it went into shock from the transplanting), but it’s all good now. Lots of pictures are on my Flickr, and don’t forget to go check out the video and the herb risotto recipe I made to go along with it.

basil

herbs

Thanks to Nathan for filming, helping, and taking most of the photos. Thanks to my friends at General Hydroponics for their advice and guidance!

Hydroponic Herb Garden | April 21, 2010 | posted in Blog, Projects | Comments (0)

Flying Diamonds

Flying Diamonds
Cotton and conductive threads and electronics components including a LilyPad Arduino on vinyl
2010

More photos on Flickr.

Flying Diamonds | April 21, 2010 | posted in Blog, Portfolio, Projects | Comments (0)

Emission Spectra Scarves

Manganese Scarf

These Emission Spectra Scarves are lovingly machine-knit from black and colored 100% cotton yarn. They measure about 6.5 feet long and 7 inches wide. Pick an element and order a scarf at Makers Market or commission one over on Etsy. They range in price based on the complexity of the the spectrum.

Pictured above is Limor (Ladyada) Fried, wearing Silicon.

Silicon Scarf

More photos at my photoset and adafruit’s Flickr.

This scarf was originally Amanda Wozniak’s idea.

Download patterns to make your own! Thanks to Bryn Davies for the Spectra Pattern Generator Python script. Patterns below are for machine knitting or teeny needles, but you can generate a pattern based on your knitting gauge at Bryn’s site.

Silicon [PDF]

Gold [PDF]

Manganese [PDF]

Mercury [PDF]

Iron [PDF]

Tungsten [PDF]

Uranium [PDF]

Molybdenum [paginated PDF | one long list PDF]

Emission Spectra Scarves | February 11, 2010 | posted in Blog, Projects | Comments (14)

Fatlab hoodie

The fffffat crew is meeting up in Berlin next week for Transmediale. I can’t make it out, but I did make a tutorial for fffffatting up your hoodie, so the gang can roll in style without me. I’ll be missing you guys!

Fatlab hoodie | January 28, 2010 | posted in Blog, Projects | Comments (0)

New <3 Necklace, for sale this time

Many of you requested I make available a version of my <3 necklace, so here it is! Order one on Makers Market or Etsy now for $160.

This 1.5 inch tall Sterling silver pendant is handmade from 1mm thick sheet and tubing, depicting the internet-savvy sentiment <3, an ascii heart! Appropriate for showing your geeky ladyfriend how much you care. The < and 3 dangle freely, dancing near each other with the wearer’s motions. Available with a 19 inch long 3mm leather cord or Sterling silver chain. Finished with a Sterling clasp and packaged in a black jewelry gift box.

If you want to make your own (to wear or give, not sell, please), here’s the template I used to pierce the shapes:

New <3 Necklace, for sale this time | January 25, 2010 | posted in Blog | Comments (5)

Felt Control Panel

I’m working on some felt electronics, this time pushbuttons in addition to knobs. Moxie taught me how to needle felt, which makes it easier to form a dense defined shape than with wet felting. I first make little marshmallow-shaped cylinders, then bore a hole and insert the button or knob. A few more pics are at my Flickr.

If you’re interested in a custom order, submit a request at my Etsy shop.

Felt Control Panel | December 29, 2009 | posted in Blog, Projects | Comments (1)

LED sewing kit Jawa dolls

Betty made these Jawa dolls with LED eyes using my LED sewing kit, aren’t they awesome? She offers a free pattern, too! Open source crafting!

LED sewing kit Jawa dolls | December 15, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (2)

Open Source Embroidery at MOCFA opening tonight

The Open Source Embroidery exhibition featuring my LilyPad Arduino Embroidery has traveled from Sweden to San Francisco, where it will be on display at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art until January 24. Check out the interview with curator Ele Carpenter on Rhizome.

Open Source Embroidery at MOCFA opening tonight | October 01, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (0)

TV-B-Gone Hoodie at Gizmodo Gallery

My TV-B-Gone Hoodie will be at the Gizmodo Gallery at Groupe (267 Elizabeth St, NYC) through Sunday!

TV-B-Gone Hoodie at Gizmodo Gallery | September 24, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (0)

Urban Craft Uprising in Seattle

Moxie at UCU

This weekend I’m in Seattle at Urban Craft Uprising’s first ever summer show, and it’s a blast. I did a soft circuit demo, and doing another one Sunday at 1:30pm. I’m selling LED sewing kits, so if you’re looking for the tutorial, click on through. Pictured above is the incommutable Moxie herself.

Urban Craft Uprising in Seattle | August 02, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (0)

Workaday Business Squid

I’ve been making plush squids again, and this time I published a free (creative commons by-sa license) pattern to go along with them, so you can make your own. The one pictured above is named “Mr. Caissy from Accounting.” See more plush squids in my Flickr set.

Workaday Business Squid | July 16, 2009 | posted in Blog, Projects | Comments (1)

Me and my Makerbot

I recently won a raffle for a Makerbot Cupcake CNC machine, which is a DIY 3D printer. The raffle was held by AS220, an awesome hacker/etc lab in Providence. Thanks a million, guys, it works great! You can find the file for the little mushroom that I printed (John Park modeled it) in the Thingiverse.

Me and my Makerbot | July 01, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (3)

I won a MakerBot CupCake CNC machine!

Providence geek den AS220 recently had a raffle to both give away and raise money for their own MakerBot CupCake CNC. I bought a ticket and won! I’ll soon be 3D printing from my studio, yay, and THANKS!

I won a MakerBot CupCake CNC machine! | June 15, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (8)

Open Source Embroidery Exhibition and Article

The Open Source Embroidery exhibition is now open at Umeå University’s Bildmuseet. After the show is over there, it’ll be traveling to the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco (October 2009). Wired.com interviewed me in an article about the exhibit and movement.

Open Source Embroidery Exhibition and Article | June 15, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (3)

Fiber Arctic

My Iceberg piece will be in this show opening Friday, June 12. Kristen Rask, organizer of the show, also did an interview with me on her blog.

Fiber Arctic

Opening June 12, 2009

Exhibition runs June 12 to July 9

Schmancy Gallery

1932 2nd Ave, Seattle

Fiber Arctic | June 11, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (0)

Iceberg

The Iceberg

Iceberg
Cotton/Linen Yarn, Acrylic, Sterling Silver, MDF, Ice
2009

This iceberg is made from cotton/linen yarn and then stiffened with acrylic. Inside is a polar bear made from ice which slowly melts down and out through the sterling silver drain on the sloped platform. The iceberg itself was made using a knotless netting technique.

Drain and Ice Bear inside Iceberg

The Iceberg

This photo is by Matt Mets. Check out more photos at my Flickr set.

Iceberg | May 05, 2009 | posted in Blog, Portfolio, Projects | Comments (0)

Summer Juried Grad Student Show

Ouch, My Femoral Condyle

My Plush Knee will appear in this summer’s juried show at the Harry Wood Gallery at ASU. The opening reception is Monday, May 4 from 7-9pm. The show will run until September 4.

Summer Juried Grad Student Show | May 02, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (0)

Imagined Geographies Show May 1

I’ll be showing my Iceberg and Plush Knee (“Ouch, My Femoral Condyle!”) at Bragg’s Pie Factory on May 1, 6:30-9:30pm.

1301 W. Grand Ave Phoenix

The Iceberg

Imagined Geographies Show May 1 | May 01, 2009 | posted in Blog | Comments (0)

<3 Necklace

<3 Necklace

<3 (ASCII Heart)
Hollow-Formed Sterling Silver
2009
Not for sale

ASCII Heart Necklace

This photo is by Victoria Altepeter.

While this hollow formed necklace is not for sale, this simpler version is: New <3 necklace

<3 (ASCII Heart)
Sterling Silver (sheet and tubing)
2010
$150 on Etsy

If you want to make your own (to wear or give, not sell, please), here’s the template I used to pierce the shapes:

<3 Necklace | April 23, 2009 | posted in Blog, Portfolio, Projects | Comments (4)

LilyPad Arduino Blinking Bike Bag Patch Tutorial

I added these blinking lights to my fatlab patch for riding my bike at night, and show you how in the above video. You can also look at the instructable or download the code and schematic for this soft circuit project.

Reposted from CRAFT.

LilyPad Arduino Blinking Bike Bag Patch Tutorial | April 10, 2009 | posted in Blog, Projects | Comments (0)

Vicodin Ring

Vicodin Ring

In Case of Emergency
Sterling Silver, Vicodin
2009

To go with my Vicodin earrings, here’s a ring with a bezel-set pill instead of a stone.

Vicodin Ring and Pendant

This photo is by Victoria Altepeter.

Vicodin Ring | April 08, 2009 | posted in Blog, Portfolio, Projects | Comments (8)

Plush Knee

my knee sculpture and video

Ouch, My Femoral Condyle!
Synthetic Fiber and Batting, Steel Stand, DVD Video
2009

I’ve completed the plush model of my knee working from my MRI and arthroscopy images, plus anatomical illustrations I found online. It’s capable of dislocating, just like my real knee, and uses elastic to make the ligaments stretch when the joint is bent. It’s my best soft sculpture yet. Still no fibula. The title is “Ouch, my Femoral Condyle,” after the place on my femur where the cartilage was torn.

I made a video to be displayed with the knee, which is a combination of video shots of my knee dislocating combined with MRI animations and arthroscopy stills. Warning: I’ve been told it’s not for the squeamish.

Plush Knee

Plush Knee | March 26, 2009 | posted in Blog, Portfolio, Projects | Comments (9)