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

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.

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.

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

More photos on Flickr.

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.

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]

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:

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.

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!

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.