PART 1: Daisy Bud
Description. I used crochet to fabricate the swatch which is shaped like a flower. I wanted to have a flower that could have two different states, open -> bloomed and closed -> bud. When the flower is closed and both sides of the conductive yarn touch, the testing circuit is closed and it lights up an LED.
Materials. Color yarn, crochet needle, conductive yarn. Testing circuit: led, alligator clips, sewable battery holder and 3V battery.
Technique. I used the colored yarn for the base flower using the simple and double stitch, and conductive yarn using the simple stitch to create an attachment to the main flower that could create the connection between both ends.
References.
https://www.instructables.com/id/Amigurumi-octopus/
I wish, one day, I could do something like this:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/mathematical-intelligencer-june-2001/patterns
Make three more identical ones.
I created a series of flowers. The three colored ones are part of the swatch exchange. The white one, slightly different has a little bit more of experimentation using different stitches and materials ( conductive yarn + conductive thread). I can totally tell which one was the first and which one was the last one!
PART 2: Learn a New Craft
I learned how to crochet. It’s something that I always wanted to do and I decided to use it as the main technique for my swatches too.
I identify myself as a designer, maker, researcher and educator who tries to simplify complexity by making stuff and experiences.
My favorite digital tool is still a Wacom that can work as an extension of my own hand as I’ve used it since I was a child. However, as I’m doing a lot of fabrication stuff I may have soon enough one new favorite tool.
I really liked trying a new technique with a material that wasn’t new at all (yarn) as I’ve knitted before a scarf. I found interesting that what was supposed to work theoretically at the end required a lot more time, and practice than expected. I personally found frustrating not being able to read the crochet patterns even though I was starting to feel comfortable with stitching.
I also decided to try different ways to make the swatch and I choose the one that worked better. Here an example using conductive thread edges.
TIP: I found easier to learn crochet by watching a video with the basics and then going back to the written instructions. The combination of both made me understand everything better.