Crafting Resistance workshops this April

Posted on Apr 2, 2017 in Craft, Learning, Sensors
Crafting Resistance workshops this April

After many months of pondering and planning, this workshop series is finally making it’s way into the world.

More to come on the why and the how, but here’s the overview:

Crafting Resistance

Craft has long been a tool of activist movements, whether quilting to spread awareness of AIDS, embroidering as a means to rebel against gender inequalities, or knitting to reclaim public spaces. Likewise, open source technology communities have crafted innumerable tools to support a broad range of issues from human rights to free speech to religious freedom.

The hybrid practice of combining craft and technology through eTextiles and electronic crafts presents a potent opportunity to express ourselves and build community dialogue. We seek to design “soft” objects of self-expression and resistance in the face of an uncertain and unstable political environment, locally and globally.

In these four workshops, we will experiment with different materials, soft circuitry techniques and tools, then build a prototype that responds to a central question. Participants will explore conductive materials, receive an introduction to Arduino, and learn a range of soft circuit construction techniques including handmade sensors, paper and fabric circuits, shape memory alloys, DIY fabric and paper speakers, thermochromic inks, and more.

Diversity is our mandate. Everyone is welcome. No prior knowledge is necessary to participate.

All workshops will be thoroughly documented and made available under Creative Commons licenses to replicate and adapt.

WORKSHOP 1: Illuminating Sensorship (closed)
Sunday, April 2 from 12-4 pm
Explore the fundamentals of soft circuits to craft a message of resistance.

WORKSHOP 2: Actuating Change
Saturday, April 8 from 10-4 pm
Experiment with paper and textile animation using thermochromic inks, shape memory alloy, and flip dots to create a personal emblem.

WORKSHOP 3: Sound Off
Sunday, April 23 from 10-2 pm
Experiment with paper and fabric speakers to share a story.

WORKSHOP 4: Embedded Messages
Sunday, April 30 from 12-4 pm
Learn basic embroidery/paper craft, wireless RFID communication, and soft circuitry techniques to spread a message that is meaningful to you.

Sign up HERE.