Some Interesting Things

Michael suggested I look at the work of Leah Buechley, who works with combing high- and low-technology. Using beads, LED lights, and a motion sensor, she created a cool bracelet that she displayed at SIGGRAPH 2007. She also created something a little more useful, using her Lilypad Arduino, which can be sewn into almost any piece of clothing. This page and video shows her biking jacket with turn signals built in.

Or...

I could combine my two previous ideas into one. Cat Mazza created the open-source web app KnitPro (http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro/), which converts any picture uploaded by the user into a stitch chart for knitting or needlepoint. This app was made with code, which at its very smallest elements is made up of binary 1s and 0s.

I think looking into how knitting has been helped into the digital age with a process that is so different from the craft, but also so very similar at the same time. The relationship is definitely something I would like to explore!

Getting closer...

Still trying to narrow down a good question, but I know I want to research more into how craft and knitting has been helped by technology. I have been talking with Maria Buszek on the subject and she recommended a couple fiber artists that use technology in their designs. Cat Mazza and Lisa Anne Auerbach have some pretty cool stuff.

Also, after talking with Bryan Leister about things too, he suggested I look into ways that knitting could be compared with things such as loops of code (like the loops that make up knitted stitches) or binary (1s and 0s vs. knit and purl stitches).

I'm still having issues thinking of how I can turn any of this into a great thesis question and the form it will take when it's done.