shoes

I know this is a very random post, but i can't help but notice all the crazy customised shoes i've been collecting on weheartit.

Here's a selection of highlights.

rush hour shoe
from javirroyo



Scary invasion shoe
by jethro haynes



Meat shoe
nor sure of origin of this one, but comes via designyoutrust.com


Lovely grass shoes, so you always have grass under your bare feet
nice work from mischief pr


10 points for anyone who can find some more. :)

this man spawned many a designer, i'm sure :)

technical textiles

As both a knitter and a web / interactive stuff designer, i'm fascinated by the space between interaction design and craft.

Leah Buechley invented the lillypad (a kind squidgy version of the arduino), and in the talk below speaks about getting knitters and grannies and the like involved in innovation and interaction design.


Design Futures: Leah Buechley (MIT Media Lab) - New Craft - A Marriage of High and Low Tech from Elizabeth Goodman on Vimeo.


We are not quite at the point of getting my gran writing processing just yet, Leah admits, but i genuinely love the idea of technology as an extension of craft. Also a common theme of the work she shows seems to be exposing the circuit and making it part of the asthetic, see this flickr set on the paper circuit, or have a look at the things people are making with conductive embroidery.


Conductive embroidery from make magazine


Interactive paper

what colour is christmas?

its not all about red and green you know...

See christmas by colour for a more imaginative palette.

grids are good for you

"The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee.
It permits a number of possible uses and each
designer can look for a solution appropriate to his
personal style. But one must learn how to use the
grid; it is an art that requires practice.”
Josef Müller-Brockmann

Squares

My Auntie Rose died this morning. Overall, it's very sad, but she was 90 years old (a great aunt, you see), which is a good innings in anyone's book.

Rose was a prolific knitter, and knitted literally hundreds and hundreds of squares, making blankets for lots of different charities... the kind of productivity some of us could only dream of.



Ahh. The humble knitted square. As fancy or as straight up and down as you like. A long bit of string in a great big knot - but don't be fooled, a knitted square might change the world:

Clean water


Back in 2007 iKnit London created a knitted river over 2000 ft long to raise awareness of of Water aid international. See all the photos here Can you see my square? It's in there somewhere...


Curing Cancer

Stitch and Bitch London created a 52ft scarf for London's Lions in Trafalgar Square, raising money for Cancer research.

So where does this leave me? It leaves me knitting some humble little squares, trying to change the world with bits of string.

Big knitting

I'm now the proud owner of a pair of huge knitting needles, from wool 'n' boats
I'm completely in love with them. They come up to my shoulders and lead to several interesting conversations with strangers at the bar and bus stop last night.

My first giant knitting attempt at fabrications produced this

Its a kind of collar / wrap thingy. Ok, not sure when or where exactly I (or anyone else for that matter) would wear such a thing, but knitting with strips of fabric (in this case lace) is an absolute revelation to me.

As is casting on this way

Rather than this way


This is the sort of thing that is very exciting for my inner knitting geek.

For some big knitting inspiration, check out:
Sebastian Schönheit's massive knitted rope fabric