Hi All,
I'm new to Sheffield, and working on a project called Open Source Embroidery exploring links between open source software, creative commons and crafts. I'll be based at Access Space in the Sheffield for most of July, and I'd like to invite knitters, embroiderers, software programmers, and patchworkers to come along. Would you be interested?
The Open Source Embriodery group meetings at Access Space will be on wed evenings 7-9pm on July 11th, 18th and 25th. And again on Sat 28th 2-5pm.
If you're interested - let me know and I'll post more info...:)

What would we be doing? Hello by the way!!

Hi Wheezy, the plan is to make things.. The group is for people who make crafts to share their craft skills and ideas, and people who make computer programmes to share their skills and ideas. To have a peek at some things already made, and interesting projects see the open source embroidery google group, and facebook group. For more general info about Open Source Embroidery see the 'research' page on my website google elecarpenter all one word, and you'll find it. (I cant post a link yet here...) I'll post more about html patchwork later.

Here's the link (http://crumb.sunderland.ac.uk/~admin/ele/research/OS/osembroidery.htm).

Welcome to the knitting group, MsEle. The project looks fascinating. I'm just having a read about it now.

PS. You can post links once you've made five posts :) .

Hi Wheezy, the plan is to make things.. The group is for people who make crafts to share their craft skills and ideas, and people who make computer programmes to share their skills and ideas. To have a peek at some things already made, and interesting projects see the open source embroidery google group, and facebook group. For more general info about Open Source Embroidery see the 'research' page on my website google elecarpenter all one word, and you'll find it. (I cant post a link yet here...) I'll post more about html patchwork later.

Tried having a quick look, but can't find anything at the moment, will wait for your link.

The Open Source Embroidery Link is here (http://crumb.sunderland.ac.uk/~admin/ele/research/OS/osembroidery.htm)

The Open Source Embroidery Link is here (http://crumb.sunderland.ac.uk/~admin/ele/research/OS/osembroidery.htm)

:suspect: Have we got an echo in here? :suspect:

I'm curious - does anyone write their own knitting patterns?

I'm curious - does anyone write their own knitting patterns?

I alter them from time to time. :P

I knitted a sweatshirt for my husband in a cheaper version of Rowan Denim starting with a blank sheet of paper and a calculator. It probably wasn't a good start as a first design because you couldn't try it on as you went along, it lost a fifth of the length in the first wash. After sleeve surgery it came out ok and he wore it a lot in the winter. I prefer to mess with an existing pattern because I've never got my head around the maths involved in the fitting of a sleeve cap. Socks and lace I make up all the time but then it's so much easier to make them fit.

I used to embroider but it was a very long time ago.

What a tale to tell! I guess it's like baking, it makes sense to modify what works to your own requirements than to try and reinvent the wheel. This applies to software too. As long as you have the pattern / recipe / code then you can make your own modifications. This idea of 'open source' can be applied to almost any creative production. I'm interested to find out how these values are expressed in the things we make...

I adjust patterns but sometimes it is because I haven't read them properly, but rarely do disasters happen, they just become creative interpretations -LOL!

I am really looking forward to joining in with this project.

Good to have you in Sheffield.

Thanks so much for all your warm welcomes. I hope you can come along to the first Open Source get together at Access Space, it's opposite the Rutland Pub on Sidney St. We'll meet at 6pm on wednesday, it'll be really informal with tea and cakes. I'm developing a patchwork project that lots of people can contribute to - and it will be a collaboration between Newcastle and Sheffield. I'll start a new thread about it. Maybe we could come up with some knitting projects too.

What would open source knitting look like?

How about the Mason-Dixon Perfect Sweater? It had a variety of sizes made for it, users made a few different necklines and I think it turned itself into a cardigan too. I must admit that I lost the plot on it at and early stage, the search for the perfect yarn was too exhaustive for my attention span.