10. Open Source Hardware - From Fibers to Fabric¶
This should be a fun week...building a machine for textile fabrication use.
Research¶
After listening to the week's lecture, I binged on YouTube looking for videos on everything and anything related to this week's topic...tools and machines used in the fabrication of textiles. I felt as that I needed to dive deeper into some of the processes that were introduced in the lecture...so that I would have a better chance at developing a useful machine. Some of the the most interesting videos wee as follows...
Spinning Cotton¶
Demo of Spinning a Cotton Ball with Fingers or a Pencil
Some take aways...
- Cotton is a short strand fiber that doesn't stick together well...so need to be twisted together.
- Tease out one end of the cotton ball and start twisting.
- Spun cotton becomes yarn.
Weaving¶
Textile Weaving Process Overview Explained by TexConnect
- Weaving = interlacing rectilinear pattern, Warp (longitudinal) and Weft (latitudinal) threads perpendicular to one another
- Knitting = rows of loops connected to the next row of loops
- Weaving = turning yarns into fabric
Series by Fibers and Design Weaving
The very informative and helpful website for Fibers and Design Weaving is here...
How to Weave|Weaving for Beginners
- Warp = Verticle thread, should be thin and sturdy, kept taught.
- Weft = horizontal thread
Phrae Pah Fai & Pah Din¶
In late October, I visited my hometown in Thailand and while there did some research on the town's indigenous textile tradition...something I grew up with as a kid, and am finally spending time to understand. It was fascinating.
From interviewing weavers...
"...in agricultural society...cloths had been woven in every household to be used in the family, and weaving techniques had been handed down to family members, especially the females."
"When planting season is finished, women weave cloths, men forge iron”
"cloth weaving in the past was done to be used in the community, not for commercial purpose."
Cloth and Thai People's Way of Life
Thailand Handwoven Fabrics: The Industry Time Forgot
Pranom Tapang, Master Weaver, Thailand
A traditional, hand-woven fabric of natural, locally farmed and produced material...that encodes, in the patterns on the resulting textile, the culture of geographic and social region. The region of Phrae produces 2 variants of textiles...Pah Fai (all cotton) and Pah Din (with shiny thread inserted) with a regionally distinctive algorithmic pattern. The loom (called Kee Kratook)used to make the fabric is basically an analog computer...the algorithm defining the pattern to be made 'programed' into the machine by strings that pull on the Warp threads. A simple machine with incredible setup complexity. I kinda want to build one!
The Weaving Loom
While based on a design common to the region, the loom (machines) are built by the household and reinterpreted in construction, based on materials available to the builder and the builder's own construction decisions.
Foot Pedals to Raise/Lower the Warp
The pedals are used to raise and lower different sets of Warp threads.
The Bobbin Shuttle
The shuttle is pushed from one side to the other...alternating from the left side and right side...gliding on the warp threads.
The Algorithm Program
I noticed the there were hundreds of white strings that hung from latitudinal wood bars and connected to the Warp threads. It is my guess that these 'white strings' function like those on a Jacquard loom...allowing a more complex, irregular pattern to be woven on the loom.
I was told, that in the old days, every Phrae household had a loom...and every woman and girl in the household knew how to weave their own Pah Fai fabric. While the Phrae region seems to have its own distinctive pattern compared to other regions in Thailand, there is variance in the pattern from one Phrae household to the next. I really love this idea that a region or even household culture is woven into the fabric that people wear.
Cotton thread spools
Cotton is grown and harvested in the Phrae region...and traditionally, the thread color was dyed using natural dyes (commercial dyes have probably displaced the hard to make natural dyes...I would guess).
As mentioned, I was told that the Phrae region (where I was born) has a distinctive patterning style...with a variance range. Here are some examples
The backside of the fabric
How Pah Fai is Worn
- Made of more humble material like cotton, the skirt fabric would be worn every day.
- But if silk or shiny threads are utilized (changing it to Pah Din), then it wouldb be for a more formal (dress up) occasion.
Kumihimo¶
A while back, I discovered a traditional Japanese braiding technique called Kumihimo ("gathering thread") while walking down a side-street in Tokyo. The cord is used in a variety of ways, but most commonly on men's and women's kimono.
This braided cord come in two types flat and round. The Round-type cord is made on a circular braiding loom...The Marudai.
The Flat-type cord is made on a rectangular loom called The Takadai.
Here is the wikipedia explanation of kumihimo
Weaving An 8 Strand Kumihimo
The initial setup pairs 2 strands on the Kumihimo loom...arranged at approximately 90 degree angles to other pairs...at 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock.
Then the following algorithm is performed...
- The right strand of the 12 o'clock pair is moved down to the right of the right strand of the 6 o'clock pair
- Then the left strand of the 6 o'clock pair is moved up to the left of the left strand of the 12 o'clock pair
- The loom is rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise...and the algorithm is performed again on the 2 pairs of strands that are now in the 12 and 6 o'clock positions
- This algorithm is repeated until the desired cord length is achieved
I learned how to braid a kumihimo by watching this excellent video by Amsler Art Room.
I designed a simple, cardboard kumihimo loom on Inkscape and laser cut it.
Here is my first successful Kumihimo braid. It was easy to do and meditatively fun!
Assignment¶
Kumihimo Braiding Machine¶
I decided to make the Marudai Kumihimo Loom...based on the cardboard prototype I made in my research. I aimed to create a design that could be Lasercut from a single sheet of 400mm x 300mm x 6mm MDF. Something that would be easy-to-assemble from a few pieces.
Design > Inkscape¶
Similar to the cardboard prototype I used the Star & Polygon Tool to generate the basic shape of the top plate...with 16 points.
Next I add the center hole and 3 rectangular slots for connecting legs arranged radially...using the Tiled Clone tool.
Then I thought to decorate the Top Plate with a Polar Grid...
The final design...
After assembly, I discovered that the legs require additional support to be strong and stable. So I designed a support ring to stabilize all three legs. I designed the simple ring in Inkscape and lasercut out of 6mm MDF. It does a great job of stablizing the legs...the Marudai Loom feels very solid now.
Design File¶
2. Kumihimo Machine > The Automated Version¶
I have aspirations to make a computer controlled Kumihimo machine. Here are the concept sketches.
![Alt text](../images/week10/week1006.jpg
Hope I will find time to make this this real someday...
Class Notes¶
Making Machines
Lecturer: Sara Diaz Rodriguez, Studio Hilo
- Can work in a group
- Build from scratch, modify existing, refurbish a broken...machine
- A machine for textile fabrication
- "Open Source Hardware"...documenta to make accessible to others
From Fibers to Fabrics
- Machine for what stage of the process?
Carding Machine
- organize fibers in the same direction
Spinning
- Pulling and twising fibers
Weaving
- A 2 yarn system...Warp (longitudinal) and Weft (transverse)...straight and perpendicular
- Weft is drawn through...alternately over and under the Warp thread
- A strong textile
Low Cost Jacquard Loom by Lea Albaugh, Jim McCann, Lining Yao, Scott Hudson
