11. Open Source Hardware - From Fibers to Fabric¶
Research & Ideation¶
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Finnish textile artist Maija Lavonen¶
I was lucky enough to see Fiber-optic-based art pieces created by Finnish textile artist Maija Lavonen, at the “Quietly Monumental” exhibition, Architecture and Design Museum in Helsinki, Finland, in spring 2025. She was a professor at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki and was named Textile Artist of the Year in 1996.
Playing with fiber optics can inspire making garments for the body. I would like to try to do some weaving with fiber optics somehow for fashion effects as Maija does. While this inspiration does not exactly fit this assignment, I think the effects she gets can really inspire fashion looks.
Maija has created pieces for interior spaces including Finland’s Parliament House and the Ministry of the Interior in Helsinki. Textile on Three Surfaces is displayed in the waiting room of the Speaker’s Office in the Parliament House, and Nature as the Source is in the second-floor lobby of the Ministry of the Interior, where it often serves as a backdrop for media interviews.
She developed a technique to combine handwoven wide ribbons into large textile artworks, often featuring light. In Corridor of Light, she wove linen yarn and acrylic rods on a fiber-optic loom and projected light onto the piece to create different shapes. She deliberately broke the fibers so that when the light projected on them, they reflected the shape she desired.
"Lavonen also developed a technique to combine handwoven wide ribbons into large textile artworks, often featuring light. In Corridor of Light, she wove linen yarn and acrylic rods on a fiber-optic loom and projected light on the piece to create different shapes. She deliberately broke the fibers so that when the light projected on them, they reflected the shape she desired."
Techniques : "Maija Lavonen used wide hand-woven linen ribbons in many of her large textile works. She sewed them together or combined them with other materials such as steel. In the 2000s, she used the same idea in the production of fiber-optic works. The optical fiber acts as a warp instead of linen and guides light to the work."
Research: YouTube Videos to learn more about weaving and sewing with fiber optics¶
Warp and weft definitions found here¶
Warp Direction: Vertical threads on a loom. Function: Forms the structural foundation of the fabric. Characteristics: Typically stronger, more tightly twisted, and less stretchy because they are held under high tension. Identification: Runs parallel to the selvage (the finished edge of the fabric). Weft Direction: Horizontal threads woven across the warp. Function: Fills in the structure and creates the fabric's width and pattern. Characteristics: Generally less strong and more flexible, as they are not under the same tension as the warp. Identification: Runs perpendicular to the selvage. Alternative name: Also called the "cross grain".
weekly assignment
Student checklist
1) Research and document existing fabrication methods, machines and industries, add references, tutorials and sketches of the hardware you will make 2) Document the process of designing the files for your machine/machine-hack/tool and its fabrication including the assembly process 3) Document the schematic and the software source code (if any) 4) Document the parts and how to make your tool or machine 5) Document your BOM (Bill of materials): electronics, materials, their amount, etcetera (with references of the components) 6) Upload your 3D model and CAM files (if any) 7) Design, create and document a final outcome, a sample project of your process 8) Make a small video of the machine 9) Create an interface for controling your machine (extra credit)
Check out the weekly assignment [here](http://fabricademy.fabcloud.io/handbook/assessment/criteria/#11-open-source-hardware-from-fibers-to-fabrics) or login to your [NuEval](http://nueval.fabacademy.org) progress and evaluation page.
about your images..delete the tip!!
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Remember to credit/reference all your images to their authors. Open source helps us create change faster together, but we all deserve recognition for what we make, design, think, develop.
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remember to resize and optimize all your images. You will run out of space and the more data, the more servers, the more cooling systems and energy wasted :) make a choice at every image :)
This image is optimised in size with resolution 72 and passed through tinypng for final optimisation. Remove tips when you don't need them anymore!
get inspired!
Check out and research alumni pages to betetr understand how to document and get inspired
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OS Loom - Kae Nagano - Fab Lab Kamakura
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The pattern machine - Marion Guillaud - LeTextileLab Lyon
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Shopbot Hack - Painting machine Asli Aksan - Textile Lab Amsterdam
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Prusa - Pegboard - Viviane Labelle - EchoFab
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Final project - Pauline Gamore
Add your fav alumni's pages as references
References & Inspiration¶
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."
- Two images side-by-side
Tools¶
BoM example¶
Materials¶
| Qty | Description | Price | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Material one | 22.00 $ | http://amazon.com/test | order now |
| 1 | Material two | 22.00 $ | http://amazon.com/test | find alternative |
| 1 | Material three | 22.00 $ | http://amazon.com/test |
Process¶
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."
My sketches are ...
This model 1 was obtained by..
The design 2 was created using..
footnote fabrication files
Fabrication files are a necessary element for evaluation. You can add the fabrication files at the bottom of the page and simply link them as a footnote. This was your work stays organised and files will be all together at the bottom of the page. Footnotes are created using [ ^ 1 ] (without spaces, and referenced as you see at the last chapter of this page) You can reference the fabrication files to multiple places on your page as you see for footnote nr. 2 also present in the Gallery.
Code Example¶
Use the three backticks to separate code.
// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
// initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}
// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
delay(1000); // wait for a second
digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW); // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
delay(1000); // wait for a second
}
Gallery¶
Video¶
From Vimeo¶
Sound Waves from George Gally (Radarboy) on Vimeo.