Ursula Wolz
ABSTRACT
TurtleStitch (turtlestitch.org) is a browser-based educational programming language descendent from Snap! and Scratch that supports creative computation to generate patterns for embroidery machines. It is easy to use, requiring no prior knowledge of programming, yet powerful in creating novel embroidery. It is used by designers to experiment with generative aesthetics and precision embroidery. It is also a vehicle for innovative workshops combining an introduction to programming with a haptic output. It has been used as part of semester long undergraduate courses in contextualize computing emphasizing textile crafting. This installation provides participants with an opportunity to develop expertise in using the web-based TurtleStitch software to create an embroidery pattern of their own. An embroidery machine is viewed as a robot that uses a stored algorithm to navigate a sewing needle on fabric to render a design. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn to use the available embroidery machines and become familiar with how simulated perfection translates to real-time machine robotics. Participants can take away a small embroidery 'patch' of their own design. Those interested in collaborative design may contribute to one or more large tapestry quilt projects to be completed during SIGGRAPH. Those with an interest in computation may explore foundational concepts such as the power of parameters, unraveling concurrency to efficiently support multiple colors, and path finding algorithms to produce designs without jump stitches.
Supplemental Material
- H. Abelson, A. diSessa, Turtle Geometry, The Computer as a Medium for Exploring Mathematics, 1981, The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
- M. Resnick, K. Robinson Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers and Play. 2018 The MIT Press ISBN-10: 0262536137Google Scholar
- U. Wolz, G. Charles, L. Feire, E. Nicolson. 2018. Code Crafters Curriculum: A Textile Crafts Approach To Computer Science (Abstract Only). In Proceedings of the 49th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE '18). ACM, New York, NY, USA, 1055--1055. Google ScholarDigital Library
- D. Xu, U. Wolz, D. Kumar, I. Greenburg. 2018. Updating Introductory Computer Science with Creative Computation. In Proceedings of the 49th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE '18). ACM, New York, NY, USA, 167--172. Google ScholarDigital Library
Index Terms
Programming embroidery with turtlestitch
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