Make Family Feeds

Gijs' latest machine hacks both images and sound

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Circuit-bending/music machine-building maestro Gijs Gieskes has posted the details of his latest creation, a synth that uses the SEGA video RAM as an audio source (after it's been slowed down via a binary counter).

Check out his use of magnetic patch bays to switch up the sounds. His tutorial on how to make the patch cords can be found here.

Video Ram Synth 1

More:
Make: Online's coverage of Gijs Gieskes' instruments

Motorola Blur ported to G1

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Motorola's new Android UI has been ported to the HTC G1. The accompanying video of the unofficial build shows off many of the user enhancements shipping with the newer Motorola Android based phones. [via Android and Me]

Train an army of crows to gather treasure for you

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:59:48 -0700

Josh Klein developed a machine that trains crows to trade coins for peanuts. Literally, for peanuts. So you fill this thing with peanuts and set it out, say, in a public park, and the crows will scour the ground for loose change, carry it to the machine, and drop it in a slot in exchange for food. The project, dubbed "CrowBox," made a big splash when he unveiled it back in 2007. Now he's made the complete plans for the CrowBox freely available online so you can roll your own. And there's no reason you couldn't train your fly-monkeys-fly to gather other crow-portable objects. Twenty-dollar bills? Keys? iPods? Human eyes? The possibilities are endless. Set one up at the beach! Train seagulls to trade whole wallets for pre-shucked oysters!

Using sonar to save power

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:00:00 -0700

Here's a neat idea: using the standard microphone and speakers that are built into most recent laptops, researchers from Northwestern and University of Michigan have developed a sonar system to detect when a user is near the computer. Why is this interesting? Well, the idea is that it can be used to turn your computer screen off as soon as you walk away, rather than waiting the typical 10 or 20 minutes for the screensaver to kick on. It's a pretty neat idea, especially since it doesn't require any extra components, however I wonder how much power the sonar system itself will draw.

[via slashdot]

Remote controlled shrieking spectre

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:00 -0700

This video by YouTuber electricunicycle, while dark, shows off a pretty sweet haunt prop he made by attaching a frame, fabric, and lighting to an electric wheelchair base he adapted for radio control.

Make: Halloween Contest 2009

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner.

How-To: Hack motion detectors to trigger props

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:53:23 -0700

Hpropman presents a group of four tutorials about how to connect common motion detecting devices to a microcontroller for triggering haunt props. He has separate tutorials for flood light motion sensors, wall switch motion sensors, X10 wireless motion sensors, and Parallax motion sensors.

Make: Halloween Contest 2009

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner.

Open Source Nintendo DS Bluetooth adapter

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Gordan Savicic and Gottfried Haider of DSbrut fame have tipped us off that they've just released their DS Bluetooth adapter for the Nintendo DS.

Almost two years in the making, we're happy to finally release our DS Bluetooth adapter. The tiny Slot-1 cartridge allows you to hook up the Nintendo DS wirelessly with other devices such as GPS-receivers, robots and so forth. Today we're making all materials of the project openly available, including the schematics and a GPL-licensed software library for the Nintendo DS, because we believe in open hardware design and want to encourage collaboration in the hardware hacking community.

If you've got a homebrew Nintendo DS project that we should know about leave a link in the comments.

iPod-controlled RC car

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

More Dorkbot Austin goodness! John Boiles demonstrated this radio-controlled car steered using his iPod's built-in accelerometer via its built-in WiFi transmitter. All you have to do is tilt the iPod, and the car goes. It starts to move around 1:10.

iPod-accelerometer-controlled dance floor lights

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0700

John Boiles, he of the iPod-controlled RC car, also produced this sweet wirelessly controlled light dimmer, which he demonstrates in this video, controlling different sets of X-mas lights by shaking his iPod. See it work around 1:40, then be sure to check out the dance party at 2:40. The iPod is enclosed in the "law book" prop everyone is shaking around, together with their booties, while they rock out to vintage Bon Jovi, et. al.

How-To: TV modulator from salvage

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:00:49 -0700

In need of a way to transmit a video signal to an aging antennae-input TV set, John rigged up a working RF modulator from salvaged parts (plus 5V supply) -

I decided not to build my modulator from first principles. A simple design with a UHF cavity oscillator and simple sound and vision carrier and modulation circuits is not impossible to make using parts from a scrap TV set, but when so many set top devices already have a modulator built into them why bother? Instead I lifted the RF modulator from a scrap Salora satellite receiver I picked up at a radio rally.
[…]
To power this modulator I built a simple 5 volt regulator using the ubiquitous 7805 IC. I simply soldered a TO220 heatsink to the module case and built the circuit around it. My choice of capacitor values was based on those I had to hand. I also included an LED to serve as a pilot light to indicate that the unit was turned on.

You've likely come across one of the shiny metal modulators if you've ever disassembled a scrapped VCR - read on for more of details of the conversion over @ TechnoToad. Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Electronics | Digg this!

Awesome collection of DIY video-glitch hardware

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:30:56 -0700

The "tools" section of media artist Karl Klomp's website documents an impressive amount of bent, hacked and homebrew hardware for video manipulation. Devices such as the Failter (seen above)series go through a number of incarnations while Karl experiments with different hardware and uncovers its glitch-ability. The retro-simple feel of the enclosures give give it all a nicely 'scientific' almost medical feel. Be sure to check out his device gallery/ project list for more examples. Thanks to Becky for pointing this one out!

DIY MIDI footpedal, made in one day

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:00:00 -0700

MAKE subscriber thom writes in to tell us about Marc Fischer's ambitious project to do something creative every day, for a year, and document it. One of his latest projects is a DIY MIDI footpedal, made from a pocket-sized MIDI keyboard and some blocks of wood. I would not have considered doing this, but it looks like it came out really nice. He doesn't mention it in his write-up, but an interesting side effect of re-purposing the keyboard in this manner is that the foot pedals will be velocity sensitive, opening up some new possibilities for control.

This is just one of his excellent projects, he has also made drone boxes, a music box, a felt monome case, a light speaker, and lots of wonderful photographs.

Back in 2008, I participated in the Thing-A-Day project, which is a similar idea but only lasts for a single month. I nearly drove myself crazy trying to make an electronics/physical computing project every day, but it was definitely a great way to force myself to actually work on things. I would recommend a project like this to anyone who just needs that extra bit of motivation to actually start getting things done. Good luck on finishing the year strong, Marc!

Hacking the Force Trainer

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:36 -0700

Zibri did some investigative hacking with the Force Trainer (brainwave controlled toy) and posted a basic interface schematic using a MAX3233 to interface with his PC via serial. It turns out the EEG headset is sending out data as ASCII characters @ 57600 baud - should make for some quick and easy hacking! Time to add mind control to those microcontroller projects.

Mr. Wake, the uncatchable alarm clock robot

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0700

Here's another awesome project by Vadim Ryazanov of Let's Make Robots. Called Mr. Wake, this robot has the duty of protecting its alarm clock from any bleary-eyed, would-be assailants. Instead of running away after its snooze button has been pressed, like the Clocky, this 'bot engages a homebrew IR sensor as soon as the alarm goes off, and takes off if it detects anything even trying to get near the button.

I love the choice of building materials, especially the frame made of heat-formed plastic pens. Nice work!

Can crusher crushes cans with electricity

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:00:00 -0700

Have some extra soda cans laying around the lab, that are taking up too much space? Instead of just smashing them with your boot, why not build an electromagnetic crushing machine to implode them, using a high voltage source and some large capacitors? That's exactly what Bob Davis has been doing with his can crushers.

Actually, I can think of a lot of reasons why one wouldn't want to do this, especially the big safety one. It looks cool though, and slightly less complicated than the coin shrinker. [via hacked gadgets]

DIY virtual reality goggles

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Check out this cool Android-based head mounted display. Andrew Lim of recombu.com used an HTC Magic running Google Street View, safety goggles, and some cardboard to fashion one of the coolest HMD this side of Lawnmowerman. [Thanks, Andrew!]

Silly-String-shooting Jack-'o-lantern

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:59:17 -0700

From Instructables user Eric Kingston comes this Arduino-controlled Silly String shooting pumpkin. It's motion-activated, makes a Goblin-esque cackling noise, and Tweets a report each time it squirts another victim. Eric also wins a thousand internet video style points for making his whole point in five seconds with no talking!

Make: Halloween Contest 2009

Microchip Technology Inc. and MAKE have teamed up to present to you the Make: Halloween Contest 2009! Show us your embedded microcontroller Halloween projects and you could be chosen as a winner.

Secret knock detector

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0800

RFID card readers becoming passé? Maybe what you need to guard the door to your high-tech lair is a secret knock detecting door lock. Using an Arduino and a bunch of parts found around the lab, Steve Hoefer built a device that unlocks your door when it receives a certain knock pattern. It works by counting the time between successive knocks, and can be re-programmed at the touch of a button.

Of course, this system is susceptible to a replay attack, because anyone can listen to the knock pattern and then know how to get in. If you are planning to use something like this, I would recommend either incorporating a timestamp into the message, or using a series of one time knocks, in order to make it harder to break into. Actually, that might make it more secure than a regular lock.

Reanimating a robotic pet as a FrankenDog

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800

Have a broken robotic toy that you want to bring back from the dead? Why not follow the lead of Morten Skogly, and re-animate it with a toy synthesizer? The FrankenDog looks like a good way to get some use out of an old toy, at least until you get around to pulling the motors out of it. I like the control 'switches' built by sticking conductive tape at the edge of the plastic piano keys.

iPhone 3G and 3GS unlocked with blacksn0w

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Master iPhone unlocker George Hotz aka GeoHot has done it again. Apparently the current iPhone 3G/3GS baseband has been successfully cracked and new unlock code titled blacksn0w will soon become available through the blackr1n jailbreak. [via iPhoneSchool]

Instrumentube: Play instruments on YouTube

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:03:00 -0800

Want to rock out, but forget to bring your instrument? Then you might want to check out Instrumentube, a collection of YouTube-based instruments that you play by dragging the video time slider to match up to the correct note. I can't imagine this being a very efficient way to play music, but it is a pretty funny hack.

[Thanks, Jacob!]

Digital Mixtape plays mp3s old school style

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:30:47 -0800

MAKE subscriber Justin fused the convenience of digital music with the feel and playback functionality of a cassette -

It is a cassette tape adapter and a micro usb port hooked up to a tiny mp3 player that I picked up at target. Its a simple build and only took an evening. Its an on going project I started a while back.

Neat idea! More pics plus earlier versions of the project can be found on Justin's blog. Hmmm ... maybe the next incarnation could have FF/REW capabilities triggered by turning the spools?

Ikea hack bookshelf bench

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:50 -0800

Randy Sarafan writes:

The nice thing about IKEA furniture is that it is cheap and easy to hack. In other words, lets say that you were to buy two cheap $30 Gorm shelving units and assembled them to discover them that one was crooked. Well then, it would be really easy to spend an afternoon converting the crooked one into a solid, stylish and symmetric bookshelf bench. As you probably just guessed, this Instructable will show you how to convert a Gorm shelving unit into a bookshelf bench. With a few extra peices of hardware and a couple of basic power tools, you could be on your way to relaxation and organization all at the same time.

Voice Controlled LED sign

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0800

Humberto writes in to point us at this handy use of the Google Voice transcription feature. In his Voice2LED Project, Josh converted a simple LED sign into a voice-activated one by connecting it up to his phone number. It turns out that when you leave a message on a Google Voice voice-mail account, it is automatically transcribed into text and sent to your email. To take advantage of this, Josh built a program that looks for messages that start with a particular phrase, and then displays the rest of the text on the screen. He built the sign using instructions from nerdkits, and his source code is listed on his site.

This looks like a fun way to leave messages or notifications to the people that you live with.

In the Maker Shed:

Peggy 2 Kit

Driving a car with an iPhone. A freaking car. For reals.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:00:00 -0800

John Boiles, who earlier this year showed us how to control an RC car using an iPod's internal accelerometer (and also how to control the lights on a dance floor in more or less the same way), is a member of Austin, TX, based engineering collective Waterloo Labs, who have up-gunned his iPod technology to control steering, brakes, and acceleration on a full-size automobile. Definitely not the safest hack I've ever blogged, but probably the most impressive. Great work, lady and gents. [Thanks, John!]

Synth sequencer from an LED kit

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:01 -0800

MirlitronOne explains how to turn a Velleman MK107 LED Running Light kit into a simple 8-step sequencer for use with analog synthesizers. A handy kit hack, but it's also not too much work to build one from scratch.

Related:

Sequence it!!

DIY Palm Touchstone car mount

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

This has to be the coolest car mount for any mobile device out there. Originally designed for home use, maker remington870_20ga from the everythingpre.com forums wired a stock Palm Touchstone Charging Dock to run directly off his car battery using off-the-shelf components. Not only do you get an unencumbered view of the screen, your mobile device gets a chance to charge itself without all the messy cables.

VR bike ride through Google Street View

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Maker Aki Mimoto wrote in to let us know about his exciting new Arduino/VR/Web app mashup. He's wired up his wife's bike on a stationary platform to an Arduino using a reed sensor. Using the sensor data from the bike, along with data from a head mounted display (HMD), Ari is able to accurately pinpoint his position within Google Street View. Additional data from the HMD allows Ari to look around at his surroundings for a true VR experience.

Pragmatically explained, it means that I don't have to sit in the darkness or stare at my garage door while I'm huffing away. Hopefully once this is done, I'll be able to spend a few nights a week pedalling away downstairs and work my way across the US or Australia over the course of the year.

In the Maker Shed:

Make: Arduino

Billy Bass brain upgrade

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Here's a Design News Gadget Freak column on using an ARM-powered processor (the MBED ARM Cortex-M3 MCU Dev Board) to make a Billy Bass animatronic fish speak and move as you wish. [Caution: mild cursing in the video.]

Gadget Freak Case #150: Hotrod Your Billy Bass

Folding lightbox from IKEA changing table

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0800

Furniture hacker Boris converted an IKEA Sniglar baby changing table into a portable folding lightbox. [via IKEAHacker]

I first thought to keep the table structure as it, but finally, I preferred to use the two level of the table to make one foldable table. I first fixed together the two vat with a long piano hinge. Then I stuck aluminium foil into the vats to reflect the light and I fixed four neon tubes into it. A few meters of cable later, I then closed the vats with two white and opaque plexiglass panels and that's it.

"Scientists and engineers ought to stand side by side with athletes and entertainers as role models"

Phillip Torrone — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:40:55 -0800

Interesting quote from today's big education announcement (MAKE is part of it!). Reminds me of when Dean Kamen says "We are what we celebrate"...

Mr. Obama said academics should be receiving an athletic-like focus. And as he presented a set of initiatives intended to improve the science and math scores of American students, he announced that the White House would begin holding an annual science fair starting next year.
"If you win the N.C.A.A. championships, you come to the White House. Well, if you're a young person and you've produced the best experiment or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement, too," Mr. Obama said. "Scientists and engineers ought to stand side by side with athletes and entertainers as role models, and here at the White House, we're going to lead by example."

He added, "We're going to show young people how cool science can be."

Mr. Obama presented the "Educate to Innovate" campaign on Monday. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, was on hand, along with students and dozens of scientists and other administration officials. After speaking for about 15 minutes, the president inspected the "Cougar Cannon," a device made by two students that is intended to scoop up and toss moon rocks.

Pop-up cardboard office

Matt Mets — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800

What could be cooler than pop-up books dioramas? How about if they were life-sized? That's exactly what designers Liddy Scheffknecht and Armin B. Wagner have created with their pop-up office. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the furniture is strong enough to use, but what fun! [via neatorama]

Motorsports carving? Who knew?

Gareth Branwyn — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:31:00 -0800

There are woodcarvers, and then there's Gary Tatman, of Glen Burnie, Maryland. Gary explains his incredible work on Hemmings Auto Blog:

You're correct in your assumptions- these carvings start out as a block. I use the Internet motorsports archives to obtain enough photos of the project car for detailed areas such as interiors, engine compartments, suspensions etc. Once all data and photos are assembled, a ratio has to be determined for scaling (in reference to actual body size). Then all areas can be measured and used in the ratio to determine the actual size of the pieces. Once this is accomplished, the design needs to be drawn on the block, for references while shaping takes place.

Fast Wood

GAKKEN Japanino: An Arduino clone in Japan?

Phillip Torrone — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:29:45 -0800

Wow, this is interesting... Hobbymedia writes -

Yesterday I went to Tokyo MAKE Meeting 04 with Gianluca Martino: a member of the Arduino team. He has been super popular and he really appreciated the Japanese Arduino scene. During the show Gakken displayed the prototype of the JAPANINO (Arduino clone). It will be released next spring in the Otona no Kagaku (in Japanese it means “Science toys for adults”) magazine series with a Persistence of Vision plastic Toy with color LEDs. The price tag will be less than 3500 yen (ca$35) and it will help a lot of people to get into the “Makers” scene. I’m doing consulting for Gakken on this project so I can not reveal all details but this release will definitely make the Japanese Arduino scene the biggest in the World as in a couple of months the magazine will probably sell what the original Arduino sold worldwide in the last years. As all Otona no Kagaku issues there will be also a magazine with many information about original Arduino and simple guide for beginners. There will be a Japanese IDE downloadable from Gakken website but foreign users can use the standard Arduino software.

Man invents electric lobster taser

Phillip Torrone — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:00:57 -0800

Tasering just isn't for 10 year olds, a UK man invented a lobster zapper that some feel is more humane than just tossing them in boiling water. I would like to try this electric lobster they speak of. Looking at the photo, it looks like two big metal plates that "zap". The company is called "CrustaStun".

A company in the United Kingdom is about to lift the lid on a device that zaps lobster with electricity to kill them, and the inventor said Wednesday his humane alternative to boiling is about to give the entire industry a jolt.

British entrepreneur Simon Buckhaven said the CrustaStun system, developed over the past decade by his company Studham Technologies Limited, near London, kills the lobster with an electric charge, so the crustacean feels no "pain or distress."

The application of a stun (110 Volts - 2-5 amps) causes an immediate interruption in the functioning of the nervous system of the shellfish. By interrupting the nerve function, the shellfish (be it Crab. Lobster or other) is unable to receive stimuli and thus by definition, cannot feel pain or suffer distress (Dr. Dave Robb 2000 - Bristol University - paper on sentience in Crustacea, Baker 1975, Jane Smith 1991, Bateson 2000, Sherwin 2000 & Gregory & Lumsden 2000). The prolonged application of the stun causes a permanent disruption which kills the shellfish.

Sounds tasty! This isn't the only lobster tech from Crustapreneurs...

In short, Hathaway took the idea of providing people with pre-shucked lobster, researched it and found that the government had been looking for ways to extend the shelf life of foods without freezing or irradiation for years. He discovered there are only two companies in the world that make machines that use extremely high water pressure to process foods and give them extended shelf life. (The government applied that process to its MREs, or meals ready to eat, for the military.) About a year and a half ago, Hathaway learned that this process also separated shellfish meat from the shell and that several Canadian lobster processors were using this system. Hathaway came up with the money for a machine. He started the new business by qualifying for a block grant from the state (which had a matching fund) and through private investors. Then, instead of having an architect design a fancy, state-of-the-art building on the coast, he decided to go back to his roots. He took a space in the nearly empty, old Etonic sneakers factory in Richmond, a slightly down-at-the-heels river town in central Maine between Wiscasset and Augusta, an area with people needing work. In April 2006, he opened his new company, Shucks Maine Lobster.

Buckhaven, meet Hathaway.

CupCake CNC build, part 4: Update & burning the bootloaders

Marc de Vinck — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:01:00 -0800

I planned on writing an entry about burning bootloaders and updating the firmware, but I just realized my kit comes ready to go! Yay! This is a major advantage to purchasing the Generation 3 Electronics kit. If you're making you own boards, be sure to check out these detailed instructions on burning bootloaders and updating firmware before going any further.

Here's the description of the Generation 3 Electronics kit [Mostly Assembled]:

This is a kit of mostly assembled electronics. All of the hard stuff is taken care of for you, and the only soldering that remains is the opto endstops which are very simple (only through hole components, no SMT). The stepper drivers, extruder controller, and motherboard all come fully assembled and ready to use. The extruder controller and motherboard have been pre-programmed with the MakerBot firmware and Arduino bootloader.

I know, I know, it's been a while since my last entry, and I apologize. The truth is, I was a bit under the weather last week, and my CupCake CNC kit had to sit and wait patiently for me to recover. The good news is, I'm feeling much better now and am super motivated to start printing parts! The next entry will be packed with CupCake building goodness. Promise!

Next up, making the pulleys and enclosure. As you can see, I chose a butchers wax finish. It's nontoxic, and nonflammable, which makes documenting it in my studio a lot easier. Also, it preserves the beauty of the wood, including the laser burns! Besides, if I don't like it, I can always cut out a new enclosure.

Ask questions! Do you want to see a better picture of a particular part, a different camera angle, a video perhaps? Maybe you have a suggestion for a cool mod or hack? Let me know in the comments. I'll try to answer them as best as I can. Thanks!

Build history:

Part 1: Introduction & background
Part 2: Unboxing
Part 3: Electronics
Part 4: Update & burning the bootloaders
Part 5: Pulley & enclosure assembly
Part 6: Y Stage Assembly
Part 7: X Stage Assembly
Part 8: X/Y Stage Installation

3D scanner using standard webcam

Adam Flaherty — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

With so much cool stuff popping up these days you notice when something truly draws awe. Qi Pan, a PhD candidate at the Engineering Department of Cambridge University, has developed a novel approach to capturing 3D objects with a standard webcam. Called ProFORMA, Pan's software digitizes and image maps an object in 3D as the user rotates it in front of the camera in realtime. Additionally, the physical object can be used as a marker to overlay the virtual object in realtime for potential Augmented Reality applications. [via Core77]

As the user rotates the object in front of a stationary camera, a partial model is reconstructed and displayed to the user to assist view planning. The model is also used by the system to robustly track the pose of the object. Models are rapidly produced through a Delaunay tetrahedralisation of points obtained from on-line structure from motion estimation, followed by a probabilistic tetrahedron carving step to obtain a textured surface mesh of the object.

Science gets auto-tuned

Collin Cunningham — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:30:29 -0800

A refreshingly different kind of mash-up -

"We Are All Connected" was made from sampling Carl Sagan's Cosmos, The History Channel's Universe series, Richard Feynman's 1983 interviews, Neil deGrasse Tyson's cosmic sermon, and Bill Nye's Eyes of Nye Series, plus added visuals from The Elegant Universe (NOVA), Stephen Hawking's Universe, Cosmos, the Powers of 10, and more. It is a tribute to great minds of science, intended to spread scientific knowledge and philosophy through the medium of music.

Download the mp3 over at Symphony of Science. [via Tag Sale Cosmology]

Amazing origami mushroom video

Sean Michael Ragan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:55:43 -0800

I'm not sure if this isn't more rightly called "paper sculpture" than origami. True it uses only one sheet of paper and there are no cuts, but, well...watch the video and you'll see what I mean. Besides getting to see the mushrooms themselves, which are almost photo-realistic, it's worth it to see how a master with 20 years of experience moves his hands. [via Boing Boing]

Working handcuff made with Makerbot

Collin Cunningham — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:00:37 -0800

From the MAKE Flickr pool

Flickr member Giant Eye created a handcuff mechanism with his Makerbot Cupcake CNC -

3d printers are incredibly boss, cool, fantastic, and other words that mean they make me tingle. I designed these handcuffs (okay I've only printed one out at the moment) using only fdm printable parts.

Nice work! Check out the project plans on Thingiverse.

Make: Gift Guide 2009: Gifts that will inspire your kids

Marc de Vinck — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:30:00 -0800

The holiday season is a great time of year, especially for kids! This year I came up with a list of products that will inspire your children, and let you in on the fun too! Many of these recommendations were inspired by my own childhood. I certainly made a lot of kits growing up, and I've included a few of my favorites in this list! Remember, the holiday season is a great time to start a new project with your kids. Teach them something new, get involved....and don't forget to have some fun!

Haba architectural blocks (OOMPA, $16.49 - $89.99)
I was lucky enough as a kid to have a really cool set of blocks that were made by my grandfather. We made houses, mazes for our little rodent friends, racetracks, and just about anything else you could imagine. Most blocks today are standard squares and rectangles, maybe an arch or two. Haba blocks are the exception. They make an incredible variety of blocks, including Baroque Building Blocks, the Coliseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Castle parts, and a lot more. Be sure to click through all the pages to see the complete line of Haba architectural building blocks.

Drawdio Kit (Maker Shed, $19.50)
Drawdio is a really fun DIY electronics kit and musical instrument. It's easy to assemble, and fun to hack! Drawdio has been kid-tested at my house for many hours, and is a hit with everyone who tries it! The kit requires some soldering, but you could make that into a great learning experience for your little engineer in training.

Drawdio is an electronic pencil that lets you make music while you draw! It's a great project for beginners: An easy kit with instant gratification! Essentially, its a very simple musical synthesizer that uses the conductive properties of pencil graphite to create different sounds. The result is a fun toy that lets you draw musical instruments on any piece of paper.

Telescope (Orion, $49.95 - $300+)
I have to admit, I never owned a telescope, but that may change soon. Recently, I've been researching telescopes, both DIY and commercial versions. I plan on getting a truss tube Dobsonian scope one day, but they're fairly expensive, so I might have to wait a while longer, or try to make a DIY version. Orion seems to have a nice selection of beginner scopes, at reasonable prices. However, do your research before making any large investment.

Paxtruder

Becky Stern — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:26 -0800

Charles Pax is working on a new MakerBot extruder he's aptly calling the Paxtruder. It makes it super easy to change out the plastic filament, and can even be butted up against another one of itself for potential support material extrusion one day. Check out the plans on Thingiverse.

DIY capacitive pressure sensor tile

Sean Michael Ragan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

I am a sucker for a good SketchUp exploded view (although I think the screws shown in this one just have to be wrong). This plan comes from the usbddr project. From the readme file:

usbddr is firmware for the Atmel ATMega8 which implements a usb controller ("dance pad") for games such as stepmania. In contrast to other homebrew dance pads, it uses capacitive sensing, eliminating mechanical wear and allowing adjustable sensitivity.

There's some good discussion of the project over at Hack a Day,

Sparkfun's free day January 7th

Becky Stern — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:27:30 -0800

Sparkfun is giving away things for free on January 7!

You can blame it on Chris Anderson's book Free. After reading his book, I started kicking around the idea of what we can do that's 'free'. Sure, we have free bits (open-source hardware designs, available code, etc.), but we don't have free physical widgets. Now combine that with our love of creating shear havoc (AVC, C&D letter, Portable Rotary Phone), and you get Free Day.
Nobody gives away a free physical thing. There's always a catch. So up front: you have to pay shipping. Other than that, it's open season.

$100 max per household

You pay shipping

Limit of $100,000 in giveaways for the day

Starts 9AM MST January 7th, 2010

Ends 11PM MST January 7th, 2010 (or when we hit $100k, whichever comes first)

Rainchecks for popular items will be allowed

SPARK Project #3, Post #2

Kipp Bradford — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0800

Blinking an LED and transmitting text to a serial terminal is not the most exciting thing in the world, but it's very cool to breathe life into a balky computer, even at the most basic level. Also, I have worked with enough development tools to know that it can be a lot of work going from the first build to basic function. Many vendors, like National Instruments, Texas Instruments, and others, have recognized the value of making a good first impression, while preserving all the power and sophistication available to the user. I do understand that ease of use can be hard to achieve, especially with complex, powerful tools. I own a small Sherline CNC mill that I built up with 3-phase brushless motors, a custom motor controller, and optical limit switches. It was a fun project, especially building the machine and seeing it run for the first time. I use it much less frequently than I would like, but it's been very handy for many of my projects. The mill is powerful enough for small projects, and simple enough that I can ignore it for several months without forgetting how to use it. I also have a little experience running large industrial CNC mills. I could make a lot of cool devices if I had a 5-axis commercial CNC machine, but using the machine effectively would require a substantial and continuous investment of time. Given what can go wrong, improper operation resulting from infrequent practice can be disastrous.

I've experienced a similar comparison between Windows Embedded CE and other prototyping and development tools I've worked with. For simple embedded projects, I use a wide variety of tools, from Arduino to ARM and others. I like to program in C or C++, using assembly only when I have to. I have been known to slip uLinux into projects when I can. These systems are like the Sherline CNC mill. They have limitations, yet are valuable from an ease-of-use perspective. Windows Embedded CE is more like the large industrial CNC mill - very powerful once time has been invested.

Now about those XBees, check out the Microsoft SPARK site for more!

Dance of the Christmas Robots

Matt Mets — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0800

It's still way too early for holiday music and decorations, however this was too good to pass up. Robobuilder made this RoboBuilder Xmas Dance Routine to demonstrate the capabilities of their 5720t 'Huno' robotics kit. Ok, I'll take ten. [via neatorama]

Make: Holiday Gift Guide 2009: DIY photography

Matt Mets — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:30:00 -0800

Know someone that is interested in photography? Or a tinkerer who wants to present their work in a better light? Then we have a guide for you! Here are some project and gear recommendations to help you find the perfect present.

Make them a photo with DIY bokeh effects (Free, if you have the equipment)
Use your leet photography skillz to make a photo that you can give as a gift, with a bokeh filter made from a piece of cardstock.

Jonathan Wolfe's puzzle acorns

Sean Michael Ragan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

My buddy Jon makes these awesome little puzzle boxes from acorns. There are four shown in the video: one pair consisting of a smaller hinged acorn that nests, matryoshka-style, inside a larger one with a wire spring latch; a larger, locking nut that is opened by removing a small pin; and, finally, a large hinged version that is unlatched by knocking it against a surface from a certain angle. Besides this post, the project doesn't have any web presence to speak of, but Jon says its fine to e-mail him directly if you are interested in more information.

A breadboard for your groaning board

Gareth Branwyn — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0800

The folks at Sparkle Labs have put up a cute project on their site. It's a simple LED circuit on a breadboard (built with their Discover Electronics Kit), with some Turkey papercraft attached, to create a Thanksgiving table decoration. This is a great way to get your kids involved in a basic electronics project that becomes part of the holiday festivities (er... for those of you in the States).

Thanksgiving LED Turkey centerpiece project

EmbeddedSPARK 2010 Challenge

Gareth Branwyn — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0800

Microsoft is running another contest for 2010 centered on embedded systems and their embeddedSPARK platform, the Windows embedded software for hobbyists. The grand prize this year is a $15,000. The theme is "Fun & Games." See the embeddedSPARK website for all of the contest details.

embeddedSPARK 2010 Challenge

Homebrew solar light

Matt Mets — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800

To give his pepper plants some extra light during the winter months, João Silva decided to set up a solar-powered light that would charge during the day, then light a lamp after dark. Rather than simply scavenging a circuit from an old garden lamp, though, he designed his own SolarLamp circuit from scratch. It looks like a fun project, and he has a good explanation of the issues that he ran into when designing a circuit to work at low voltages. As a bonus, he used the open source circuit toolkit gEDA/SPICE/ngspice to design and simulate the circuit. Excellent work!

Improved solar charger

Rural celly charger

HOW TO - Make a home-made sun jar

How the H1N1 vaccine is made

Phillip Torrone — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:00:14 -0800

How the H1N1 vaccine is made... That looks like a pick and place egg machine...

The most striking feature of the H1N1 flu vaccine manufacturing process is the 1,200,000,000 chicken eggs required to make the 3 billion doses of vaccine that may be required worldwide. There are entire chicken farms in the US and around the world dedicated to producing eggs for the purpose of incubating influenza viruses for use in vaccines. No wonder it takes six months from start to finish. But we'll get to that in a minute.

New in the Maker Shed: Dangerous Book for Boys Electronics

Maker Shed — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:00:00 -0800

The Dangerous Book for Boys Essential Electronics kit presents electronics every kid should know through fun, engaging, and impressive experiments and activities. Read a brief history of the research and discoveries associated with electricity and electronics. A full-color, 32-page, manual guides you through 30 hands-on experiments. Don't let the name fool you, It's a great kit for boys and girls!

XBee Wireless Temperature Sensor

Marc de Vinck — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0800

This wireless temperature sensor project uses an XBee, breakout board, and simple power supply to transmit temperature data to an Arduino base station. This looks like it could be easily expanded into a whole house monitoring system. [via Arduino.cc]

I decided to explore the more advanced features of XBee radios by building a remote temperature sensor. You can get quite a bit of control over an XBee radio without a microcontroller at all. You can configure the radio to send sensor readings at particular intervals when it detects changes on certain input pins.

Self-righting autonomous swarming robots

Adam Flaherty — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

As if autonomous swarming robots weren't cool enough. SensorFly, a prototype from the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, shows just how robust the current crop really is. Knock down one of these sensor-packed hovering whirlygigs and it reorients itself to take flight again in a matter of seconds. [via BotJunkie]

The SensorFly is a novel low-cost controlled-mobile aerial sensor networking platform. A flock of these 29g autonomous helicopter nodes with communication, ranging and collaborative path determination capabilities, can be extremely useful in sensing survivors after disasters or adversaries in urban combat scenarios.

USB sofa - never lose your flash drive again

Collin Cunningham — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:30:54 -0800

For those bored by the portability of thumb drives, a 14GB furniture set designed to encourage data sharing -

The sofas were made by creative design studio Cabracega for last year's International Festival for the Post-Digital Creation Culture (OFFF). As you can see (you'll have to squint a little) the sofas have USB cables coming out of them. The 4 sofas store a total of 14GB of files which doesn't seem like a lot, but I'm pretty sure no other storage device can accommodate up to 4 people

Sure beats a built-in magazine rack! (unless of course you're laptop-less): [via Geekologie]

USB pet rock

Sean Michael Ragan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:04:51 -0800

Wish I'd thought of this gag first. The USB pet rock from ThinkGeek has all the functionality of the original pet rock, but is USB compatible.

ArduiNIX demo looks pretty darn cool

Collin Cunningham — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:30:55 -0800

From the MAKE Flickr pool

Some Nixie tube eye candy courtesy of the ArduiNIX shield. More on its usage with Arduino over at Flock of Butterflies.

Make: Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Blinky Blinky

Matt Mets — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0800

What's better for a holiday gift then LEDs? More LEDs! Trick out your festivities with these blinky kits!

MiniPOV Kit ($18)
The canonical LED project, this persistence of vision (POV) kit spells out a message when you shake it. Perfect for someone learning to solder, the kit includes everything you need to build and display your own messages on a screen that you have to shake to see.

Peggy 2 LED Display Kit ($100, LEDs extra)
An updated version of the original Peggy, this board should provide all of the LED action that one can handle. Solder up to 625 LEDs into the circuit board, program in some animations, and you've got a re-usable holiday decoration or radiant gift!

OpenSCAD: Constructive solid geometry CAD at long last

Sean Michael Ragan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

My first introduction to 3D modelling, way back in 1999, was ray-tracing with the classic freeware Persistence of Vision (POV-Ray) package. The whole point of POV-Ray was (and is) to program a virtual 3D scene that can be rendered into still images very slowly, but in amazing detail, using ray-tracing algorithms. It was never about producing models for 3D printing or other computer-assisted manufacture techniques. But what was cool about POV-Ray was that, at least in its native implementation, there was no GUI or WYSIWYG interface. To make POV-Ray models, you used a text editor to program objects using so-called "constructive solid geometry" (CSG) techniques, in which complex forms were built up as unions, differences, and/or intersections of "primitive" shapes like cubes, circles, and prisms. It was all done in a special programming language native to the POV-Ray environment. To see what you'd made, you had to render the file.

Almost a decade later, when I started messing around with modern 3D modelling software for the purpose of rapid prototyping, I was disappointed to discover that my POV-Ray CSG skills did not port. Everything was resource-hungry interactive WYSIWYG interfacing, which definitely has its advantages, but also typically has a pretty steep learning curve as you learn just to move around the virtual 3D space of the modelling environment. It can be difficult to select exactly the point you want, to snap exactly to the distance you intend, and so forth. For a couple of personal projects, I manage to kludge together some tools that would let me design objects in POV-Ray and then convert them to STL files, but it was always an unreliable and wonky process.

So I was really stoked this morning to read this post over on the Thingiverse Blog about the advent of OpenSCAD, which does for 3D CAD what POV-Ray did for raytracing. At long last, you can program your 3D CAD models instead of sculpting them. And it's free! I can hardly wait to try it out.

Peggy 2LE, "Mini Peggy"

Becky Stern — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:00:53 -0800

Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories has released Peggy 2LE:

Peggy 2LE ("little edition") is a diminutive version of our popular Peggy 2 LED "pegboard" an open-source LED matrix display. Peggy 2 is big, designed to fit a 25x25 grid of 10 mm LEDs. Peggy 2LE is mostly the same, just smaller: it's designed to fit 5 mm LEDs.

What's New in Peggy 2LE?

Peggy 2LE supports the same basic functionality as the larger Peggy 2: it drives up to 625 LEDs of up to 5 mm size. Still open-source and hackable. Arduino compatible. Code-compatible with Peggy 2-- every Peggy 2 program can run on the Peggy 2LE.

The four main differences between the two are:

   1. Peggy 2LE is smaller-- about 1/4 the size.

   2. Peggy 2LE does not have a battery box. You can still use batteries if you want to (3xD cell) but a holder is no longer on board. Instead, it's designed to run off of an ac power adapter.

   3. Peggy 2LE does not have the breadboard-style prototyping area on board. (Did we mention that it's smaller?)

   4. Peggy 2LE can be built with a hardware serial port.

Photos from Make: Tokyo Fall 2009

Matt Mets — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0800

Jim Grisanzio went to the Make: Tokyo Fall 2009 meeting and took some gorgeous photos of the event. For more, check out the Flickr sets by Yoshikawa Hiroyuki and whaleforset. Looks like it was fun! [Thanks Dale!]

Universal doorknob opening robot for the disabled

Sean Michael Ragan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Interesting article over on New Scientist about Erin Rapacki's design for a "low-cost" robot that can be used by the wheelchair-bound to grip, turn, and push or pull on most kinds of doorknobs. Maybe my sense of how much this sort of thing should cost is way off, but $2000 still seems pricey to me, although I guess at the prototype stage it's pretty impressive. [via Popular Science]

Toolbox: Maker sartorial, part 1

Gareth Branwyn — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:30:00 -0800

In the Make: Online Toolbox, we focus mainly on tools that fly under the radar of more conventional tool coverage: in-depth tool-making projects, strange or specialty tools unique to a trade or craft that can be useful elsewhere, tools and techniques you may not know about, but once you do, and incorporate them into your workflow, you'll wonder how you ever lived without them. And, in the spirit of the times, we pay close attention to tools that you can get on the cheap, make yourself, or refurbish.

One might think that a geek, a techie, a maker, might not be that particular about what he or she wears. We're certainly not likely to be paying attention to what the latest fashion crazes are or what's sashaying down the runways of Paris and New York. But ask said maker/geek about what he or she is wearing and carrying in his or her pockets, and you'll likely get a very long, precision rant on the functionality, durability, and methods of everything. Geeks might be no less particular about clothing, accessories, and personal items, they're just likely more focused on substance than style (or have a very unique take on style). We asked a bunch of folks in the maker/hacker community to tell us something about what they wear and carry and why. Here's a sampling of what they had to say.

We got such a tremendous response that we're going to split this Toolbox into two parts. Part 1 will cover clothing, shirts, pants, footwear, and outerwear. Part 2 will look at bags, pouches, and cases, pens, notebooks, and other carried items.

Shirts (with pockets!)
One of the first things we noticed as a trend was makers telling us they only wear shirts with pockets (so they can carry pens, small notebooks, etc.). This is a particular obsession of mine. I don't want to wear anything that doesn't have a pocket (including my T-shirts). It so bums me out that, even geek-targeted T-shirts don't have pockets! Hey geek/maker/hacker community (and that means you too, Maker Shed!) -- industrious, creative, big-brained people want to carry pens, 3x5 cards, and other tools that don't live so well in pants pockets. Give us pockets in our T-shirts -- and not those matchbook-sized ornamental pockets -- real pockets!

Keith Hammond, MAKE's Copy Chief, recommended Ben Davis shirts. Jeff Casimir, of HacDC and Jumpstart Lab, also recommended these shirts. Keith Hammond writes:

I'm a longtime fan of Ben Davis short sleeve shirts, 1/2 zipper front -- bombproof, grease-resistant work fabric (great for workshop or bike commute), cut loose (that's why hip-hoppers love 'em, also great for bike commutes), and not one but two shirt pockets, with a pencil slot on the left one. Plus, the ape logo, evoking our tool-using primate superiority.

Pants

Not surprisingly, a lot of people said they're fond of cargo pants, but they didn't give specific brand recommendations. That's what I frequently wear. I especially like them when I travel because you can easily access the lower pockets from a plane seat (and there are plenty of pockets to hold all of your carry-on gear). I buy a lot of my cargos from Old Navy. For the spring and summer, I wear their thin, light cotton cargos. In the fall and winter, I switch to a thicker, more rugged fabric. Prices run from $20 (on sale) to $40.

MAKE pal Kent Barnes swears by Blåkläder pants. "They take knee pad inserts, which is very important to me." Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Toolbox | Digg this!

LED Christmas tree card

Gareth Branwyn — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:30:00 -0800

Ian Lesnet, who used to write for Hack A Day, did the Bus Pirate project, and now runs Dangerous Prototypes, has this cool little hackable LED holiday card/ornament (don't tell Adafruit). The ATtiny13A-driven card comes in two flavors, an already-assembled version, for $15, and a not-for-the-weak-of-heart surface-mount soldering kit, for $12. The cards are currently being manufactured and Ian hopes to have them out by Dec 18th.

Prototype: Hackable LED Christmas card & ornament

Flashback: How to Drink Beer on C-SPAN

Goli Mohammadi — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800

With the Thanksgiving holiday nearly upon us here in the States, I suspect there will be a lot of beer drinking and watching television happening over the long weekend. For those of us who know that life is not a spectator sport, there's this week's flashback from the pages of MAKE Volume 07. Bill Barminski shows us how to drink beer on C-SPAN, or at least give the impression that you are.

MAKE Volume 07 is no longer available in print, but the juicy information in it is accessible by all subscribers. Subscribe to access all back issues digitally. Also, check out Bill Barminski talking about drinking beer on C-SPAN in the Trouble Maker section of Make: television episode 103.

How to Drink Beer on C-Span
Put yourself into somebody else's video.
By Bill Barminski

OK, you're not really going to drink beer on C-SPAN or Larry King Live. But you can make it look like you did on video. I don't know why you'd want to, but let's just say you do. I know I did.

The method used to achieve this effect is called compositing. You will need a source video recorded from a television show, a replacement video you will shoot yourself, and a static matte — a shape cut out of the source video with Photoshop to hold the new video.

Live Twitter on MythBusters

Gareth Branwyn — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:01:00 -0800

Kari Byron is currently Twittering live during the MythBusters epidode they're airing tonight.

MythBusters Official on Twitter

From MAKE magazine:

Want to know how to build a hydrogen rocket? How about a laser light show in a lunchbox? Or a simple remote-controlled videocam car? Or maybe you want to go old-school and build a wooden mini sailboat or toy car launcher? All this and tons more, plus revealing photos of Adam Savage's maker childhood, can all be found in MAKE, Volume 20, "For Kids of All Ages." Get your individual copy in the Maker Shed, or subscribe now.

MoMA’s Tim Burton retrospective

Phillip Torrone — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:00:42 -0800

Sneak Preview: MoMA’s Tim Burton Retrospective @ Vulture

Taking inspiration from popular culture, Tim Burton (American, b. 1958) has reinvented Hollywood genre filmmaking as an expression of personal vision, garnering for himself an international audience of fans and influencing a generation of young artists working in film, video, and graphics. This exhibition explores the full range of his creative work, tracing the current of his visual imagination from early childhood drawings through his mature work in film. It brings together over seven hundred examples of rarely or never-before-seen drawings, paintings, photographs, moving image works, concept art, storyboards, puppets, maquettes, costumes, and cinematic ephemera from such films as Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, Mars Attacks!, Ed Wood, and Beetlejuice, and from unrealized and little-known personal projects that reveal his talent as an artist, illustrator, photographer, and writer working in the spirit of Pop Surrealism. The gallery exhibition is accompanied by a complete retrospective of Burton’s theatrical features and shorts, as well as a lavishly illustrated publication (MoMA).

If you're in NYC and strapped for cash don't forget Fridays are free...

Admission is free for all visitors during Target Free Friday Nights, sponsored by Target, every Friday evening, 4:00–8:00 p.m. Tickets for Target Free Friday Nights are not available in advance. The line for Target Free Friday Night tickets can be long, so consider arriving after 6:00 p.m.

Thanksgiving: gratefulness on your time

Gareth Branwyn — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Ever since you made one of those turkeys out of an outline of your hand in kindergarten, you've probably been aware of the fact that Thanksgiving might not be the preeminent maker's holiday. Unless your forte is food. Or turkey papercraft.

But being thankful, taking stock of ourselves and our world, is something we should all be able to get behind as makers, even those of you who don't live in the States and aren't celebrating this particular holiday today. The subtitle of MAKE magazine is "technology on your time." It's about slowing down (likely), taking stock of your physical world, your technology, figuring out how it's made, and figuring out how to improve it, and by extension, how to improve the quality of your life in the process. So, in some ways, the ritual notion of Thanksgiving is kind of encoded within the mission of MAKE itself. That was also part of the idea behind the "ReMake America" theme of Maker Faire this year. Taking stock of what we have, the bounty we still enjoy, even during an economic crisis, and then figuring out what we can do to creatively improve the quality of our lives, using the resources at hand. It's a mission we're still on.

So on this day, we at Maker Media will slow down, sit down, take stock of what we have, of what we've accomplished (okay, and eat and drink like just-rescued castaways). And we'll think about the coming year and what we can do to better document and celebrate "technology on your time." We'll hoist a glass to all of you in the process.

Thanks for making 2009 such a great year for the maker community and thanks for supporting us in all of our Maker Media endeavors. We couldn't do it without you!

Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some hand-print turkeys to cut out and glue.

Thanksgiving project to help you work off lunch:

DIY Thanksgiving roundup 2009
CRAFT Thanksgiving roundup 2009
Thanksgiving papercraft redux (above image)

This week in Maker Events

Matt Mets — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0800

Want to get some hacking in after your Thanksgiving feast? Here are some fine maker events to check out, from The Maker Events Calendar. Wish your event was on the list? Add it to the calendar!

Coming up this week:

Hack Friday @ HackPittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Friday, Nov 27, 2009, 6pm +

Electronics 101 @Freeside
Atlanta, GA
Saturday, Nov 28, 2009, 2pm - 4pm

Make:KC - Show and Tell
Parkville, MO
Tuesday, Dec 1, 2009, 6pm - 8pm

Project Lab with Expert Included
Berkeley, CA
Tuesday, Dec 1, 2009, 3pm - 6pm

Drop-in Arduino and Electronics classes
Berkeley, CA
Tuesday, Dec 1, 2009, 7pm - 9pm

Intro to Welding @Willoughby and Baltic
Somerville, MA
Tuesday, Dec 1, 2009 to Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009, 7pm - 9pm

Woodshop Fundamentals @Willoughby and Baltic
Somerville, MA
Tuesday, Dec 1, 2009 to Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009, 7pm - 9:30pm

Build your own lightsaber! @Bug Labs
New York, NY
Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009, 1pm - 4pm

Start planning for:

Guitar Effects 101 @Hive 76
Philadelphia, PA
Monday, Dec 7, 2009, 7pm - 10pm

Sound Experiments and Experimental Sound @Bug Labs
New York, NY
Wednesday, Dec 9, 2009, 5:45pm - 7:30pm

Introduction to the AVR Micro Controller @Hive 76
Philadelphia, PA
Saturday, Dec 12, 2009, 5pm - 8pm

GO-Tech (Ann Arbor, MI) December Meeting
Ann Arbor, MI
Tuesday, Dec 8, 2009, 7pm - 10pm

Event Photos (from left): Show and Tell, Artumnal Gathering, Screen Printing, Robogames Benefit, Installfest

Nine year old does ad-hoc commercial for MAKE/Maker Shed

Gareth Branwyn — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:30:00 -0800

A reader named Jim from Arizona sent us an email a while back about his nine year old son, Schuyler, aka "Doctor Professor," who wanted to join the Make: Money program to fund his DIY, robotics, and electronics projects. At nine, the kid is already teaching Arduino to 4-18 year olds in the Phoenix area.

We were so tickled by the letter, and the precocious Doctor Professor, that we decided to send him a little Maker Shed surprise package. The above video is Schuyler opening the package and gushing over the items inside (and plugging them as great holiday gifts!). Hey, unlike most adults we know, he actually knows how to pronounce "Duemilanove" (or close enough).

That is one enthused kid! We're going to go ahead and imagine that every recipient of a Maker Shed package gets this jacked up over it. (Dad Jim did tell us that he might have withheld the box for a few days to get as much best-behavior out of Schuyler as possible... So he was charged to full anticipatory capacitance by the time the video camera rolled.)

Thanks to Jim for sending us the video. And thanks to the good Doctor for being such a cool kid and spreading the word on open source hardware to a new generation of makers. Let us know how your Make: Money program is going and what sorts of projects you make with all the loot your acquire.

Enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving from all your pals at Maker Media!

You can find out more about the Make: Money program here.

The chemistry of Thanksgiving

Gareth Branwyn — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0800

Members of the American Chemical Society show you how a pop-up turkey timer works.

The Chemistry of Thanksgiving

More:
Lots more chemistry on MAKE in the Make: Science Room

Taking an open source approach to hardware...

Phillip Torrone — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:57:25 -0800

Taking an Open-Source Approach to Hardware @ WSJ.com...

The main producer of the Arduino is Smart Projects Snc, based in the tiny town of Scarmagno, Italy. This year, the two-person firm is on track to sell at least 60,000 of the microcontrollers, which retail for at least $30 a piece, up from 34,000 last year. Owner Gianluca Martino, an electrical engineer, has had to contract out much of the production to keep up with growth. It's a peculiar predicament, since the Arduino's designs are on the Internet for anyone to download and use.While there are clones on the market, the microcontrollers that Mr. Martino produces, with the map of Italy printed on the back of it, are by far the most popular.

This is huge! Open source hardware in the WSJ!

New in the Maker Shed: Fuel Cell X7 kit

Maker Shed — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:00:00 -0800

With the Fuel Cell X7 kit you can assemble and experiment with a unique reversible hydrogen Fuel Cell. This fuel cell kit provides a playful introduction to one of the most significant technologies of the 21st Century. With this kit you can build a model car that actually runs on water! The full-color, 16-page manual contains easy, step-by-step instructions for assembling and using the car, as well as scientific explanations.

Make: Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Gifts you can make

Becky Stern — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:01:00 -0800

Forget Black Friday, 3am sales, and long lines of unhappy people buying giant flatscreen TVs, it's time to MAKE something this holiday season! Impress your loved ones with a truly special gift from the heart, not from a store. Spend the day after Thanksgiving with your family and friends, making gifts instead of trying to remember where you parked the car.

Beer

Homemade beer makes a fantastic gift. It's fun to make and celebratory to share! I've found the best way to get started in brewing is to brew with an experienced friend (thanks to Contributing Writer Matt Mets for being that friend to me), but if that's not feasible check out the Home Brewing Wiki to see what you'll need to get set up and even find a local brew store near you.

How-To: Homemade Crescent Rolls

Rachel Hobson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, I'm already starting to drool over all the amazing food that we'll be having. These homemade crescent rolls from Calli of Make it Do look like they would be a mouth-watering addition to any holiday table. The pictures are making me so hungry!

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Bake a Turkey-Shaped Cake

Natalie Zee Drieu — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0800

Bake a Turkey-Shaped Cake
By Cathy Callahan

How about cake instead of pie this Thanksgiving? I don't mind pie but am really more of a cake person. This turkey-shaped cake is a fun way to introduce a cake to the dessert table and is also fun for kids to make for Thanksgiving. And if the "pie people" turn their noses up at it? At least it can also double as decoration for the table.

With the big holiday just around the corner I'm sure many of you are starting to pour over your favorite cookbooks in search of recipes. I really don't own many cookbooks and am an advocate for just having a few really good ones on hand. There's been a lot of talk about classic cookbooks lately. Of course we all love Julia Child's The Way to Cook. The Joy of Cooking has been a staple in kitchens for many generations. On many people's lists of "must haves" are The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, How to Cook Everything, Beard on Food and the list goes on.

But to me an overlooked classic is Baker's Coconut Cut-Up Cakes (1956 edition). Why not have a little fun in the kitchen? It was updated in 1959 and retitled Baker's Coconut Animal Cut-Up Cakes. It was published by Baker's to promote their "Angel Flake Coconut" product. At any given time there are usually a few listed on eBay and there is oftentimes a bidding war to get the older ones. You can sample some pages of the book in charm and poise's Flickr set.

Cut-up cakes are all about the reconfiguration of the standard layer or sheet cake. Following the illustrations, the cake is cut into shapes and arranged to resemble things like boats, bunnies, witches, etc. and then iced, sprinkled with coconut, and decorated with candy; the boat eveb gets Lifesavers for the portholes. And they all have cute names.
I have made the "Ella Elephant," "Fanny the Fish," and "Dear Santa."

I just made the "Gobble-Gobble Gobbler" as a dry run for this Thanksgiving. I tried to follow the recipe as best I could but I have to be honest that a little more explanation would have been helpful. I did have a couple of mishaps and had to approach this project like a small scale construction project. So here I've adapted the original directions in hopes that it will make it a little easier for you. Make sure you wear an apron because it's a very messy, but fun, undertaking.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Anna Maria Horner's Folksy Flannels

Natalie Zee Drieu — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

I'm drooling over the new Anna Maria Horner line of flannel printed fabrics called Folksy Flannels. Anna's put together a few bundles in precut stacks that are perfect for upcoming holiday projects.

From the site:

Good Morning & Good Night are the two cozy palettes that make up the 16 piece collection. Printed on your favorite Westminster cotton flannel this warm and wonderful collection is perfect for pajamas, blankets, soft toys and more!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Soft Radiators

Becky Stern — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:29:31 -0800

Swedish designer Hedvig af Ekenstam makes soft decorative radiators from heating cables; I love the patterns, and her name! [via Fashioning Technology]

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Snowing Presents Advent Calendar

Rachel Hobson — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

I love this charming take on the traditional advent calendar from Pickles. It depicts two children trying to jump up to get hanging presents from the sky. Each present is attached by string to a small ring, and can be opened day by day during Advent. Adorable! [via @zakkalife]

Read this article | Comment on this article

Recycled Paper Hawaiian Lei

Brookelynn — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800

Aloha! I love this crafty version of the Hawaiian lei. I see them on everyone everywhere here in Waikiki. I think it's wonderful. This instructable, by user zigglau, has great photographs and easy steps. I think the petals look like butterflies! Plus, you make an everlasting lei that might fade, but will never wilt!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Chronicle Books' Friends and Family Holiday Sale

Natalie Zee Drieu — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Chronicle Books is having a special Friends and Family Holiday Sale! Get 35% off all books with free shipping to boot! Use the promo code FRIENDS at checkout from now until Dec 4th.

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Papercut Portrait

Rachel Hobson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Paul from Dude Craft has created a wonderful, thorough video tutorial for creating these cool papercut portraits. I can't wait to try it!

Read this article | Comment on this article

CRAFT Flickr Pool Weekly Recap

Becky Stern — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:57:25 -0800

This week in the CRAFT Flickr pool we saw:

Winter warmers by birthday everyday!

citrine capelet / gloves set

chocolate-blueberry tart (recipe, too!)

Timber Jim embroidery

puppy dog face polyme r clay millefiori cane

Read this article | Comment on this article

Lightbulb Terrarium

Brookelynn — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800

Omg, omg, omg. This is the ultimate in creative terrarium recycled containers.

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Sweater to Caplet

Rachel Hobson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800

Alexis of My Mama Made It shares a great tutorial for transforming a sweater into a stylsih caplet. She even shows how to shift the way it's worn so it can take on several different styles. [via Oh So Crafty]

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Poach an Egg

Becky Stern — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:40 -0800

I love eggs Florentine, but poached eggs can be an intimidating project to take on. Not any more! Instructables user starburst552 shows us how in her poached egg tutorial.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Tips For Holiday Baking

Rachel Hobson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800

I always head in to the holiday season with grand ideas of baking cookies for decorating with the kids and giving to friends and neighbors. And, yet, I always seem to get slammed by the craze as we get close to Christmas and never make it happen. That's why I'm so glad to see these brilliant tips for holiday baking from Pam of Gingerbread Snowflakes. She give great tips on preparing cookies early and freezing and shows how to make the freezing a success. I'm already feeling more prepared for this holiday season!

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Monster Business Card Holder

Becky Stern — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:39 -0800

What a conversation piece! Instructables user alittlestranger shows us how to make a fuzzy monster pouch for your business cards. A craft fair must!

Read this article | Comment on this article

CRAFT Holiday Gift Guide 2009: For The Hand Embroiderer

Rachel Hobson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:25:00 -0800

Here are gift ideas for the hand embroiderer in your life. Whether they are just starting out, or are experts, there is something for every stitcher on your list. It's also a handy list to share with the gift givers in your life. I've divided the list into three categories: books, tools and fun stuff. There is so much more that can be included, but this will get you started!

Books
I'm constantly adding to my embroidery library. I love embroidery books for instruction and inspiration, and love thumbing through them constantly. I find new things every time I read them. Here are a few books that I consider essential for the hand embroiderer's library.

The Stitches of Creative Embroidery by Jacqueline Enthoven
This is one of my all-time favorite embroidery books. Enthoven's charming writing style (her introduction to the book should be required reading for any embroiderer) and detailed stitch descriptions and varieties make this book invaluable. It's a must-have for any hand embroidery enthusiast. You'll often find this book at local second-hand book stores on online at auctions or Amazon's used listings.

Embroidered Effects by Jenny Hart
Jenny's new book is full of great information including stitch instructions, stitch combinations, and hugely useful lessons on all aspects of getting started with hand embroidery. Topping off the thorough instruction are dozens of cool projects and reusable transfers. Embroidered Effects is another must-have for any hand embroidery enthusiast.

Manga Cross-Stitch: Make Your Own Graphic Art Needlework by Helen McCarthy
For the cross-stitch enthusiast, be sure to check out the cool Manga Cross-Stitch book. It includes dozens of great Japanese-inspired graphics and a CD with tons of printable charts to use. The CD even includes a program that allows you design your own cross-stitch charts!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Punchneedle Poinsettia Pattern

Natalie Zee Drieu — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0800

June at PlanetJune as a free pattern to make her punchneedle poinsettia.
June writes:

This 2.5″ Poinsettia design uses Punchneedle Embroidery for a fast and festive result. It can be made as an applique and attached to almost anything to give it a more Christmassy feel!

For more punchneedle lessons and patterns, check out June's eBook, The Punchneedle Handbook that will teach you everything you need to know!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Egg Crate Flowers: Napkin Holders & Centerpiece Flowers

Natalie Zee Drieu — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Egg Crate Flower Napkin Holders & Centerpiece Flowers
By Sonya Nimri

Reduce, reuse, recycle ... reinvent! Egg crate flowers make a fantastic craft because they are probably one of the easiest materials to find around the house. They tear apart easily and paint beautifully with nothing but a little food coloring.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Me, My Scarf, and I Contest: Last Day for Entries!

Natalie Zee Drieu — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

The Me, My Scarf, and I Contest deadline for entries is tonight at 11:59 p.m. PDT! Get your entries in for a chance at winning a Singer ProFinish Serger!

To submit an entry, simply take a picture of yourself wearing your scarf, include a description of how the scarf describes your personality, and submit it to the Me, My Scarf, and I Contest Flickr Group.

Each entry will be judged based on the following criteria: creativity of design, description of how the scarf represents the creator, and the use of a sewing machine in the creation process. Please see Official Rules for more information on the Winner selection.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Zipper Jewelry by Louise Lowenstein

Shawn Connally — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

I'm loving this zipper jewelry by Louise Lowenstein, recently featured on Book of Joe. Smart and sassy!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Phillip Toledano's Hope and Fear

Becky Stern — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:00:28 -0800

I'm in love with this photo series by Phillip Toledano called Hope and Fear. NSFW warning, one of the photos contains breasts. [via Teagan Tall]

Read this article | Comment on this article

Handmade in Hawaii

Brookelynn — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0800

Yesterday I visited a craft faire right off the beach in Waikiki. It's a monthly event called Handmade in Hawaii, featuring crafters and artisans who create jewelry, clothing, housewares, art and all types of crafts. The faire also has amazing food, music, and even traditional Hawaiian massage. It's presented by the Handcrafters and Artisans Alliance, and you can find more information about the schedule here.

These shorts are made from recycled rice sacks.

I love the shell necklaces. They make very bold statements.

Fresh tropical fruit is the perfect snack for staying cool in the heat while shopping.

I saw a ton of jewelry, but these carvings caught my eye because they are so different. I can't imagine how much work goes into each piece.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Threadless + Crafty = Threadknits

Rachel Hobson — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800

The folks over at Threadless tees have just launched a crafty contest where entrants can share their knit or crochet projects that are inspired by one of Threadless' countless cool t-shirt designs. The contest runs to January 18, 2010, and promises cool prizes. Read all the rules and entry information over at Threadknits. [via @kate_mckean]

Read this article | Comment on this article

Paper Mushroom Sculpture

Becky Stern — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:00:47 -0800

Sean @ MAKE points us to this amazing video of an origami master making a lifelike mushroom from one piece of paper.

Read this article | Comment on this article

National Tie One On Day

Rachel Hobson — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800

In our house, preparations for the Thanksgiving meal are already underway. Groceries have been purchased, and a schedule for cooking and baking is in place. As the hustle and bustle in the kitchen commences, we have the oppotunity to pause and take a moment to think of our friends and neighbors. The National Tie One On Day is tomorrow, November 25.

Celebrated on the eve of Thanksgiving - November 25 this year - National Tie One On Day is an opportunity to share our bounty by wrapping a loaf of bread or other baked good in an apron, along with a note of encouragement tucked in the pocket; then "tie one on" (an apron, of course!) and deliver the wrapped bundle to someone in need of a kind gesture.

Read more about the event, sponsors, recipes and ideas on Apron Memories. [Thanks, Sarah!]

Read this article | Comment on this article

Wind-Sensitive Light-Up Dress

Becky Stern — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:00:36 -0800

Stijn Ossevoort designed this dress, called Flare, which is embellished with wind-sensitive electronic dandelions. I wish there were a video of it in action, or some more information on how the dress is sensing air movement! [via Fashioning Technology]

Read this article | Comment on this article

Simple Embroidered Stockings

Natalie Zee Drieu — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Molly at The Purl Bee shows you how to make your own simple embroidered stockings which includes an alphabet pattern you can trace.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Knifty Knitter Loom-Along: Alice Wrist Warmers - Checkin' In and Q&As

Natalie Zee Drieu — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0800

Hello LALers! We are loving all the wonderful Alice Wrist Warmers you are making with your flower loom in the Knifty Knitter Loom-Along! See all the great photos in the slideshow at the end of the post.

If you are joining in, don't forget that to post your photos into the Knifty Knitter Flickr Group. Each photo is an entry eligible to win a host of free giveaway prizes: a Cricut, a Knifty Knitter Long Loom set, and signed copies of Vickie Howell's books. There's still plenty of time to join in! Here's the link to the pattern. The LAL officially ends on December 1st at 11:59pm PST.

Here's some Q&A's from the discussion group:

Question about the pattern re: size
kristin_a: It's for a medium, 8" circumference. What should I do if my circumference is 8.5"? Should I wrap around the pegs in a looser fashion? Use stretchier yarn?

Vickie Howell: Yeah, wrapping a bit looser will probably work just fine. You could also only use 1 strand of worsted weight, but they'd be much more open weave.

Another option is to just work the whole piece flat and then seam it together, leaving a slit for the thumb on the side. There might be a proper way to do this, but I'd probably just work the whole piece as I describe for the thumb section where you work back & forth, instead of in rounds.

HTH!,
Vickie

Question about wrapping yarn...

linzserena: Hello! I don't know if I've been wrapping my yarn correctly. I made a little diagram (in pics - called loom) to show what I've been doing. I've been doing method A.. tried method B but found it was WAY too difficult to "cast off" or "hook off". I finished one glove using method A but it didn't look like the example. I'll post pics in a bit.

JenLava: A is correct. At least that is what I've been doing and it looks like the example. Good Luck!

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post to the discussion forum in the Knifty Knitter Loom-Along Flickr Group.

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Crochet Garland

Rachel Hobson — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0800

This sweet garland from Dottie Angel would make a delightful decoration for the winter season. See how to make one with the tutorial here.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Book Review + Giveaway: Super Simple Sewing

Natalie Zee Drieu — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Sewing was one of the first crafts that I was really into as a wee kid. I learned from my mom and figured out what I could from trial and error. If only at the time this book, Super Simple Sewing was available. This book + kit comes with materials and instructions needed to make three easy sewing projects: a purse, bird, and felt bracelet. The materials are safe for kids and sets them up for sewing success. A shoe-string style thread with attached cord-catcher eliminates the need for knots and also gives the projects a pretty bead look. I loved that the pre-printed fabrics and felt are all perforated with holes. The instructions show you how to sew through the projects each step of the way so in the end your child has a finished project to play with while learning basic sewing techniques.

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Make a Tropical Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Brookelynn — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Being in Hawaii for the Thanksgiving holiday has given me countless things to be thankful for. The Hawaiian flavors, tropical colors, and generous attitude are truly one of a kind. Even if you are not on the islands, you can reinvent your mainland holiday with a twist! Gather flowers at the florist, and then visit an Asian food market for unusual fruits. You can build this centerpiece in less time than it takes to make the mashed poi! Aloha!

Many thanks to the Hotel Renew, and it's kind and helpful staff. Renew has been my home away from home for this trip, and it's modern design and floral arrangements have been extremely inspiring. Mahalo (thank you) for the use of the lobby for this tutorial!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Getting Used to My Knitting Machine

Becky Stern — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:00:41 -0800

I recently set up my Brother KH-930E knitting machine with its ribbing attachment, and here it is spitting out a long scarf, followed by a picture of another scarf I made today. We've had some tricky times together, but I'm finally wielding this 20 year-old machine with fury. Rawr! With the ribber, I can knit all kinds of ribbing, racking patterns, and even tubes (my personal favorite). Check out more photos tagged with "knitting machine" in my Flickr.

More:

CRAFT Video: Machine-Knitted QR Code Scarf

Read this article | Comment on this article

Abundant Waste: The Gleaner's Role & Tips for Dumpster Diving

Natalie Zee Drieu — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0800

(Photo: Freegan.info, Dumpster divers in Australia)

Abundant Waste: The Gleaner's Role & Tips for Dumpster Diving
By Wendy Tremayne

A Herman Miller chair, an iPod, a commercial juicer, Charles Russell prints, a china cabinet, used vegetable oil (for fuel), 400 USB thumb drives, and a 5-foot-diameter fiberglass globe. This is a short list of items that my dumpster diving friends recalled collecting in 2009. The makers that I surveyed about waste lit up with desire while talking about the one-of-a kind goods found only in the trash. Glenn Clemmer, board member of The Capital City Arts Initiative in Nevada said about buying goods for art projects, "What fun is that? It's like cheating!" as he proudly showed me a 3-foot pig his kids dove and gifted him for his birthday. Many agree that a good find gives rise to inspiration for creating projects that were not imagined before the discovery of a great piece of trash.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Moop Bags Giveaway Winners

Natalie Zee Drieu — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:00:00 -0800

Congrats to Guinevere from San Francisco, CA and Susana from Lisboa, Portugal for both winning the Moop Bags Giveaway! Both ladies will be getting the Market Bag they picked out! Thanks to everyone for entering and visit Moop for cool handmade bags for men, women and kids.

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Applique Winter Scene

Rachel Hobson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800

I love the embroidered and appliqued scenes that Melissa of Checkout Girl's creates. Their color, detail and design make them so much fun. Now she's sharing a tutorial for how to create your own embroidered and appliqued scene perfect for the winter holidays.

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Card Designs From Simple Punches

Rachel Hobson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800

Diane of Crafty Pod has once again shared her brilliance by showing how she created loads of fantastic designs with just a few very simple paper punches. I no longer feel the need to buy tons of punches, and see a whole new potential in the ones I have now.

Read this article | Comment on this article

CRAFT Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Crafty Tools

Becky Stern — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:12:07 -0800

Since I dabble in so many different crafty activities, I've become a real gear junkie. I've come to believe that having good tools is the way to really enjoy the practice of creating, and in many cases can produce a more satisfying final output. Here are some tools that would be perfect for gifts! I try not to duplicate tools from previous guides, so check out the 2007 Crafty Tool guide, too!

Plush stuffing fork (13.95)

If you're in the practice of making plushies with long tentacles, Heather Bailey's plush stuffing fork works way better than an old chopstick for getting stuffing down into the tiniest contours.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Discover Rounds Up Knitted Science

Becky Stern — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:09:16 -0800

Funny, most of these have been on CRAFT before, but here's a nice roundup of knitted science at Discover. To be fair, though, Discover, some of them are crochet. [Thanks, Tatia!]

Read this article | Comment on this article

The Craft of Surfing

Brookelynn — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0800

While I was at the Handmade in Hawaii event this weekend, I found crafters making surfboards from scratch.The wood they were working with is from the Breadfruit tree, and was quite the score. People here avoid cutting these rare trees, but the crafters found this piece in a brush pile in someone's yard. They scavenged it and have begun to create a beautiful surfboard.

The tools they use are simple hand tools, and the shape is formed by shaving off a sliver of wood at a time. This piece has a long way to go, but I can tell that it's going to be something special. Aloha!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Recipe: Green Chile Stew

Shawn Connally — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0800

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times reports that New Mexico expats (and those in the know) can now find good quality green chile in the freezer section of grocery stores in southern California. I've checked up here in northern Cali, and we're not so lucky. So, as a good NM native living elsewhere, I have my green chile shipped in.

Years ago I'd show up at the greyhound bus station to pick up a pungent burlap sack of fresh green chile. I'd rush it home and we'd grill them on the outside barbecue, let them cool, then stuff them in quart-sized ziploc bags and pop them in the freezer. If we were discriminating in our usage, this could last us 2 years.

When that process got to be too time-consuming (can you say kids?), we instructed any and all guests from New Mexico to bring a small ice chest with them when they came to visit. This ice chest needed to be crammed full of hot, roasted, frozen green chile.

TSA regulations messed up that plan, plus our friends and family grew tired of schlepping us heavy frozen items, so we've now taken to ordering them online. This works pretty well, although one person's "hot" might be my "mild," and some years the most popular varieties might sell out before I realize my stash is low.

My darling husband recently found 2 packages of roasted green chile in the bottom of our freezer, and there was much rejoicing! We'll use one package to add some spice to the leftover turkey in the guise of Green Chile Stew. Served with warmed flour tortillas and a Caesar salad, this is one of our family's favorites. Enjoy!

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Homemade Turkey (or Chicken) Broth

Natalie Zee Drieu — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Homemade Turkey (or Chicken) Broth
By Katie Goodman

Making homemade turkey broth is relatively simple after your Thanksgiving feast. And it tastes absolutely delicious and rich. You can control what's in it — that means no MSG and lots of flavor — when you make it yourself. This recipe for broth assumes you have already picked off any remaining meat after your Thanksgiving feast. If you haven't already done that, make sure to do that first. Then, you can use the extra meat to make homemade turkey soup using your homemade broth if you'd like.

If you have a large slow cooker, you can make the broth in that as well. Just allow it to cook on high for 1½ hours, then on low for 4 hours (or more if you'd like).

Read this article | Comment on this article

How-To: Make a Twirled Paper Octopus & Angel Fish

Natalie Zee Drieu — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:30:00 -0800

How-To: Make a Twirled Paper Octopus & Angel Fish, excerpt from Twirled Paper
By Jacqueline Lee

It's amazing what you can make with simple paper strips! With this project, kids can learn the art of quilled paper by creating these adorable paper versions of an octopus and angel fish. Recycle and cut long thin long strips of paper from old newspapers, wrapping paper, or even junk mail!

Download the PDF
(Right click mouse to save to computer. More info here on downloading PDFs.)

For more twirled paper projects like these, check out the book Twirled Paper: Make Almost Anything with Simple Paper Strips by Jacqueline Lee which comes with more than 100 paper strips in 28 different colors. You'll also get googly eyes, glue, and a twirling wand and a multitude of project ideas. As a special to CRAFT readers, get 25% off all Klutz titles by entering in the promo code CRAFT at checkout!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Downloadable Matryoshka Calendar

Rachel Hobson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

I love this downloadable Matryoshka calendar from A Print A Day. She's omitted dates so the calendars can be used again and again, and each month has a different color scheme.

Read this article | Comment on this article

Gift Guides on Make: Online

Becky Stern — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:59 -0800

I hope you've all been enjoying our gift guides so far on CRAFT! If you can't get enough or have other creative types on your list, head over to Make: Online to see Gifts for Dads, Science and Chemistry, Gifts for Kids, the Mischief Maker's Guide, and much more. We're bringing you a new guide almost every day until it's too late to ship orders, so keep checking back!

Read this article | Comment on this article

Slow Loris Handcrafted Shirts

Goli Mohammadi — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0800

I'm absolutely drawn to the hand-drawn look of these shirts from Slow Loris. Created by two artists, Jessica and Arlo, who live on a tiny chunk of land off the Puget Sound by the name of Guemes Island, you can just feel the love that went into these designs. Arlo and Jessica illustrate directly onto Rubylith film with an ink pen and X-Acto knife, and then burn screens from their designs, silk-screening each shirt by hand. Pictured above is the Home Recording Studio and below is the Engline , both of which cause the MAKE side of my brain to say "yummy!"

Read this article | Comment on this article

Happy Thanksgiving!

Natalie Zee Drieu — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0800

Hi Crafters! Happy Thanksgiving from the team at CRAFT and our little mascot, Lulu the pom! She's getting into the Thanksgiving spirit with her tiny pilgrim hat. Enjoy all the food tonight!

If you're still in need of some recipes, here's our feature this month for a Thanksgiving Feast:

Read this article | Comment on this article