It is time for another edition of Needlework news, my round-up of interesting knitting, crochet and needlework news stories from around the world.
- Teaching Traditional Indian Embroidery – The Hindu (an English-language Indian daily newspaper) shared the story of Sheela Patil, an India housewife who took up embroidery to keep herself busy while her children were in school. (Does that sound familiar to anyone? 😉 ) Now she teaches other women kasuti, kundan and other forms of embroidery, as well as producing pieces for sale. Be sure to click through to see a very pretty teaching sampler.
- Knitting Stock Art – BuzzFeed has put together a humourous collection of knitting stock art. You’ve got to really wonder what some of these photographers think knitting actually is.
- A Really Old WIP – Stitchers on the island of Alderney have taken upon themselves to finish the Bayeux Tapestry. Historians believe that the tapestry originally ended with the coronation of William the Conqueror, but that particular part was missing. So, a group of stitchers picked period-matching materials and created four new panels. If you happen to be near the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Normandy, be sure to stop in and see the new panels before August 31st. And let me know all about it!
- Smart Yarn – Yen Chen Chang, a Royal College of Art student, has created a series of cool machines that are controlled with conductive yarn. The yarn has been knit or crocheted into various shapes, and then hooked up to an Arduino that measures any change in conductivity. The result: a light that turns on when you stretch a tube of knitting, or an orange juicer that makes you a drink when you squeeze a ball. Very cool. Check out the video below.
