In this week’s video, I’ll show you how to turn a 2D barcode into a knitted scarf! This is a fun way to get information from a garment into an electronic device, such as a cell phone equipped with a barcode-scanning camera. Anyone who takes a picture of my scarf can decode the message. I used Photoshop to modify the QR code I got from Kaywa (whose barcode scarf inspired me to make my own!) into a usable knitting pattern, but you could easily use graph paper instead. I programmed the pattern into my computerized knitting machine, a Brother KH 930. If you know how to do stranded knitting (learn how here), you can knit this without a machine – just use really small needles! As a side note, a friend and I are working on an interface to download patterns directly from the computer to the knitting machine, instead of having to sit there and input every colored stitch. We’ll keep you posted!
Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v (iPhone) or mov movie.
More:
ADVERTISEMENT