From the Editor’s Desk
Letters and missives from readers like you.Page 06
Make: Volume 97 — Tech Craft
It’s a craft takeover with a tech twist! Technology doesn’t just make new gadgets possible, it’s also transforming traditional crafts of all kinds. In this issue, we celebrate the fusion of tech and craft in the spirit of our companion magazine Craft: (2006–2009). In our cover project, try out bargello embroidery and build your own glowy mini bag, powered by 3D printing and the Pixelblaze LED controller. Follow artist Kenny Sing as he uses digital design and fabrication to create stunning contemporary ceramics. Forge a knife, sew an inflatable costume, and give wood projects a deep, charred finish with the Japanese technique yakisugi. Or learn 18th-century paper quilling and then light it up with LEDs!
On the cover: Charlyn Gonda’s LED-animated Bargello Blaze Bag combines 3D printing, simple embroidery, and a tiny Wi-Fi LED controller. Photos: Charlyn Gonda and Taylor Pope
Table of Contents
Columns
Welcome
Dale Dougherty
Making and crafting, together again.Page 07
Spirits of Protection
Marshall Piros
Anya Boz creates unique “Room Guardian” art dollsPage 08
A Gentleman’s Orrery
Marshall Piros
This series from Illusionmanager beautifully shows the real time position of the planets.Page 10
Otherworldy Droids
Sam Freeman
Tomasz Opasiński’s nature-touched Star Wars droids delight.Page 11
Features
The Secret Makers of Pixar
Kevin Toyama
The world’s best storytellers are still tinkering long after they clock out.Page 12
Workshop: Dreaming of Droids
Walter Martinez Marconi
Walter Martinez Marconi takes you inside his Star Wars-stuffed LA workspace.Page 18
Woodworking Tools & Knowledge Tools
If you squint a little, the evolution of AI tools looks a lot like the evolution of woodworking tools.Page 20
Tech Craft
Crafting CRAFT:
Goli Mohammadi
Punk-rock embroidery, mathematical crochet, and LED tank tops? We had a magazine for that.Page 22
Bargello Blaze Bag
Charlyn Gonda
Learn about bargello and build your own glowy embroidered bag, powered by the Pixelblaze LED controller — no programming necessary.Page 26
The Future of Clay
Kenny Sing
How artist Kenny Sing is using digital fabrication in contemporary ceramics.Page 38
Torch It!
Len Cullum
Give wood projects that deep, dark Japanese yakisugi charred finish.Page 44
Inspirational Inflatables
Megan Gardner and Taylor Pope
Top tips for designing and sewing your perfect custom inflatable character.Page 50
Knives Out
Jennifer Blakeslee
Learning to forge an heirloom blade is its own reward.Page 54
Making Stories Move
Kimberly Gerardi
Tell visual narratives through lenticular moving imagesPage 58
Crafting Embodied Circuits
Kate Hartman
Kate Hartman (literally) wrote the book on wearable electronics. Here’s how she’s teaching the next generation.Page 60
Computer Engineering for Babies
Dale Dougherty
Introduce electrical engineering to kids while they are still in diapers.Page 64
Make a Light-Up Quilling Design
Kathy Ceceri
Learn 18th century paper quilling — and turn it into a light-up card.Page 70
More to Explore
Favorite crafters from our feeds who also share their process to show us how they do it.Page 76
Projects
Cassettone Tape Loop Synth
Rich Bernett
Make a unique analog synthesizer by hacking a cheap cassette playerPage 80
BedazzLED Jean Jacket
Debra Ansell
21st-century flower power — with powered flowers.Page 88
Squishy Tech: Mechanical Moiré
Lee Wilkins
Lee Wilkins’ interactive sculpture creates moiré patterns by day and colored shadows at nightPage 96
Instant Prints!
Taylor Waddell
Now you can build OpenCAL, the world’s first layerless, all-at-once 3D printer.Page 102
How to (Really) Pet Your (Virtual) Cat
Qingyun “Quinn” Liu, Haoyu “Rosie” Gao, Wenxuan Li, Xiaoshuo Yao, and Dachu Interactive
Build a fuzzy cat derrière sensor that works with video game engine UnityPage 106
How I Made My Own Etching Press
Moss Darci-Maher
Steel rollers and a fabbed frame make it easy to print on standard letter-size paper.Page 112
Toy Inventor’s Notebook: Don’t Drop the Donut
Bob Knetzger
Make a mini tabletop game of skill and action.Page 116
Toolbox
xTool’s Crafty Moves
Keith Hammond
Already #1 in affordable lasers, xTool launches a raft of new craft and customization machines for maker businesses.Page 120
Review: xTool F2
Matt Stultz
Page 124
Review: Liene PixCut S1
Sam Freeman
Page 125
Review: Synth:bit
Sam Freeman
Page 125
Review: Linogy Li-ion Batteries
Sam Freeman
Page 126
Review: The Great Lego Puzzle Book
Sara Bolduc
Page 126
Review: Do Maintain: How to sharpen knives, scissors and garden tools
Keith Hammond
Page 127
Review: Cytrence Kiwi+
Sam Freeman
Page 127
Over the Top
An ENIAC Replica Built by Students
Dale Dougherty
Students at PS Academy Arizona built a room-size replica of the world’s first general purpose computer.Page 128
