Makerspace: Bellevue Library Offers So Much

My focus on delight has included highlighting things that are beautiful and interesting. In this case, it is a location where the beautiful and interesting can be created.

In the last 10 years, the equipment available to make things has exploded. There are 3D printers that make something by printing with plastic, Laser cutters that can engrave wood & acrylic, Cricut-style machines that cut adhesive vinyl, leather, balsa wood, Sewing machines that can embroider intricate designs. My mind has been swirling with the possibilities. The trick is knowing what you want machine would suit you best, exploring how to use it and considering if you'd like to own one.

When I read that the Bellevue, Washington library had a Makerspace available to adults and kids I was very interested to see how it worked. For my purposes, I wanted to see a Cricut and how it worked and ask about what was required to use a laser cutter. I made a reservation for the Open Lab and spent 2 hours investigating the process.       

The staff librarian was very helpful and provided me with a laptop and headphones to log into the Cricut Online Training website so I could create an account and watch a few tutorials as I compared the video to the machine in front of me. They provide scrap vinyl and encourage attendees to plan their projects ahead of time to maximize their lab time. 

I really just wanted to be an observer and I was really interested to see a young mother and her 2 children arrive and she start using the equipment at the next table immediately. At the same time, a middle age man was designing on Adobe Creative Cloud software in one glass room, while another patron was using the laser cutter with supervision in another glass room. It was so great to see these expensive and complicated tools available to the public for free.

Anyone with drive and a library card could teach themselves how these machines work and get some hands on experience. 

I concluded that I did not have a future in cutting vinyl or wood. There are simply not enough projects that I want to make that would warrant my mastering a new machine. Yet I got a great explanation and could see it all up close, which I appreciated. I learned that I should become comfortable with Adobe Illustrator (and perhaps design what I want to print ahead of time) if I decide to pursue laser cutting. This is what I needed to know! 

Always be on the lookout for special opportunities to explore new technology or crafts. I may not be a regular patron at this library Makerspace, but I can tell people all about how it might work for them. 

#makerspace #beautifulandinteresting #finddelight #bellevuewa #technology
 

Seattle:Drygood Designs: Lunchtime Embroidery Class

This is exactly how I should be spending my time in Seattle. I signed up for a 2-session class to learn the basics of hand embroidery at a darling shop called Drygoods Design, in downtown Seattle.

The shop is gorgeous - a light filled dream sewing studio in a brand new location across from The London Plane, a cafe/specialty food store/floral workshop, that has been receiving a lot of press lately. The increased foot traffic for them can only bring new customers to Drygoods Design. Hip hip hooray!

Another plus? They brought in bread, cheese and spreads for our class to snack on during our Lunchtime Lesson. Isn't that so nice? We were grateful for the sustenance and it was nice to be spoiled with some fresh and healthy choices.

Margaret was the instructor for our 4-person beginning embroidery class as she was as kind and patient as can be. We learned enough for beginners and all felt good about our progress. Drygoods Designs offers far more than embroidery too. They have fabric and notions for sale, and classes on a myriad of sewing subjects. There selection of goods felt like a personal collection of treasures.

We practiced and experimented and were encourage all the while. It was a nice way to spend an hour and I highly recommend it. We were trying the Needle Arts.  Thread. Color. Pattern. Purely creative and very nice. We were discussing whether or not we thought we'd use a hoop and Margaret said her years of needlework were done without a form.  I chimed in that I loved to embroider when the fabric was stretched taut and my seatmate happily agreed. She said that stitching on hooped fabric was satisfying. I was with kindred spirits, there was no doubt about it. I told you that this was exactly what I should be doing on my stay in Seattle.

 

If you live in Seattle, you're lucky. You have a little piece of maker-heaven right on Occidental Street. Take a class. Make some friends. It's all here for the making.

An Assumption in Crafts: When My Knitting Doesn't Improve

I love to knit. But I want to be perfectly clear...I knit scarves. My knitting varies in color, texture, weight, pattern, purpose, season...but my project are always scarves and I am okay with that.  I can do the "knit stitch" back and forth and find it very relaxing.

There is an "assumption in crafts" that all skills need to be advanced. I disagree. The counting, shaping, decreasing of more advanced knitting projects takes all the fun out of it for me. I don't want to learn more right now. Maybe in twenty years I'll feel differently, but right now I love love love to knit (scarves).

So if you are like me and find your audience slightly disappointed when you answer their "What are you making?" question, remember this...

They asked because they are interested. Maybe they'd like you to teach them how to knit (scarves).