The Domestic Machine: A History of Knitting Machines & The Community's Open-Source Hardware Ethos
Open source, hardware, innovation, automation, collaboration - what comes to mind with these key words? Was knitting on your BINGO card?
Long before the computer open-source coding movement had a name, knitting machine communities were living its values: sharing hardware modifications, reverse-engineering mechanisms and keeping discontinued machines alive through collective ingenuity.
Victoria Manganiello and Nicole Yi Messier from Craftwork will take us through the radical history of domestic knitting machines, from their 19th-century origins through the height of their popularity in postwar living rooms to their quiet resurgence on the internet and in makerspace communities today. We'll explore how these machines fostered a grassroots culture of repair, adaptation, and knowledge-sharing that predates and mirrors modern open hardware philosophy.
Whether you are a software coder, a hardware hacker, a history geek, a knitter, yarnie or crocheter, someone who wants to ace at knitting machine history at Trivia or anyone who hasn’t heard of this kind of open-source movement, RSVP to reserve your seat and lunch.
P.S. Documentary nerds, you are not left out: we will get a sneak preview of the upcoming documentary, “The Domestic Machine”.
We will also get a sneak preview of the documentary film The Domestic Machine.
Learn About Our Speakers
Craftwork is a multidisciplinary design and art studio that engages with the nature of textiles and technology through installations, storytelling, and material-based research. Founded by Nicole Yi Messier and Victoria Manganiello, their work operates at the intersection of materiality, technology, and experience, drawing inspiration from the history and future of soft materials. With over 20 years of combined experience, Victoria and Nicole founded Craftwork in 2022. Their background encompasses art, design, engineering, research, and technology. By combining their fascination with history with future-oriented materiality and their skills in traditional textile arts with new technologies, they create large-scale, dynamic projects with a variety of partners.
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