One of the ends of my backpack's zipper broke, allowing the zipper to zip all the way off! This little trinket clips on to the zipper tracks, preventing the zipper from unzipping too far!

I made both a version that clips on, and one that has some little slots to allow stitching it in place.

Really, though, the clip is good enough in my case.

I’ve been working on some minor laser projects, and I’ve neglected the blog long enough. Here’s a quick and easy laser treat for you.

A set of laser cut buttons! Mostly anthropomorphic, there not as engineered as a lot of my projects, but I think they are fun.

These buttons are 1/2in (12mm), but you can easily resize them to your needs.

I also have a little description of each of the buttons over at: 4volt.com/Blog/archive/2011/11/26/laser-cut-buttons.aspx

This is a VERY simple thing, but I'm gonna try to document real good :)

If you want to actually machine sew the conductive thread from SparkFun ( sparkfun.com/products/8549 ), you will want to spool them on that small thing. The big spool from SFE did match the sewing machine's peg, so I made a simple adapter.

The print quality was really bad, but it did the job.

This is possibly the first free & open-source long-sleeved collared shirt available online! Normally you'd have to buy a paper pattern, trace it, and cut it out... now you can download this file, cut it out on a laser cutter, and start stitching! Some people claim that a laser cutter is overengineering, but I say nay! Furthermore, the design can now be crowdsourced and improved.

TODO: Sizing, align collar notches, pocket, better photos.

Lugging a Makerbot around can be a bit tricky. It is possible to grab it in one hand around the top edge, but that doesn't leave much hand capacity for the other little bits like spools of filament, toolbox full o' gear, sample print collections and other stuff.

Some people are using a Pelican case to carry their bots, but that seems a bit too big and furnituresque for my tastes. With the rigid case, you can definitely bring it on a plane or other formal transportation system, and it will be very protected. Mostly, I want to bring bots from the building to the car and to another building. It would need to be for carrying less than 200 feet and for less than 5 minutes of holding. A big fabric bag would be ideal for this, since it folds up pretty small in between relatively infrequent uses.

Back at World Maker Faire 2010, there was a rumor about some really big bags being given out by one of the yarn suppliers. These mythical Makerbot sized bags were long gone by the time I got around to asking. Since then, I've been wanting a roomy canvas bag for my bot. Sometimes I travel with two, and they're definitely an armload.

Recently, I came into a sewing machine, and after a bit of repair, have been showing my students how to use it. They've been doing some great projects, and I have been looking for a project of my own with the sewing machine. The Makerbot Carrying Bag seemed like a good way to build my skills at sewing while creating a functional Makerbot transport system. While designing and making this bag, I learned a bunch about how to do it, and what I might do differently on the next one. There were a few moments when I could have started it all over, but getting it done was more important than the pursuit of perfection.

Here are the photos:
flickr.com/photos/connors934/sets/72157626507111364/

Update: I am now a winner! :) After decades of being a loser, a short post on thingiverse with a cute 2 year old model to add some sweetness and the cutbag contest is mine. You might be thinking, how does this cheap little thingiverse post merit a $150 prize? Answer: You didn't enter your awesome cardboard+bag uber world changing thing. For which I thank you. Now that I am officially and perpetually a winner you are welcome to enter the next contest and receive similar praise and adulation. (not to mention $$$) Contest money will be used to pimp my makerbot cupcake and to help finish my next project. thingiverse.com/thing:9117

After hurricane Katrina many Americans woke up to the need to have some emergency supplies on hand. The Japan earthquake has reminded us all again. Here is a cheap easy backpack for kids that can hold a bottle of water some food and other essentials. Here's a link to the FEMA suggestions for what to put in the pack. fema.gov/areyouready/assemble_disaster_supplies_kit.shtm If there is too much to fit in the little pack, put it in your own darn pack daddy.:)

Have you ever lost a button? One that is unique and cannot be found anywere? Do you want to sew something special and need very special buttons?

And do you own a 3D-Printer?

Then there is a solution to your problems - The Parametric-Button-Generator!


local-guru.net/blog/2011/02/20/parametric-button-generator

A simple tool for an old job: making nets (whether for fishing, hammocks or other purposes) from thin line of some sort. See my short description at
runcnc.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/modern-tools-for-old-crafts/

just a simple scalable button with a curved round edge and four holes. scale, print as many as you need, then sew them on your clothing or bags or furnishings. update: see instructions.

This is a mature version of my Printable Doll Alpha. This one allows you to design a plush doll to print out from any inkjet printer. The features of the doll, along with the cut marks and directions, will print out on a single sheet of inkjet printable fabric. You can get fabric from the craft store, or make your own.

A doll anyone can download, print and make. This is a test run to make sure people other than me can understand the directions.

I plan to release a skinnable one after the "alpha" is done, at which point you'll be able to make a doll of pretty much any character you want.

Today was Fashion Hacking day with Diana Eng at NYC Resistor and I've wanted to make these keyboard pants for a long time. The basic idea was to take a flexible silicone keyboard and somehow integrate it with some pants (or shorts). I had they keyboards laying around for a while and I ran down to the Conways to get some jeans for about $8 (Yay fulton mall!)

This was inspired by a cool project I saw a long time ago on the hypernets: engadget.com/2008/04/23/keyboard-infused-pants-make-it-okay-to-grab-your-crotch/