GOOD Art Challenge: Update 4

Part two of the GOOD challenge updates from this weekend!

6. Sign up for an art class.
I signed up to teach an art class this month. Definitely counts. This weekend, I taught a cross stitching class via Workshop Weekend. I've never formally taught any craft, so this was a completely new experience for me. There ended up being 7 people in my class. It was a little hectic, and too short, but I learned so much from teaching and had a blast. Hope my students did too! I know a ton of ways to improve my lesson and hope to have another opportunity at another Workshop Weekend, or even through Skillshare.

Cross stitching isn't something most people want to learn. It's not quite cool, it doesn't have a hip following like knitting does. But it's easy, accessible, and you can make some great pixel art from it. There are so many possibilities. It's by far my favorite craft. I tried to garner interest by calling it a "geeky" cross stitching class, and providing my students with old video game characters to stitch and turn into pins. I assembled a variety of patterns I mocked up in Excel from Space Invaders, Super Mario and Pacman. I can post my pattens later, but here is one of the finished pin demos.

3. Take a photo.
Now that I have a phone with a nice camera, I am taking photos constantly. The challenge for this one for me was to pick which photo I wanted to count. I settled for... a few.

First, was the Berkeley Bowl West shrine. I made an offering... can you pick it out?

Here's a close up:

(Pin demo #2 from my class!) And for good measure, I'll throw in a picture of the produce section...

Oh Berkeley Bowl West. I miss you!

I'm Teaching a Cross Stitching Class!

I'm so excited - I'm going to be teaching a class at next month's Workshop Weekend in Oakland at TechLiminal!!! My class is on cross stitching. Cross stitching is probably my favorite craft - there is so much you can do with it. It's easy, it has a great texture, and it lends itself well to pixel art. In my class, I'm going to draw up patterns for some popular 8-bit and video game characters and objects. Any suggestions?

More importantly - what is Workshop Weekend?! It's a weekend of DIY classes, where you can learn anything from cross stitch :), to building robots, to using EL wire, to making stop animation films. You pay a one-time admission fee which covers the entire weekend, and then can take as many classes as you like, just paying for the materials in each class. It's awesome, and the lineup for this weekend is really good. It will be March 17th and 18th, and my class is on the 18th. Please drop by and say hi if you plan on coming - I'd love to meet you!

My experience with WW started last year, just after Maker Faire, during their inaugural weekend. Back then, the classes were scattered all over the Bay Area, and you signed up for individual workshops. I did a Sewing with Electronics class that literally blew my mind - I had no idea sewing with conductive thread and LEDs was so easy, and it opened up worlds for me. (Actually, Katie Dektar is doing her workshop again under the title of "Sewing Circuits" - I highly recommend it!!) I'm thrilled to be teaching this time around. Another class to keep in mind is Patrick's Millefiori Jewelry class - he's a friend of mine and makes really interested science themed pieces - super creative.

electronics sewing class from last year! can you spot me?

To prep for the class, I'm planning on designing a how-to sheet for cross stitch, including some tips that I've learned along the way to make your stitches look amazing and professional. I'm also going to stitch up samples of the patterns I pick, and I welcome any suggestions/comments/preferences on which ones work the best.