Fashion Geek by Diana Eng is filled with great ideas for adding true electricity to your sewing.
By hacking a variety of small electronic devices, she creates clothes and accessories that are almost too much fun! ("hacking" means opening up and changing an item to make it do what you what you want).
You may have seen Diana on Project Runway.
She uses cell phones, LEDs and heartbeat monitors to sew things like a Lightning Bug dress, a Hoodie with built-in headphones, and twinkling shoes!
Really, it's a quick step from garments to quilts for many of these projects (such as the Blooming Buttons that light up when the coat is fastened, and turn off when it's open!).
If you have any young people you'd like to sew or craft for, this book is a must. Anyone would enjoy having the embellished USB flash drive. And if you don't know what that means, Diana's book tells you just what you need to know in a user-friendly way.
The book has easy-to-follow steps with photos, so if you are shy about doing the soldering or simple wiring you just might give it a try! Or make this a joint project with someone who has those skills.
There are also plenty of projects you can just craft. I really liked the Digital Locket made from a key chain that holds digital photos. If only I'd known about this book when Office Depot had that give-away....!
Diana includes a resources section in the back, so you can order all the gadgets and supplies such as the conductive thread that works like a wire! (and you thought you had every thread type made...!).
I am wondering how long some of the batteries will last, and would you be able to "turn on" a quilt for judging and then off again until the show? Even if you just had it on for the show, would that not be fabulous???
Fashion Geek is published by Northern Lights (F + W Media, Inc.), Cincinnati, OH. You can order it from Amazon or by going to www.dianaeng.com, which also allows you enjoy Diana's blog about her adventures in the world of the NYC fashion industry.
My quilt guild just received a copy of this book from Diana's grandmother... now that is really great networking/ good marketing/ what have you!
And Diana went through school with my son, so I have had many chats with her wonderful mother.
But the real reason the get this book right now is that it will really spark your imagination and bring you right up into the 21st Century!
No comments:
Post a Comment