About Quiltbot
This post shares the process of developing the personalised quilt pattern creator, called 'Quiltbot' for short. It builds on the morsels I’ve shared in previous posts (see below). If you want to read these posts in order, they are:
My starting point was really an interest in seeing how data could be used to add (new) meanings to the quilt design process and to explore the opportunities for personalisation using data. The catalyst for this project was a successful application to join the 2022 Resident Entrepreneur Creative Informatics programme (University of Edinburgh).
In August 2023 I launched my first pattern creator, 'Reulanach' meaning 'Abounding with stars' in Gaelic - a machine piecing pattern.
Building on the technology of the first pattern creator I launched a foundation paper piecing alternative called 'Reul-iùil' ('Guiding Star') in July 2024.
My ideas on designing quilts with data actually go back longer than 2022 partly as a result of my work supporting a team to improve data literacy for young people in schools in Scotland, and partly as a result of seeing the magic of longarm quilting through a family owned quilting service business based in Stirling.
How does it work?
The pattern creator consults star chart data to visualise the stars in a given place (date and time) then transforms that information into a quilt pattern using 3 different star blocks. The number of each block type and the position of each block within the pattern is assigned by an algorithm. Since 'quilt pattern creator' is a bit of a mouthful, those involved in bringing this project to life have come to refer to the algorithm as ‘Quiltbot’.
Test, retest
Quiltbot integrates the data visualisation of your starscape into a digital PDF pattern. As a result, the pattern testing process changes in a variety of ways. Rather than writing the pattern, passing it to testers, and amending instructions based on their feedback, the pattern testing process becomes more complex by nature of the order in which it needs to be completed (so the developer can be working in tandem) and because of the different things that need to be tested.
Beyond construction testing (do the instructions make sense, and work?), tests have included checking the limits on different star types and star combinations, looking at the design coherence across the different quilt sizes, cross testing fabric requirements with EQ8 (quilt software), manually testing fabric calculations, and checking how the user interface integrates information into the pattern. These are just a few of the tests.
All this testing (and retesting) has involved a systematic approach to generating patterns based on different locations (at different times), manually working through each, documenting the outcome of each test and unpicking what (if anything) I’ve found interesting or perplexing. Some of these tests have involved small amendments or additions to the code operating in the background to give you the pattern creator you can now use to generate a bespoke and meaningful star quilt pattern.
While the technical testing and the development of the pattern creator has been extensive, the pattern has also relied on invaluable feedback and advice from all the fabulous people that have tried out block or full quilt instructions with me. Thank you all!
Creative collaboration
For the majority of the time working to develop ‘Quiltbot’ I’ve worked in secrecy talking in general terms about what I’ve been trying to achieve. In May 2023, I attended a curated tour of the Kaffe Fassett exhibition ‘The Power of Pattern’ at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh. One of the (many) reflections that have stuck with me since then is the importance of creative collaboration. The need for (and joy of) working creatively with others was also reinforced during an online stitching workshop with Ekta Kaul at the end of June 2023 (Break Out Of The Template). Now that Quiltbot is ‘live’ I’m very much looking to working more collaboratively in the future. If you have an idea for a project, get in touch!
Thanks for reading!
- Claire
Further information
