Team 3 - Quilt Capsule

Inspiration

We were inspired by our recent periods of bed rest and recovery (surgery, COVID, and chronic illness flare ups). While stuck in bed, we wanted comforts that would distract us from the pain and boredom. These were hard to access due to the isolation away from others, which can make the recovery process lonely and difficult. Emotional support is an important healing aspect.

We wanted to create something that would bring emotional comfort to people while they are on bed rest. A quilt is a great vessel for this as it can hold memories and meaning for the person it is given to. We thought of ways to strengthen that connection using technology so that the quilt can hold more memories that are clearer and more personal. This could take a quilt from a comforting object to an active, interactive companion for the user.

What it does

The quilt is embroidered with a variety of QR codes that the user can select at random, scan with their phone, and be linked to a comforting item such as a song, photo album, video, or activity they can do.

How we built it

First we are creating the quilt using a top fabric, batting, and backing fabric. Then we are generating the QR codes and designing the stitching/embroidery layout. Next, we'll take this to the embroidery machine in the TechStyleLAB and stitch the layers of fabric together. The quilt will be finished with a binding. We created embroidery samples on the machine, and made renderings for the rest of the process.

We also designed mockups of the QR-linked web pages, and how the website would look for the customer. We used Wix for these.

Challenges we ran into

At first we had wanted to use a couple of different methods for getting the design on the fabric, like printing and the knitting machine. We had to skip those due to time restraints (but it would have been cool!).

We also had some troubles with the digital embroidery machine, but solved them all by the second sample. The first sample's design had too many curves and the satin stitch outline was too thick so the design got blobby and probably wouldn't have been readable by the camera. We also inserted the fabric into the hoop wrong so it got tangled underneath, stitching the two layers together. The second sample had some issues starting out with a lot of thread breakages but other than that it went fine!

We also had a hard time recording our video because we did it at the end and were tired :)

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Our presentation came out clean, concise, and professional. Proud we were able to get it all done without much rushing or staying up too late. And the sample looks so cool!

What we learned

How to use the embroidery machine start to finish (easier than we thought).

What's next for Quilt Capsule

Trying it on different machines, printing and screen printing!

Connected Community

Our product is designed to connect an individual with their network of loved ones through memory during periods where they cannot be together physically. Textiles are already a powerful tool of sentimentality and heritage, and our quilt takes this farther by creating an interactive map that walks the user through the community they have built for themselves.

Our team consists of an interior design major (Meg) and a textiles major (Shannon, me). Neither of us have a background in technology, and interior design and textiles are more fashion-adjacent than anything. We came into the hackathon with neither a mind for fashion or technology, so we were able to apply a fresh perspective to both aspects. Our focus on textiles and its functionality within the home was the integration of both our interests.

We were also able to draw on our personal experiences to provide inspiration and insight into the problem our product aims to solve. Meg recently recovered from gastric sleeve surgery, and I dealt with a COVID infection. We had similar ordeals and sought similar solutions, but our combined experiences showed us different aspects that we would want to include in our product. For example, I have a very large family that was always checking in with me while I recovered, but even with the daily interaction I was missing a deeper connection with those family members. Meg wished for recipes she could make after recovery as it would be weeks until she could return to a normal diet. Comparing our experiences and using them for problem solving and tapping into our imaginations to put ourselves in our customer's shoes gave us insight into our own communities too.

Built With

• adobe-illustrator
• qrcode
• tajima
• wix