needle-point-cloud explores the tradition of handicraft, architectural representation and computation. Needlework in the USA has been a significant hobby for women. Whether crewl or cross-stich, needlework has been used to create pictures, fashion accessories and to decorate upholstery fabric, and is typically based on a pattern map or stamped image. A variety of patterns are available – often these patterns are novel souvenirs: do it yourself kits that enabled buyers to reproduce the buildings and monuments that they had visited, but in the form of needlework; or to be precise, counted cross stitch.
Through a series of framed embroidered architectural drawings and scaled models, this project explores the aesthetics of computational needlepoint. Using data collected from a point-cloud and a computerized embroidery machine, needle-point-cloud seeks to materialize these ephemeral data-sets through topological embroidery, exploring the criticality of this feminist craft. Drawings and models will depict memorable Iowa landmarks, such as ISU’s Beardshear Hall, the Des Moines Art Center and Oreon E. Scott Memorial Chapel.
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