THE
PUBLIC
SCHOOL
TELIC ARTS EXCHANGE

i have 2 sewing machines that i can bring. Please present this class, I've loved the classes presented at The Machine Project and devotees could use a comprehensive class on the topic.

Hello Everyone,

I'm delighted to see people interested in the course. For those of you who are interested, it would be a great help if I had answers to the following questions so I can cater the class to your interests:

Hi Syuzi,

I'd be so excited to take a class like this! I have played with some circuitry and some simple robotics/programming of that sort. I don't have much sewing experience. I've played around on a machine before, but I'm no pro. I've actually been wanting to play around with conductive threads and fabrics for awhile now... I'd love to hear more about the class. I've never signed up for a Public School course before, so I'm not exactly sure how it works?

Let me know if and when you teach the class...I'd love to take it. Cheers, Lauren

hi Lauren,

To answer the part of your comment where you ask how to sign up for classes at The Public School, it is simple: watch out for an email announcement with the date, time and class fee information that will go out when this class has been scheduled (should be soon).

If you have clicked on the link "I am interested in this class" below the class title on this page (http://thepublicschool.org/242/soft-circuits/), you should receive the email and any other comments posted there automatically.

Then follow the link to this page and it will contain a "Buy Now" button that will let you register for the class via Google checkout.

PS. for anyone interested in this class and electronic circuits in general, please note that The Public School will kick off its first set of hardware classes with a pair of hands-on workshops starting on December 6th: http://thepublicschool.org/119/8-bit-lab/

The registration is still open and the class will be a great introduction to some of the topics that will inevitably come up in Soft Circuits. To sign up for a spot, please visit the link above and click on the "Buy Now" google checkout button.

Hello, my name is Robert Edwards.

I have experience with the Arduino platform. I have experimented with soft circuits a bit ( putting together button snap switches, etc.) I own a few Arduinos and a Nano, if you need any supplies when it comes to components (resistors, etc) or just general electronics gear I can help with the class!

-Rob Edwards

This class has been scheduled.

Dates: Sunday, February 22nd, 11am-4pm
Teacher: Syuzi Pakhchyan
Location: 972B Chung King Road
(The entrance is located in the alley between Chung King road and Hill St)
Limit: 12 people
Fee: $50

The class will be limited to a maximum of 12 students. To reserve your spot, please go to: http://thepublicschool.org/242/soft-circuits/ and click on the

Hello All,
Here's what we have lined up for the Soft Circuits class. Everyone who is registered for the course is required to bring a SIMPLE kid's electronic toy to the class. We will be hacking into the toy and re-appropriating its components to create a wearable (or any other textile-based project of your imagining).

You will also need to bring an item of clothing that you will be sewing your circuit on.

If you are unfamiliar with electronics, please download and read the "Low Tech Sensors and Actuators" pdf. Even if you are experienced with electronics, take a look ~it's a nice read.

Schedule Below:
11 AM?
- Round table introductions
?- Presentation of a variety of conductive yarns and textiles
?- Presentation of techniques of how to make your own soft switches, sensors, controls and Fabric PCBs

12:30-1:15
Break for Lunch

1-4
- Soldering and de-soldering primer?
- Hacking into simple toy
- Development of wearable

i am interested in coming. i am currently in Florida and am planning to be in California in Feb. Would like to sign up, but my trip is not confirmed yet.

Hello!!

This is quiet exciting, but so far away!! There are plenty of us on the East Coast who would love to sit in on a workshop like this. Any plans to hold workshops out here? Or better yet, and less expensive - how about video-tapping the work shop, putting it online, and charging people who can't make it a nominal fee?!

Sounds genius to me!

-Very Interested.

is this class full yet? i live there and have been exploring these issues in my works on paper.

i'm in if its not full!

deryke,

There are still a few spots left, so please sign up by going to http://thepublicschool.org/242/soft-circuits/ and clicking on the

sounds good to me.

I just signed up for this class and I'm very much looking forward to it.

I'd like to ask if I could bring in an article of footwear as my wearable? Also is there a recommendation for the type of toy?

i just signed up !!! im excited !!!

Yes shoes will work. It would be helpful if the sole of your shoes is removable (so we can add some soft switches). If it is not, you can create a sole for your project. Also it would be better if the shoe is made out of fabric rather than leather (leather is just more difficult to work with).

As for the toy, the toys that work best are simple toys that "do" only a few things (make sounds, move, blink lights). If your toy is too complex, you will spend the majority of the class taking it apart and trying to determine how to work with it. Think about what you want your footwear to do, and select a cheap toy that exhibits this behavior. Vintage toys (as long as they work) work great too! Email me if you want to discuss your project ahead of time.

I would like the focus of the class to be making the textile switches and controls for the electronics, not the electronics themselves. If the class goes well, we can have a more advanced class using the Lilypad Arduino at a later date.

Please everyone email me your project ideas if you can!

Cheers,
Syuzi

should i bring my arduino?

Yes! Bring your Arduino. It would be better if you had the Lilypad version but it's not necessary.

Hello All,

If you have signed up for the class this Sunday, I would like to ask each of you to try to bring the following tools to the course if you have them (please don't feel you need to purchase them if you don't own the tools already).

Small screwdrivers (to deconstruct your toy)
Scissors
Needle-nose pliers
Wire strippers and cutters
Sewing Machine

I'm mostly hoping that we can get at least one or two more sewing machines.

See you on Sunday!

I have a sewing machine and will bring it.

By the way, Hello!

I am nervous because I paid for this class on the 12th but didn't know about this comment thread and I am worried I don't have a spot in the class. There are 19 people 'interested' in this course from the counter at the top of the page.

While reading over your comments here I thought of the perfect toy to bring. I hope I didn't throw it out when we cleaned out the extra bedroom last week!

Thanks! I hope I have a spot in the class, I'm very excited!

-Kelly

Everyone who has paid for the class has a spot in the workshop.

Dan-

Thanks for the reassurance. I'll definitely be there.

And I came home from work today and looked around a bit and found the toy I was looking to bring. Happy day!

See you sunday, and I'll remember to bring the sewing machine.

hello again,

an odd question. i signed up for this class to explore sift circuitry, BUT im working with paper, glue gold leaf, wire, LEDS, electric bits, etc.. i'm lookin into to threads and yarns and more arduino to be the immediate future of my work.

i guess what i'm saying is ... i cant sew.

can i use my papers? or is it shunned. i'm not too messy, its all sketchbook contained!

Deryke,

I'll bring some conductive inks that you can experiment with and I can talk to you about the pros and cons of using the inks (at least the ones that are commercially available). You don't have to work with textiles if you are not interested. BTW, you can sew paper using a sewing machine. Also you can use conductive fabric tape on paper.

In short, everyone is free to work with any medium they choose.

awesome!

yer blowin' mah mind! ;)

May I bring some paper and some extra LEDs and batteries and such and play with both? Conductive inks sound fascinating!

Amianda,

You are more than welcome to bring your own materials to work with paper. Since we have a limited time together, you will need to decide whether you will want to work with textiles or paper. ALSO I am not going to focus the class on the use of the conductive inks but you are more than welcome to experiment with it on your own and give us feedback at the end of the class about your experience. If you are going to work with the inks, I would bring some super strong magnets too.

Will you be offering this type of class again?

-Kelly

Possibly ~ but there currently isn't anything scheduled for the near future.

Also if you will be working with the conductive inks, please bring your own brushes, etc. I will not be supplying these.

Syuzi, I'm excited about your workshop tomorrow!
For lack of a better idea I'll be working on a black t'shirt
that has a cool illustration that cries out for "More!" I have no
experience with electronics but have had an interest in this sort
of thing for a while. I can handle a sewing machine with ease. And I even made a
suit once! I'll bring the sewing machine. Do we need a soldering iron?

BTW: I live next door to Tod. He says, Hi!

Joni Coyote

I'm bringing a couple different shirts because I'm not sure what I'm going to be doing and would like a choice. Will share if people want... they're just plain colored tees.

joni coyote,

if you get this before class, please do bring the soldering iron.. the more we have the better.

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone would be interested in having a Soft Circuits meetup, where we could get together every now and then and compare notes and help each other on projects? Just a thought; I'd be up for organizing it at least.

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone would be interested in having a Soft Circuits meetup, where we could get together every now and then and compare notes and help each other on projects? Just a thought; I'd be up for organizing it at least.

Hi All!

I'll second Kelly's suggestion of getting together to further our Soft Circuit knowledge. And let's think about going in together to purchase supplies from the net.

And Deryk, could you show or tell me how to make an Altoid battery box like the one you had Sunday?

Thanks again to Szuyi for a cool workshop!

Joni Coyote
Location Scout
626.791.0087

I can make a meetup.com group as I already pay to be a group organizer and I can have one more group than i already have for no additional cost.

If people think this is a good idea, I mean.

Brilliant idea guys! Keep in the loop and I'll drop by. BTW, I posted all the info about the conductive threads on the site http://www.fashioningtech.com/page/conductive-thread

I'll do the fabrics shortly.

Great I'll set it up now and put the info up here when I'm done. Thanks Syuzi!

Ok! We have a group on Meetup.com now. The address is below.

The LA Soft Circuits Support Group
http://www.meetup.com/LA-Soft-Circuits/

Right now to keep the membership restricted to this class, I have system setup for approving members. Please answer the introductory questions so that I know who you are, and so other group members can get re-acquainted with you and such, and I'll get you added to the membership list.

I figured keeping the group for mostly this class will keep us focused - having to explain all of Syuzi's materials to a new person (not to mention them getting the benefits of a class without having to pay for it!) would be I think difficult at our beginners level. Unless you guys think otherwise, I'm going to leave it this way until we feel more comfortable seeking new members.

Please please please feel free to speak up and give your opinions about anything regarding the group. I have set up the meetup but I'm not really it's master. We're in this together!

PS please check the meetup group's message board and let me know if you have a meetup location suggestion or a preferred day/time for getting together.

Thanks!

-Kelly

Announcing a new Meetup for LA Soft Circuits Support Group!

What: March Soft Circuits Support

When: March 29, 2009 2:00 PM

Where: Click the link below to find out!

Meetup Description: If you build it, they will come. Ok so we have a smallish group right now, but I bet if we start having meetups, the rest of our group will follow. Plus, I would like to discuss starting a kitty for supplies. I am currently out of thread!

I also have a finished project, and would love to talk about the process of coming up with an idea, refining that idea, and bringing it to fruition. Please come prepared to share your experiences.

If the time/date does not work for you, please let me know.

Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com/LA-Soft-Circuits/

I apologize, after announcing that meetup date I realized I have a conflict on the 29th.

I have changed the meetup date to Sunday March 22, at 2PM.

Meetup location is the same.

Sorry for the trouble.

Something that may be of interest to soft circuiters: Skin-safe conductive ink. See http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/04/skin-safe_conductive_ink.html?C... for more info.

PS. We'll be kicking off another introductory electronics class (http://la.thepublicschool.org/class/253) at The Public School starting this Saturday 4/25. There are a couple of spots left so you could still register today.

A note about the meetup group for this class:

The meetup group has gotten very limited interest. Only 2 other people have joined besides me. In addition, I don't really have the money to go in for supplies now like I thought I would. I am stepping down as organizer, and would like to offer the organizer spot to Syuzi or anyone else who is interested. I hope the group does suceed, and it could be used I think to great purpose for students of Syuzi's classes who wish to continue their experimentations between official classes.

Please let me know if you are interested in running the group. my email is amianda@secretpassageway.net

The meetup group is http://www.meetup.com/LA-Soft-Circuits/

Thanks.