Maker Faire last Saturday

We took the boys along to the maker faire last Saturday, it was really quite amazing! Lots of enthusiastic people showing off the amazing stuff they make in their sheds! Got to see the very cool MAKEDO cardboard creator kit in action - it's a set of joining tools, cardboard saw etc. safe for kids to use, to make cardboard boxes into all sorts creations! I was totally amazed by the 3D printer, I had seen the prototype on Catalyst on the ABC years ago, but to see one in action (and a home-made one at that!) was really mind blowing! Just goes to show you should never underestimate the power of imagination!

The Steampunk costumes were FANTASTIC! I love the book "The Difference engine" by Bruce Stirling, & William Gibson (who 1st coined the term "cyberpunk"); and the whole family loved watching "Going Postal" on the ABC recently (must find our Terry Pratchet books & read them again . The outfits on display - and worn by some people at the faire, looked like they had stepped out of one of those novels. Plus the designer and other people from clockworkbutterfly were so friendly, happy to pose for photos, talk about the outfits and how they are made etc. The designer said someone will contact her and say "can you make this dress for me? just like the one in this movie/picture/ book I read..." and she can do it! I am only just learning to read basic sewing patterns - this lady is AMAZING!

The only disappointing stall at the Faire, was the lady from the Steiner school, who just sat there doing some needle felting. She had some gorgeous felted people, trees etc. on display, but was a bit reluctant to actually talk to anyone! I said her creations were like the ones at the friendship tree in Northcote - she hadn't heard of it , and had to write it down! A man was interested in felting & thought his daughter & grandkids might like to know about it, & wanted to know more - all she did was give him a handwritten card for her blog! (Which I had a looked at when I got home and although it has some cute photos there are virtually no words ie. no tutorials, no lists of suppliers, handy hints or anything - just a label for the photos) Nikki has more felting info on her sewing blog! I told him that tools etc are available from Spotlight, but the wool is cheaper from the yarn barn in Coburg.

But thankfully all the other people there were a lovely, friendly, incredibly creative bunch, happy to talk about their passion for home- built technology! AND we got to see the very cool "robot" hands which can spin & solve a rubiks cube in under 10 seconds. I could only ever manage the bottom & middle layer, and that was with the book next to me. For the top layer I had to cheat & get my pocket knife out to take it apart!