Motion of rocking chair used to power a hat knitting machine

I think most of us would agree that the act of rocking in a rocking chair is an end in itself. It's soothing, but not necessarily productive. Or, is it? This clever mechanical mash-up combines a rocking chair with a knitting machine. The motion of the chair swaying back and forth is harnessed to power a the machine mounted to a frame above the chair, which slowly produces a knitted tube/hat.

The piece is entitled Rocking Knit and was crated by Damien Ludi and Colin Peillex who are associated with ECAL.

Feeling inspired? Onward, then! Here is where you can get your own hand-cranked knitting machine to use in a project of your own.

[ Found Via Laughing Squid ]

---

Knitting clocks redefine the way we measure time: 1 scarf = 1 year

What you are looking at in the photo above are pieces by designer Siren Elise Wilhelmsen. As you might guess by the title of this post, these unconventional timepieces knit with actual yarn. Over the course of days and months, time is measured in row upon row of knitting. In 365 days, the clock will produce a scarf approximately 2 meters long.

According to her web site, "Her aim is to make functional and sustainable design with personality and humour; products that challenge the meeting between man and his surroundings and that offer a new kind of interaction with them." I would have say that she was entirely successful with this design, redefining how we measure time, what a meaningful length of time might be, and creating something useful in the process -- an tangible reminder of a year gone by to wrap around one's neck on a cold day.

See more designs by Siren Elise Wilhelmsen on her web site.

[ Thanks Glenn! ]

---