Html Patchwork
Open Source Embroidery
Introduction
Exhibitions
Html Patchwork
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Html Patchwork and Patchwiki, 2007-2009

The Html Patchwork is currently on display at The National Museum of Computing Bletchley Park, UK.


The Html Patchwork is an Open Source Embroidery project facilitated by Ele Carpenter, through artist residencies at Access Space, Sheffield, July - November 2007, and Isis Arts, Newcastle, March 2008. The work is a collectively stitched quilt of 216 Hexidecimal colours and a Patch wiki. Each hexagonal patch is embroidered with its websafe Html colour code, and personalised by the sewer. Embroiderers, patch-workers, knitters and computer programmers all contributed patches through workshops in Sheffield, Newcastle, and Banff.

The Html Patchwork explores the collaborative and participatory characteristics of needlework craft and wikis. The patchwork is built on open principles of collective production and skill-share where each person contributes a part to the whole. The project invited embroiderers, patch-workers, knitters, html users and computer programmers to discuss their practice whilst making patches and wiki pages. The project visualises the 216 hexadecimal web colour palette based on the design of a hexagonal mouse mat. The mat consists of web-safe colours and their six figure identification codes describing the red / green / blue colour mix (RGB). In contrast the fabrics in the quilt are printed using a cyan / magenta / yellow / black (CMYK) colour mix. As a result the quilt is a translation of the screen image into physical fabric, whilst the wiki is a representation of the process of making the quilt. The patchwork is hemmed so that the back of the patches, the recylced paper templates and stitches are visible.

The Html Patchwork was developed in response to the popularity of quilting in Sheffield, the result of a participatory project initiated by Ele Carpenter in conversation with Clare Ruddock and Lisa Wallbank. The Patch wiki was created by Keith O'Faoláin and James Wallbank to present the online version of the quilt, where everyone can contribute their colour swatches, photos and notes to their wiki patch.

The patchwork has been exhibited at: The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park; Access Space, Sheffield; Http Gallery London; HUMlab and Bildmuseet, Sweden; and the Museum of Craft and Folk Art, San Francisco, USA.

CLICK HERE FOR THE HTML PATCHWIKI


Thank you to all the stitchers and coders
The Html Patchwork is the result of a huge collective effort across many cities, towns and villages, and across continents. The Html Patchwork and Patchwiki includes patches made by people in Sheffield, Birmingham, Derby, Newcastle upon Tyne, Southampton, London and internationally from: Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland. Including: Astrid Abels, Hoda Adura, Sameera Ahmad, Sharon Bailey, Jon Ball, Julie Ballands, Diane Barry, Brian Batista, Stuart Bowditch, avid Bouchard, Jane Brettle, Daisy Butler, David Butler, Ele Carpenter, Steve Capps, Ruth Catlow, Ina Charnley, Veronique Chance, Cam Christiansen, Clymene Christoforo, Iain Clarke, Keith Clarkson, Aleesa Cohene, Sarain Cuthand, Tony Dawson, Brian Degger, Anna Dumitriu, Lindsay Duncanson, Anne Eade, Stella Eleftheriades, Linda English, Rayna Fahey, Verina Gfader, Abi Gibbens, Mark Gibbens, Fran Gill, Geneviève Godin, Beryl Graham, Tricia Grindrod, Alison Harries, Jake Harries, Scott Hawkins, Nicola Hilton, Dougald Hine, Alex Hodby, Mike Howe, Ben Jones, Elizabeth Kane, John Keenan, Tony Kemplen, Susan Kennard, Anne-Marie Kilfeather, Joyce Kirk, Mara Livingston-McPhail, Richard Long, Harriet Lowe, Kari McQueen, Lindsay MacDonald, Sophie Malouin, Di McDonald, Jill M., Ilana Mitchell, Billy Moffatt, Caitlin O'Donovan, Keith o'Faoláin, Jo Owen, Tali Padnan, Emily Paige, Trevor Pitt, Marisa Plumb, Sarah Powell, Jim Prevett, Julian Priest, Jing Qian, Topsy Qur'et, Edith Raynor, Kate Readman, Norma Reaney, Catherine Roberts, Damien Robinson, Shelia Robinson, Beth Rowson, Clare Ruddock, Céline Seman, Cherry Sham, Kim Sheppard, Addison Smith, Ann Smith, Dominic Smith, Sneha Solanki, James Starkey, Cecilia Stenbom, Alison Stockwell, Kim Suleman, Kurt Sullivan, Reka Tackas, Kate Vale, James Wallbank, Lisa Wallbank, Hannah York, Mary, Fran, Kari, Shona, Rose, Christa, Albert, Shelia, Stella, Sue, Di, Pat, Doreen, Kathleen, Janet, Margie, Rusty, Miss Gunst, Burnt Out, Louise, Ellie, Sophie, Kiturah, Charlotte, Tia, Katie, Alisha, Lauren.

With Thanks to: The Fat Quarters Shop; Art through Textiles; The Patchwork Garden Shop; Stannington Patchwork Group; Stocksbridge Knit n Chat; Totley Quilters; The Wool Baa; and everyone at Access Space and Isis Arts. The Karachi Stores, Fine Fabrics, Hillsbrough; Sheffield Fabric Warehouse; The Costume Departments at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, and the Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta, Canada.

Supported by Access Space, Isis Arts, Furtherfield.org and Arts Council England.