The Premier Cincinnati Hackerspace

Greetings Hivemind! Konstantinos (they/them) back again to post about another wonderful Tuesday talk .

Our speakers this week were Kate (she/her) and Robin (she/her), Kate being a member of Hive13. We were absolutely thrilled to have them in to talk to us about the artistry, skill, and frustrations of spinning.

The night kicked off semi-promptly after the Tuesday night meeting for experiential learning. Robin and Kate set up by the arcade cabinet with two wheels, lots of fibers, and drop spindles galore! Kate explained to beginners and curious eyes alike that spinning is an ancient tradition for textile arts as Robin demonstrated on a stunning spinning wheel. For those of us who don't have the room, money, or technical know how to have a full spinning wheel, we were shown how to use a drop spindle with gloriously colored fiber.

When asked about how she felt the session went, Kate said she had a lot of fun.

For Hive members, we now have drop spindles and some fiber at the Hive! Spin till your heart is dizzy!

That's all, Hivemind. Go forth and spin!

Hive13's next 2nd-Tuesday of the month guest speaker(s) this coming Tuesday, November 9 at 7:30pm, will be the dynamic duo of Hive13 member Kate Cook, and her mother, Robin.  Together they will demonstrate and share tales of the storied art of spinning fiber.  They will demonstrate technique on both spinning wheels and drop spindles, working primarily with wool. Discussion will range from the basic mechanics of the wheels, the selection process and preparation of fibers for spinning and the finishing of spun fibers.

So what is a 'Spinning Jenny' you ask?  The spinning jenny is a multi-spindle spinning frame.  It was one of the key developments that sparked the industrialization of textile manufacturing during the early Industrial Revolution. It was invented in 1764 or 1765 by James Hargreaves in England.  It is one of history's most significant Maker Machines.  If you own a sheep, you can get wool.  But how do you spin that wool (and other materials) into 'spun fibers' (thread) that then is woven into fabric to cloth all the people around the world?  Well, you start with a Spinning Jenny in England, and follow the production trail around the world to the water powered textile mills of Lowell, MA, then post-Civil War Greenville, SC and now China and the many countries of Southeast Asia.

Members, guests, first-time-walk-ins, and all those interested to learn more are welcome to attend our hybrid (live/virtual) meeting to hear their talk.  Come early to see our space, meet folks, and check things out (wearing your mask).

Find Us.

Greetings Hivemind! It's your favorite Konstantinos here. Roughly two weeks ago we had an event with Wave Pool known as Made in Camp from 2-6 pm where the Hive was alive with tours, making, and merriment. Made in Camp highlights the makers, movers, and shakers of Camp Washington and we are honored to have been included.

We arrived relatively bright and early with some of us popping in at noon to get the ball rolling. Once doors opened, we were all ready for new friends to join us. We had people making, chatting, and getting cardio by running up and down the stairs. It certainly paid off with three new members and dozens of new soldering experts taking their badges to the street.

Please give our three new members a wonderful welcome and we hope to see you again next year!

 Greetings from the hivemind! I’m Kostas (they/them), a Hive member here to write about makers you may not have known are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Happy LGBTQ+ History Month! For those who don’t know, LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, transgender, queer or questioning, and much more. It is critical while we discuss LGBTQ+ makers and that we, as a collective, acknowledge that the LGBTQ+ community is not a monolith and is very diverse. As a personal note, to our friends in the closet, it’s okay, you can take your time and you’re still loved and welcomed here.

Alan Turing

 Alan Turing was born June 23, 1912 in the United Kingdom and will be a familiar name to those who have done the Turing test or have seen The Imitation Game. To say his work is influential would be a grave understatement. He is known for his cryptography and computer science but also dabbled in biology and philosophy. Turing is also cited for cracking code messages that directly led to the victory of the Allies over the Axis powers in WWII. Now, the “Alan Turing law” stands in the United Kingdom, retroactively pardoning men who were convicted or warned under historical homophobic laws. He is also on the 50 pound note.

Wendy Carlos

 Fans of synthpop and techno film scores should all know Wendy’s name. Born on November 14, 1939, she is known for her compositions and three Grammys. If you have seen A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and Tron, you’ve heard her compositions. When Wendy isn’t in the studio, she is a solar eclipse photographer with her work published by NASA and Sky & Telescope. Recently, she has been out of the limelight but after winning 3 Grammys, that’s understandable.

Angelica Ross

 Those who watch Pose or American Horror Story may recognize the self-taught programmer Angelica Ross but not know her tech background. She was born on November 28, 1980 in Wisconsin. She founded TransTech Social Enterprises, an organization with a mission to “empower, educate, and employ those facing barriers in education in the workplace, as well as to reduce instances of discrimination, with a concentration on trans and gender non-conforming individuals”. It is a co-working and co-learning community. Ross has created an important way for trans tech folks to connect, work together, and help each other.

Alan L. Hart

 If you’ve ever had an x-ray to detect tuberculosis, thank Alan L. Hart. Hart was born October 4, 1890 in Kansas. A man of many hats, he was not just a physician and radiologist but a writer as well. He determined that it spread through the circulatory system rapidly, causing lesions that lead to death. Hart is also one of the first trans men to undergo a hysterectomy in 1917-1918. When he wasn’t in the lab, one could find him writing short stories or novels.

The Hive's next 2nd-Tuesday of the month guest speaker this coming Tuesday, October 12th at 7:30pm, will be Ben Jones, Makerspace Manager at The University of Cincinnati's Office of Innovation.

Cincinnati is a great town offering many maker opportunities.  Hive13 is excited to see our own member/warden BradW's transition into a maker's DREAM JOB, joining Ben's staff in the Ground Floor makerspace at UC's 1819 Innovation Hub.

Is your personal maker dream bigger than Hive13?  Do you want to make a positive impact on society, gain recognition and financial reward for your idea?  UC offers a process to evaluate your idea, conduct patent searches, analyze the market and competition to determine its commercialization potential.  Their team has contacts for licensing your intellectual property to an existing company or creating a new company.  Their Makerspace + Microfactory has the resources to support your dream through the prototyping phase and transformation into the material world.

Members, guests, first-time-walk-ins, and all those interested to learn more are welcome to attend our hybrid (live/virtual) meeting to hear Ben's talk.  Come early to see our space, meet folks, and check things out (wearing your mask). Find Us.