Knitworks
A fiber arts inspired installation that transforms messages into a shared tapestry of knits.
Knitworks is an interactive installation that invites users to submit messages to a live chatroom. Each message is converted into binary code and translated into a visual sequence of knits and purls, the two fundamental building blocks of any knitted fabric.
The system consists of four computers and a display, all communicating over a local network connected by deconstructed, hand-knitted, yet fully functional Ethernet cables.
This piece highlights the deep and often overlooked connections between fiber arts and computer science, from their shared origins in punch card systems to the DIY ethos of decentralized networks and maker communities.
By drawing a parallel between code and knitting, Knitworks explores how messages and meaning can be embedded in fabric just as they are in software, both constructed from simple binary elements: ones and zeroes, or knits and purls.
Presented at the NYU IMA Low Res 2025 Thesis Show, Shanghai, China.
