2024-08-24 –, Plenary Space
There are a lot of curious crossovers between programming and fiber arts, from the origins of punch cards to borrowed terminology and shared cultural mores. Computing drew a surprising amount from fiber arts, and as I began programming and knitting around the same time I was fascinated to consider things such as how knitting patterns can be viewed with the same conceptual framework as programs, and that understanding how to modify one can provide interesting insights to the other. Both the Python and textile communities are also wonderfully diverse and put some very important efforts in place to encourage inclusivity, which has helped lead me to feel comfortable sharing these insights with such a large audience. This talk aims to get people thinking a bit outside the box and understanding connections with communities they might not have interacted with before.
This talk has three main sections to it, starting by looking at some of the shared history between computing and fiber arts. This will be followed by a dive into how knitting patterns are like programs, with some Python code examples to help you follow along - no prior understanding of knitting will be required! The final section looks at an important similarity that much of both communities share in the current day - a focus on being inclusive and welcoming towards a diverse range of people, ensuring they can be enabled to and feel comfortable participating.
Anyone
Senior Software Engineer with a background in backend for SaaS products from Christchurch, New Zealand with a focus on inclusivity and diversity in both the programming and wider communities. Enjoys knitting and other forms of crafting in their downtime.