EMMA

Final Product

EMMA consists of a wooden box containing an Arduino Uno that's connected to a digitally enhanced quilting template and a computer. A participant uses the template to size and trace the necessary pieces for their individual quilt, and as they use the tool, an embedded touch sensor registers the pressure applied and records the length and frequency of use as one makes their quilt. The Arduino sends the data to a Processing sketch, which then generates additive visual imagery in the form of flower-like animations.

The interface acts as a channel for communal grieving, as participants can see the visualizations rendered from others' crafting sessions in real-time. By merging the shared and private spaces, a participant can focus on their individualized experience while also receiving validation that they are not alone in their grief.

On mindfulness

Mindfulness resonated with the users with one stating they would "equate it to meditating" and another seeing it as "therapeutic." However, a concern that surfaced a couple times included the fact that EMMA introduces a screen to a practice that was previously screenless. One user spoke to this saying, "While it' a low-pressure environment, you're still looking at a screen. You're also looking at other people interacting in your own interaction, so that could take you out of it."

Based on this feedback, I'd want to refine and further test the web engagement in order to make sure it's adding value to the experience. These interviews also inspired the idea of enabling further personalization for the visualizations, so users aren't limited to flowers of a certain range of colors.

On creative expression

Users agreed that paper piecing as a craft enabled creative expression, believing handcrafted practices to be "a healthy medium to process grief" and an intuitive means of translating emotions into tactile activities. One user mentioned the practice "seems limiting in terms of shape," referencing the exclusive use of squares in this project. Another user was concerned that paper piecing would "still be something I'd have to learn," which immediately led to considerations about refining the accessibility of this project for non-crafters.

On balance digital / physical

While the web engagement still needs refinement, users agreed to a balance of interaction between the material and digital components. Identifying a parallel to journaling their thoughts on paper, a user mentioned that "translating your mental thoughts into physical activities is something a lot of people do, so this feels like a form of that." Regarding refinement, one user called out the sensory experience of the template itself, an aspect I hadn't yet thought about; they said, "As long as the tool doesn't feel weird or heavy, like as long as there's no structural barrier, it seems fine." Their comment brought to mind the desire for a free-standing tool, untethered to an Arduino or computer.

Future Considerations

In the future, I would like to focus on expanding accessibility efforts to further lower the barrier to entry, not only in terms of technical understanding but also craft enjoyment; the hope is that EPP will not be an intimidating practice to learn for craft beginners. I also want to make this experience more personalizable to deepen participants' emotional projection unto their handcrafted work.

For future iterations, I want to revisit the digital visualizations and refine the meditative quality while incorporating personalizable options. The structure of the tool itself should be revisited as well with the aim of making it a free-standing sewing template. As a crafter myself, I found the templates available for online ordering unsuitable for beginners and ultimately for EMMA; because of that, I'd like to create my own resin molding of a template that will better support accessibility and the technical requirements of the touch sensor. On another note of accessibility, I'd also like to create instructional cards, or even a video, that will further lower the barrier to entry.