Tag: Community

August 23, 2023

3D Printing Flexi Rose Dragons with Rene from Mischief Manor Makers

Ace Maker, Rene runs a small family business called Mischief Manor Makers that sells handmade goods both online and at local (and sometimes not so local) events like Folsom Street Fair, Surrender, and Play-X-Land at Cat Club Sf. Their inventory* changes frequently but includes kink and fetish gear like Custom Springbuck Horn Floggers, small pins with a wicked sense of humor, Custom Made Squishmallow Bags, and as of 6 months ago 3D printed items like their favorite Flexi Rose Dragons with articulated joints.

*Follow Rene on Tik Tok to learn more about Mischief Manor Makers and the things they like to make!

Rene shows off one of their freshly printed Flexi Rose Dragons!

Rene got into 3D printing when they were visiting one of their partners in Georgia who runs a small business similar to Mischief Manor Makers. He showed them the basics, helped them find a 3D printer to take home, and encouraged them to make it a part of their business.

To design this Flexi Rose Dragon, Rene found a pre-made base file online and customized it with roses and thorns (Thingiverse has many open source files available to use for free, but you can also purchase premade files from places like Etsy).

For a shiny multicolor effect, Rene works with a special gradient silk filament which is slightly more delicate and little bit trickier to print with than standard PLA filament.

Each print begins with a brim—a stable base layer that keeps the Flexi Rose Dragon in place preventing it from slipping off the build sheet or collapsing during the job. When the dragon has finished printing, Rene will remove the brim to release the articulated joints that allow the Flexi Rose Dragon to move. They’ve learned through trial and error that printing a brim is critical even though it adds an additional 20 minutes to the already 4.5 hour printing time.

A strong foundation is the key to printing a successful Flexi Rose Dragon. The brim provides stability while printing flexible objects, but it will need to be removed at the end to release the “joints.”

Once they’ve made sure the brim has printed correctly, Rene likes to head up to the Ace Textiles Studio to work on other merchandise like their Custom Made Squishmallow Bags. They also check on their print at regular intervals to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Rene’s daughter came up with the idea for bags made from Squishmallow Plushies.

About half way through the print the topographical rose motif starts to emerge!

It’s time to unleash the Flexi Rose Dragon from the build sheet.

To complete the dragon Rene will peel back the green brim on the underside of the dragon.

Shedding the brim takes a little bit of patience but its totally worth it!

Two completed Flexi Rose Dragons on the prowl at the Ace Makerspace 3D Printing station.

Rene’s tips for folks curious about getting started with 3D Printing:

Check out Thingiverse for inspiration and pick something that excites you
Find community! Places like Ace Makerspace are great because there’s a built in support system if you need help troubleshooting as your starting out
If you plan to dive in and purchase your own 3D Printer, go for a well known brand because there is more documentation and technical support if something goes wrong

June 30, 2023

Knit Blocking With Pixie

It all started when Pixie’s college friend asked her to knit him a glamourous rainbow shawl for his wedding! They selected a pattern to serve as a starting point, planned the color story, did a little math to figure out how much yarn it would take, and found a dyer (Pook Yarns) to create a custom gradient. Then it was time to start knitting.

On 11/19/22 she officially cast on–a technique for creating the first row of stitches on the needle…

Top: Preliminary sketch of the color scheme. Pixie told her friend “you can be as much of a bridezilla as you want” and received a lengthy list of hex codes in return (html color codes). Bottom left: apx.1000 meters of hand-dyed yarn from Pook Yarns. Image from Pook Yarns. Bottom Right: Pixie improvised a little as she knit to extend the pattern.

…6 months later she finished the last stitch and the shawl was ready for blocking!

See that curly edge? Once it’s blocked it will look totally different.

Blocking describes a finishing process used by knitters and crocheters to even out their stitches and set the shape and size for their pieces. It involves wetting the fabric, stretching it until it’s just right, and allowing it to set as it dries.

Pixie soaked the shawl and carefully wrung out the water before the next step. Tip: Use lukewarm water for blocking.

Pixie used a foam mat and T-pins to hold the shawl in place. Tip: Insert pins at a slight angle for stability.

Since Pixie improvised a little to extend the pattern as she knit, she wasn’t entirely sure what the final shape would look like. Though she started pinning the outer edge into sharp points, she decided to re-pin it with a scalloped edge to better showcase the lace details. She also wasn’t sure what shape the neckline would take and re-pinned it several times to get it just right.

Pixie checks to make sure the shawl is stretched evenly. Each minor adjustment means removing and re-inserting pins until it’s just right. Tip: Allow extra ease when you cast off–technique for finishing the last row–so that the yarn doesn’t snap as you block.

Stretching is an art. You have to fiddle with it to see what happens -Pixie

Pixie posing with her blocked shawl after almost 2 hours of pinning, tweaking the shape, and carefully stretching the delicate lace.

Once she finished blocking she allowed it to dry overnight and then removed the pins.

The moment of truth! Check out that scalloped edge!

Pixie tries on her finished piece!

December 17, 2020

Affordable Anti-Racist Workshops for Makers in January

We are doing our Anti Racist Workshop Series for Makers again. After our successful October pilot, we are excited about offering the series again.

All Workshop courses are priced at a sliding scale of $5-20. Scholarships are available upon request. See below for information on the courses. We hope to see you there!

Schema of Makers

Saturday January 9th, 2021 | 11:00AM – 12:30PM PST

$5-20 sliding scale | Tickets

Who defines what a legitimate maker is? Explore how different types of makers are valued and have an influence on how the community is shaped.

Communities are like ecosystems — living things that change and evolve over time. We will unpack different maker identities and the dynamics of those identities and their influence on how our maker space community has evolved… for good or for ill. This workshop will explore both what the identity of makers has been as well as explore what it could and should be.

Makers Say What

Sunday January 10th, 2021 | 11:00AM – 12:30PM PST

$5-20 sliding scale | Tickets

How the language we use to share maker knowledge interacts with race and inclusion.

When it’s easy to lean into jargon as a way to communicate intelligence and experience, one can quickly conflate the words we use with who belongs and who doesn’t. And when it comes to talking about issues of race and gender, there is often a fear of saying the wrong thing. This workshop will explore how to be inclusive with Maker speak, as well as how to avoid the pitfalls of inaction by the fear of talking about race imperfectly.

You’re Too Comfortable

Saturday January 16th, 2021 | 11:00AM – 12:30PM PST

$5-20 sliding scale | Tickets

Recognizing when comfort is an indicator of white supremacy manifesting itself. Explore how to take action when it does.

One way white supremacy protects itself is by eliminating stressors of those who are in proximity to it. Things are easier, quicker, more accessible, more abundant, less risky, and more. This workshop will examine how comfortable you are and explore where your own discomfort might be putting up barriers to equity and inclusivity. This examination also includes a critical examination of biased systems we might be participating in. Then we’ll talk about what can be done about it. We will uncover what actions can be taken when we discover white supremacy manifesting itself.

Taking Care of the New Guy

Sunday January 17th, 2021 | 11:00AM – 12:30PM PST

$5-20 sliding scale | Tickets

Taking care of the new guy when the new maker isn’t white or a guy.

How then do we take care of new individuals when they are not like us or having a much different experience in the world. How can we support and include black, indigenous, and other POC people in majority-white spaces? Being successful at either can be complex and confusing. We will explore all the ways we can practice harm reduction as well as examine how our own biases and fears may be holding us back. This workshop will leave participants with skills to do just that including positive accountability.

About our Facilitator

Rachel “Crafty” Sadd
She/Her/Hers

Rachel is a Bay Area based artist, activist, and maker. When she is not making she is the Executive Director at Ace Makerspace. She leads program development for equity and social good projects. Participating in rapid response to the COVID-19 public health crisis has been her main focus since March 2020. She is equally engaged by beauty and utility and she creates projects which span genres and challenge ideas about art, craft, and culture.

Learn More about Rachel’s DEI work