The cosmos, knitted.

On the other side of the world, in Australia, Sarah Spencer has engineered a domestic knitting machine to make a stupendous map of the constellations. 

Sarah is a software engineer and used her skills and experience to create algorithms which translate pixels into stitches using three colours of yarn. Seven panels were then knitted and painstakingly stitched together to create the final piece which measures 9x15 feet!

Although it is not accurate (with a stretchy material like yarn how could it be!) the blanket is amazing and was exhibited at a camping tech-and-arts festival in the UK. 

It would be fantastic to see the piece in person. If you know where it is going next, please get in touch. Enquiring minds want to know...

If you fancy seeing what else Sarah (and husband, John) have been hacking, altering and doing, check out http://heartofpluto.co. Hours of fun!

Thanks to our loyal reader in South Africa for the link and, of course, to our friends over at AtlasObscura for continuing to brighten our lives with wonderful things. Picture courtesy of Sarah Spencer.