iPads, MakerEd and More in Education

hen you think about knitting, you might picture grandmas clicking big wooden needles or something wintery, like a snow-covered lodge. But knitting is everywhere, producing just about everything you put against your skin each day, from socks and t-shirts to hoodies and beanies. And thousands of years after it was first invented, new kinds of knitting are poised to fundamentally change how we think about these “basics,” making our bodies more connected than ever to the computerized world we live in.

Today, you can buy a $40 dress from Uniqlo that was produced by a knitting machine in one piece with no cutting or sewing—which means no seams and almost no wasted fabric. This “seamless” or “whole garment” knitting technique was first developed in Japan 20 years ago, but high costs have prevented it from hitting the mainstream until recently. The machines work something like 3D printers for clothes: yarn is loaded in, the machine is programmed, and out comes a full garment.