Welcome to my project page.
I’m making a quilt of a QR code. A QR code is a two dimensional barcode symbology developed by the automotive industry. It has found its way onto all kinds of packaging and media because long website addresses can be encoded into a nice uniform square. These codes can be scanned by your smartphone and take you all manner of websites. For example, the tags on the plants at Home Depot have QR codes on them. You scan the code and are taken to a page full of information and videos about planting and taking care of that particular species.
I experimented with QR codes when I made an iPad landing pad for my friend Brian. I embroidered a large QR code on it for fun. When you scan the code it plays “Never Going to Give You Up” by Rick Astly on YouTube.
I’m going to make a quilt made of black and white squares that when put together are a giant QR code. When you read the code with your smartphone, it links to this page.
This is the website I use to generate the QR code
First, I had to figure out how many squares I would need: 1089. That’s 33 rows and 33 columns.
Should I assume there are about equal number of black and white squares? I guestimated that I’ll need 2 1/2 yards of each color for the front of the quilt. I will ignore the back for now. Let’s assume I’ll make mistakes, so I’ll probably get 3 yards of each. Leftovers aren’t wasted, they go into my collection.
My favorite place to shop for fabric is the Fabric Depot in Portland, OR.
Here is my map of all the blocks of nine.
UPDATE December 2012: The front is complete and it scans! I finished the last seam and now the 1089 pieces are one. I’m headed back to the Depot for fabric for the border and back.
Follow this link to see my photo journal.