Fittens
Collaboration with Kathleen Westerhout
2008 | Interactive Mittens
Felted Wool
Fittens are interactive mittens that bring hands together to encourage physical and emotional connections between a young child and adult. As technology evolves it changes how we communicate and interact with others. Applications like email, Facebook, and blogs have brought us closer to people than ever before. We reconnect with people we haven't spoke to in years. But at the same time technology can contribute to the growing intergenerational gap between youth and adults.
Fittens involve the users in storytelling and the simple pleasure of hand holding. One set includes two pairs of mittens: one for small hands and the other for larger hands. Why? Because, salmon sushi isn't the same without a little bit of rice. An artichoke isn't whole without it's other half. And peas in a pod aren't complete except in numbers of three.
There is the potential for this product to be packaged as a DIY kit to further enrich interaction and storytelling. Together, adults and children could engage in hands-on learning, skill building, and craft.
