If you can express an idea in five or fewer words – no matter how ridiculous – textile artist Paul Nosa will turn it into a custom embroidered patch on the spot. Using no pre-drawn designs or computer templates, Nosa’s method of freestyle embroidery is an artform in its own right. But what makes Nosa’s work especially interesting to us is the fact that his sewing machine is powered solely by a solar panel and a bicycle generator.

Nosa’s workstation is a portable sewing table that he built and designed himself. The “solar sewing rover” features a Singer sewing machine, an inverter wired to a 12-volt, deep-cycle marine battery, and cabinets to store Nosa’s array of colorful thread and fabric. It also displays his collection of original patches, each inspired by a “scenario,” an idea expressed in five or fewer words. According to Nosa, the rover took a year to plan and design and two months to build. Continue reading →