Sleeping Beauty Chandelier by Nadine Sterk

The beauty of this chandelier is that it is actually a knitting machine — when the lamp is turned on, it knits its own lampshade.

A project from 2006 (while Nadine was a student at Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands) this design is still fresh in our eyes!

More recently, Nadine Sterk contributed to the Fundamentals of Makkum Ceramic Tableware. You can see even more projects at Atelier NL.

Via: Design Klub

Comments (17)

How very amazing. The coolest thing I've seen in a long time.

posted by SpecialEm on November 4th 2009 at 9:35pm
view SpecialEm's profile

it is definately amazing but what happens when it gets too long....do u have to stay in the dark to stop it?

posted by mkw on November 4th 2009 at 9:49pm
view mkw's profile

Okay, I go in for quirky, but did this contraption come from the World's Fair or what? The 'nice' thing I can write is that it has a sort of Deco look. If I had the ceiling for it I'd have it threaded in black, as in the first half of the last image. p.s. Does it make noise while it's knitting? My dogs would never stop barking at it!

posted by Vincent B. on November 4th 2009 at 10:29pm
view Vincent B.'s profile

That has to be the most original, outside-the-box thing I have seen in a long time.

posted by outonalimb_09 on November 4th 2009 at 11:03pm
view outonalimb_09's profile

Wow. At first I thought it was an interesting variation of the Munari Falkland lamp for Danese, but after reading the concept I realize it's much, much more.
This blows me away. Superb.

posted by lightspeed on November 5th 2009 at 1:10am
view lightspeed's profile

!?!?

Sorry, but that's just ridiculous. And totally, utterly useless.

posted by Anna Europe on November 5th 2009 at 3:48am
view Anna Europe's profile

How very cool!

posted by andrealew on November 5th 2009 at 7:26am
view andrealew's profile

Shouldn't it be the "Rapunzel" chandelier?

posted by wait wait, there's on November 5th 2009 at 7:35am
view wait wait, there's's profile

Insanity.

posted by mirandabee on November 5th 2009 at 7:49am
view mirandabee's profile

OMG, what?!? It's absurd, and I love it!

posted by visualingual on November 5th 2009 at 8:52am
view visualingual's profile

It looks like a ufo beaming down for probing victims. I think it's a bit industrial for the home, but I think it could be very lovely and interesting elsewhere...

Also, how long does the chandelier continue knitting the shade? It seems pointless to make such a contraption for a one time use.

Nadine does deserve credit for coming up with something so creatively different.

posted by roygbiv on November 5th 2009 at 9:03am
view roygbiv's profile

If only she could teach it to knit sweaters and socks. . .

posted by coffeegoat on November 5th 2009 at 10:45am
view coffeegoat's profile

THats so amazing! EVen without the shade it would be awesome looking...but what would you do with all the shades it knitted? LOL I can imagine telling by boyfriend to pickup lightbulbs and yarn on his way home hahaha!

posted by prunebrownies on November 5th 2009 at 11:23am
view prunebrownies's profile

a neat idea on paper... but silly in real life. I think only a knitting shop or devoted hobbyist could live with a lamp that needs lampshade cuts and yarn "food".

posted by modern on long island on November 5th 2009 at 3:56pm
view modern on long island's profile

What? Why?!?!

What do you do when it gets too long?

What about when the thread runs out, does it just fall to the floor?

This is beyond ridiculous.

posted by ShopgirlCA on November 5th 2009 at 4:32pm
view ShopgirlCA's profile

It's not supposed to be practical! Very cool idea with a great look. That's what design is about.

posted by Sarahj on November 6th 2009 at 2:00am
view Sarahj's profile

AWESOME

posted by blackheartbunny on November 8th 2009 at 7:25pm
view blackheartbunny's profile