sam blickhan

@snblickhan

She/her. Chicago. People, tech, museums, research. Zooniverse.org Director & #DH lead at Adler Planetarium. PhD. CW Handbook: Lapsed musicologist/medievalist. Fiber artist. Musician:

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Bluesky

Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir snblickhan.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

sam blickhan@snblickhan· 18d

Have been doing random tapestry experiments & trying to figure out my next weaving project. Was feeling a little frustrated, not loving the results (photo 1) & then a little inlay idea (photo 2) turned into a pattern I love, likely now a study for a bigger piece. Moving from #DHtries to #DHmakes!

A small wooden floor loom with a messy, multicolored wool weaving project in progress.

A close up of a gray tapestry weaving with a simple pink and teal pattern.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jul 16

Update, view of downtown Chicago from the Adler Planetarium at 1pm. Up to 484 (Hazardous) according to fire.airnow.gov — it smells like smoke everywhere.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jul 16

View of downtown Chicago from the Adler around 9am today. Stay safe out there everyone, and mask up if you need to go outside. Current air quality level is 284 or “Very Unhealthy” according to fire.airnow.gov

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jun 29

I got so close to getting the screenshot 😂 @zooniverse.bsky.social but we’ve officially reached: 1 BILLION CLASSIFICATIONS!!!!!

A screenshot of the Zooniverse home page with 1 classification left in the countdown to 1 billion

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jun 25

I’ll do a longer post later with more photos (I’ve woven all the ends in since this was taken, for example!) but here’s the rug I shared in today’s #DHMakes share-out, complete with proof of Bowie approval!

A handwoven rug in shades of blue and gray, featuring a checkerboard pattern. A brown dog is lying on top, with a pleasant expression on its face.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· May 1

A May Day trip to the Fiber + Fabric Craft Festival seems like the perfect occasion for my @wolfproofpress.com shirt. S/o to @literaturegeek.bsky.social and #dhmakes

A white woman with curly brown hair wearing jeans and a blue t-shirt that reads “Breaking machines that enshittify livelihoods since 1811” and features an image of a beckoning Luddite

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Feb 21

Saturday #weaving update! Making progress on my first rug. Finally getting the hang of shaft-switching, starting on a checkerboard section. #DHmakes

A wooden loom with a handwoven rug in progress, in shades of gray, blue, and brown.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jan 17

So much awful shit is happening, but one year ago I had my first weaving class and I remain unbelievably grateful for the chance to experiment, to make things slowly and intentionally, mistakes and all. Always thankful for the #DHmakes community, too! Everything I wove in 2025:

A purple, green and yellow handwoven scarf sitting on top of a wooden trunk, surrounded by houseplants.

A video showing a pink, green, brown and cream woven sampler, hanging on a wall.

A loose top handwoven with black and white thread, in a complex twill pattern

9 small, handwoven coasters in black and white, featuring a variety of geometric patterns

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Nov 14

with your support, I can keep this dog in the lifestyle to which he has become accustomed

a brown dog wearing a green harness, sitting on the ground, which is covered in yellow leaves

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Sep 16

This is Bowie’s preferred method of getting out of something he doesn’t want to do… hoping the day gets better!

A brown dog laying on his back with paws in the air, with a blue leash attached to a grey harness. The photo shows a pair of legs and feet standing next to the dog, as if a person, the photographer, is waiting for this tantrum to end.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jul 12

How it started / how it’s going #weaving #twill #dhmakes Still a few details left to add (front closure? maybe a contrast woven binding for sleeves & neck??) but really pleased with my first handmade garment from handwoven fabric.

A woven work in progress on a wooden floor loom, in a twill pattern made from black and white yarn. A paper pattern sits on top of the work, and there is a wooden boat shuttle with a black bobbin.

A loose, flowy, handmade top made from the black and white handwoven fabric. It is hanging from a wooden clothes hanger in a doorway.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jul 11

When you go outside for a walk and the RealFeel™️ is almost 100 degrees.

A medium sized brown dog standing at the top of a wooden outdoor staircase. He has a thousand yard stare into the distance, and does not seem pleased.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jun 14

Huge crowd for #NoKings Chicago

A large crowd holding protest signs, marching down the street with skyscrapers in the background.

A protest sign showing the Star Trek: Voyager characters Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine with the text “RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE.”

A protest sign with black text on a white background that reads “Protect your neighbors FUCK ICE!”

A large group of protestors march past Trump tower in downtown Chicago. One sign reads “Fuck fascism.”

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jun 14

LFG

A white poster with black text that reads “NO TYRANTS! & NO KINGS!”

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jun 13

For the #DHMakes folks not at #ACH2025 -- here are some recent #weaving update photos. This is a twill complication I'm working on using 8/2 Tencel. Will eventually become a garment, sort of a boxy top? Will see. First time using a boat shuttle, too! It took some time to get used to, esp. left hand.

A wooden multishaft loom with a black and white woven work in progress. There is a wooden boat shuttle with a black bobbin inside resting on the project. A printout of the pattern sits on top of the work.

An overhead view of a weaving work in progress on a wooden floor loom. Black and white thread in a small twill pattern with lots of small, repeating diamond shapes. A wooden boat shuttle sits near the top of the work.

A wooden floor loom with a black and white work in progress. The work is black and white thread in a small twill pattern with lots of small, repeating diamond shapes. The angle of the camera shows the loom has 6 treadles, to be pressed with your feet while sitting at the loom.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Jun 9

Oh my god.

A photo of a black and white cat with its mouth open superimposed over printed text that reads “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” (repeating across the entirety of the image background)

sam blickhan@snblickhan· May 18

Research and prep for my next weave. And I got to use the warping mill! #DHmakes

An open book page with twill weaving patterns showing a black and white diagram. On top of the book is a small tan muslin mock-up of a boxy shirt with straight pins holding the pieces together.

The cover of a book called “Peasant Chic: A Guide to Making Unique Clothing Using Traditional Folk Designs,” by Esther R. Halderness. There is a photo on the front of a woman with long, braided hair wearing a multicolored patterned skirt standing in the doorway of a cream colored building.

A wooden structure with four tall beams connected at the top and bottom, with a metal pole in the middle to allow the structure to rotate. There is white yarn wound around the structure, coming from a cone of yarn sitting at the bottom of the structure.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· May 12

My maternal grandma started 20 quilt blocks ~40ish years ago. I found them in my parents’ basement last September. Today I gave Mom the finished quilt top for Mother’s Day. Fibers hold memory, & heirlooms keep family by our side long after they’re gone. Love to all the caregivers today 💜 #DHmakes

Two white women sit on a brown sofa. One woman has brown hair, one has white hair. They are smiling, holding up a multicolored patchwork quilt with a white background.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· May 3

Finished product (feat. my very helpful assistant) #DHmakes

A white hand with hot pink fingernails holding a rectangular wooden frame with nails in the short side ends. In the background through the frame a sleeping brown dog is visible, sleeping in a grey dog bed. Behind the dog there is a bookshelf and an orange armchair with a blue blanket.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· May 3

Mini project this AM: a DIY frame loom. Made from a used canvas I found at goodwill and some 1 1/2” nails (with apologies to the @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social schedule that I’ve read and am now using to protect the table). #DHmakes

A wooden frame with nails sticking out of the top edge, sitting on a table next to a hammer, some loose nails, and a drill.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· May 1

Happy May Day. Here’s a recent make for a tiny new comrade. #DHmakes

a white baby bib, hand embroidered with a rose, wheat, and the words “Baby’s 1st May Day.” There are initials and the year in the corner, surrounding a fist holding a wrench.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· May 1

Please enjoy this Nick Cave timeline cleanse. Video from Tuesday night’s concert at the Salt Shed.

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Apr 22

Sunday was my birthday and my partner gave me some small binoculars, to support my neighborhood birdwatching habit. Thanks to the better view, I think I can ID this gal as a female Cooper’s hawk! 🐦

A circular image of a white chested hawk with brown feather detailing sitting on a tree branch

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Apr 16

Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington (1991)

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Apr 8

Watching critical funding programs for your field be canceled in real time kinda makes you want to just go to bed at 4:30, huh

A screenshot of the NEH 'Digital Humanities Advancement Grants' funding program website, with an orange banner that states "The Digital Humanities Advancement Grants funding opportunity is cancelled for FY2026 and is not accepting applications."

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Apr 8

Photos for easier zooming! This is its temporary hanging spot until I figure out where I want it to live. #dhmakes

The bottom of a pink, green, orange and cream colored woven sampler

The middle of a pink, green, orange and cream colored woven sampler

The top of a pink, green, orange and cream colored woven sampler

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Apr 8

A few weeks late to share, but I finished my 6-week sampler #weaving project. With new techniques like twills, weft-facing weave, lace weave, tapestry, and danish medallions. Finished off with some macrame & a stick I found in the neighborhood (inspired by @quinnanya.me’s bark collecting!) #dhmakes

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Mar 15

A brief update on my weaving lessons, we have made it to inlay + tapestry, and I’m so grateful for the deep focus of learning — that diagonal angled tapestry section took me almost an entire class to weave. #dhmakes

A woven sampler in progress on a wooden loom, with beige, brown, green, orange and pink threads making a pattern that looks like a series of small boxes

A woven sampler in progress on a wooden loom, with beige, brown, green, orange and pink threads making a pattern that looks like thick diagonal stripes in each color

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Mar 14

Durbin’s Chicago office is still accepting voice mails in case anyone wanted to call today and leave their opinion on the Continuing Resolution vote #votenooncloture

A screenshot of an iPhone contact page for IL senator Dick Durbin, with his DC office number (202) 224-2152 and IL office number (312) 353-4952

sam blickhan@snblickhan· Feb 17

Seems like as good a time as any to share the updates from my new weaving project. Working on a sampler, learning lots of new methods, being messy, feeling awe in the act of making and learning. #DHmakes