Seattle Attic is a feminist makerspace in the suburban Fremont neighbourhood of Seattle. Since opening in 2013 they’ve inspired various other feminist hackerspaces to open around the US, including Double Union in San Francisco (which I wrote about in an earlier blog post).
The Attic aims to be a welcoming place for women to work on hacking and making projects. Its founders decided to start their own makerspace built around a strong Code of Conduct after being involved with other local makerspaces in Seattle and feeling like they didn’t really fit in there. The Attic is an inclusive feminist space that’s open to people of all genders, but it remains women-oriented and all of its board members identify as women. The space is specifically trans-inclusive, kid-friendly, and wheelchair-accessible, and aims to provide a space for making and learning for the local community.
The Attic’s cute little 3D printer
Currently in its third location, The Attic houses a 3D printer, a plotter, several sewing machines, electronics tools and components, and a library of books on topics ranging from sewing and technology to feminism and Marxism. Plus, they’re on the waiting list to get a Glowforge laser cutter! They’ve also partnered with other local workshops to provide members with access to facilities at the Pratt Fine Arts Center and SoDo Makerspace.
Members mainly work on electronics, sewing, coding, and art projects. Wearable electronics is particularly popular, and The Attic has a supply of Lilypad microcontrollers and components for e-textiles projects. They’ve previously run a wide range of events, including coding workshops, felt uterus-making workshops, and a regular Introvert Evening where people could quietly hang out and read a book in the company of fellow introverted geeks. They’re currently planning to run a series of consent workshops, as well as some co-working days for programmers.
Consent literature at Seattle Attic
The Attic currently has around 15 members, if you want to join them then go along to an event to see if the space is for you. The fortnightly Tuesday open evenings are a particularly good time to visit. Membership is $50pm but half or full scholarships are available based on financial need.
Header image: A promo flag in the Attic’s main space