Megan will be showing off her projects at Maker Faire Milwaukee, which is happening September 14 & 15, 2019 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Who are you? Megan Colby
Where are you located? Glendale, WI
What is your day job? IT Manager
What makerspace do you attend? Milwaukee Makerspace
What kinds of stuff do you make?
It really seems to vary. I like making things for other people, so there have been things like vinyl cut shirts, baby blankets, dog collars. I bought by first 3d printer a couple months back so there has been a LOT of 3d printing. I’m currently working on printing a Spartan like helmet for my Dalekorn (which will be at Maker Faire Milwaukee).
How did you get started making stuff?
I come from a huge family of makers with a variety of interest. Woodworking, sewing, painting, computers, etc. I think having all those influences around helped me to not be so scared to try new things.
What is something you’ve made that really stands out, that you’re proud of?
There are two for me that really stand out. The first being my Unicorn Dalek (named Dalekorn). I learned (and continue to learn) so much from the build. I have a fantastic mentor at the Milwaukee Makerspace who helped guide me through and work on the project. I got to learn how to fiberglass, make plastic parts, work with electronics, and the list continues to grow as I add new bits to the build.
The second thing that sticks out is a baby blanket that I made from custom created embroidery animals (musk deer, chameleon, etc). There were countless hours spent creating and experimenting with embroidery designs. I had also never done any quilting before, so that was an adventure. But in the end it was a pretty adorable one of a kind item.
What do you have on your horizon?
I will be starting a TIG welding class in a couple days. This will be my first time welding and I’m pretty excited to get started.
What is something you’d like to work with but haven’t yet?
The CNC machine. It holds so much potential for cool stuff. I have no idea what I want to make with it, but I know I want to learn.
Any advice for people reading this?
Have patience and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This is something I need to constantly remind myself. I get so anxious to see the finished product that a lot of times I don’t enjoy the time I spent working on the project.
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