Peter De Smidt 

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Resumé 

How are Needlework and Harm Reduction Stitched together? 



Course: Design Innovation & Society Senior Studio
Duration: January - May 2025

Software Used: Figma, Rhino 3d, Photoshop, Layout 

“Stitch by Stitch” is a feminist design investigation into the quiet infrastructures of care. 

This project bridges the historical labor of needlework with modern harm reduction practices, examining how care is carried, literally and symbolically, in daily life.

Through extensive design research and social theory, I created two core artifacts:

  • A Narcan carrying case inspired by compact sewing kits, harm reduction aesthetics and traditional needlework motifs.
  • A plunger-integrated Narcan timing device that activates a visual dye indicator, symbolizing when a second dose is needed and supporting the labor of overdose response. 

Both designs explore care, preparedness, and the aesthetics of harm reduction, challenging stigma and reframing tools of survival as objects of pride.


Design through Socially Responsible Research: 

 In this project, I used socially responsible research to explore how harm reduction, gender, and design intersect in everyday life. Through conversations with experts, archival analysis, and literature reviews, I grounded my design process in lived experience and collective care. My approach prioritized respect, trust, and accountability to the people and systems this project aims to support.

Design Approach 


  • Feminist theory: Visibility, labor, and care ethics
  • Material metaphors: Stitches, needles, and dye as symbols of life and loss
  • Design justice: Centering lived experience and peer-to-peer knowledge
  • Harm reduction practice: Informed by interviews, community data, and on-the-ground public health needs



Research & Process





  • Conducted ethnographic and contextual research on overdose response, harm reduction kits, and beauty/personal care containers
  • Analyzed makeup containers and needle kits as gendered design artifacts
  • Explored historical needlework, labor expectations, and preparedness culture
  • Prototyped both functional and symbolic versions of Narcan cases using foam, 3d modeling, and 3d printing
  • Engaged with harm reductionists, feminist theorists, and material culture scholars




Final Outcomes






1. Narcan Carrying Case

  • Injection Molded Case 
  • Visual reference to compact sewing kits
  • Honors invisible labor and daily preparedness


2. Visual Timer for Second Dose

  • Mechanism triggers dye release after plunger press
  • Reminds users of the 2–3 minute window for administering second dose
  • Symbolizes dual nature of injection: harm and healing

Why It Matters


This project reframes overdose tools as part of a broader system of community resilience and care. It explores how we carry responsibility, survival, and each other—not just through design, but through intentional symbolism and radical empathy.






View The Full Project Here