a simple knitted Ada Deitz polynomial equation

Submitted by kathy on Sun, 09/09/2007 - 06:36

Dan sent me an invite to the Open Source Embroidery facebook group. their website is www.open-source-embroidery.org.uk. I haven't tried embroidery since I was a child, and I don't remember being that good at it, but it sounds like a good project. so I thought I'd post info / photos my knitted polynomial bag. (even though it's not as nice / perfect as some of the other online examples!!) when I was a child I used to do lots of crafts and was always making things. I had a resurgence of this about a year ago. it feels good to make things with your hands, especially little presents for people. so I've been (very slowly) working on hand made things. I find it's better than buying something, though it does tend to take me longer to finish things these days!

when I was reading about mathematical knitting I thought I'd try it out. I started with an easy equation - the simple polynomial equation I remember using at school (all those years ago!).

this is the first example on the Ada Deitz polynomial site and is also described on the fiberarts algebraic weaving page

(a + b)¬≤ =
(a + b)(a + b) =
a(a + b) + b(a + b) =
a¬≤ + ab + ab + b¬≤ =
aa + ab + ab + bb

the pattern becomes aaababbb where a=colour1 and b=colour2

Ada Deitz's "Algebraic Expressions in Handwoven Textiles" booklet is available on this handweaving.net page (dak_alge.pdf link) or direct link

here's the finished bag. I use it to carry my video camera. it needs a strap though. I probably should have chosen different colours but it was the only wool I had with me at the time. I was going to put the pattern across the columns (similar to the weaving examples from Ada Deitz links above) but got a bit lazy so just did the pattern in rows apart from a few rows on one side. don't look too closely as you'll see some mistakes where I lost concentration and did a couple of extra rows which broke the formula! but, u get the idea...

the more accurate side :