Adventures in Mathematical Knitting By Sarah-Marie Belcastro
The article "Adventures in Mathematical Knitting"
describes the close relationship between mathematics and knitting. The author,
mathematician Sarah-Marie Belcastro, shows how knitted objects can represent
mathematical shapes and ideas. Knitting is made up of loops of yarn arranged into
patterns. These loops form a grid, and one can apply geometry and topology to
the grid. Using the loops of the grid, one can create complex mathematical
objects such as a torus, a Möbius strip, or even a Klein bottle.
The article also describes that knitting is not only a
physical skill but also a way to visualize and understand mathematics. Rather
than looking at formulas on paper, people can hold and examine the physical
shapes created with yarn.
From the article, it is clear that art and mathematics can
be mixed together. Knitting becomes a skill that helps students and researchers
understand concepts more easily.
Stop 1
I stopped reading when it was mentioned that knitting could
be used to illustrate mathematical patterns and shapes. I was reminded of my
childhood days in Kerala, where my grandmother and elders used to weave baskets
and mats using coconut leaves, just like in these pictures.
The weaving of these leaves follows a pattern in which
leaves are placed over and under one another to create a geometric design.
As a child, I also took part in school competitions to make
coconut leaf mats and small boxes, just like the ones shown in these pictures.
I did not know then that these patterns had something to do with mathematics.
I stopped at this point because I now know that this process
of weaving includes patterns, symmetry, and structures, all of which are
important aspects of mathematics. I now know, looking back, that what my
grandmother and the elderly did was also related to mathematics, even though
they did not call it "math." 
Stop 2
I stopped when the article explained that the creation of
physical objects can aid in the better understanding of mathematical concepts.
The author showed this by explaining that when we create something physically,
such as knitting the shapes in the article, it is easier to understand the
shape's actual structure. Rather than merely imagining the concept or seeing it
in a diagram, we can hold the object and touch it.
This reminded me that sometimes, when we are trying to learn
something, we must do it and experience it to fully understand it. If we knit or
weave, we follow a pattern and repeat certain steps in a specific order. This
is mathematical thinking in action, even though we are not aware of it.
The reason for stopping here was that it made me realize
that hands-on cultural activities may help students grasp mathematics more
deeply. For instance, in Kerala, activities such as weaving coconut leaves or
creating pookkalam designs during Onam festivals involve symmetry, repetition,
and patterns in mathematics.
Question for discussion
Have you ever experienced mathematics through a craft, art,
or cultural activity, even if you did not realize it was mathematics at that
time?
Thank you Rosmy. Your writing made me think about how fascinating it is when two‑dimensional shapes become three‑dimensional through handcraft. In mathematics, we often talk about the transition from area to volume in abstract terms, but crafting makes that transformation visible and tangible. When we fold, weave, knit, or bend materials, we literally watch a flat pattern rise into a form that occupies space. This physical act of turning 2D into 3D reveals relationships that diagrams alone often hide.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find especially interesting is how handcraft lets us see mathematical ideas unfolding. A flat grid of loops becomes a torus, a strip becomes a Möbius band, and repeated patterns grow into curved surfaces. These changes help people connect concepts like perimeter, surface area, and volume in a more intuitive way. Instead of imagining how shapes behave, we experience it directly through our hands.
This kind of making also bridges cultural practice and mathematics. Many traditional crafts—like your memories of weaving coconut leaves—quietly demonstrate geometric reasoning. When these activities are recognized as mathematical, they broaden people’s sense of what counts as knowledge. Transforming 2D into 3D through craft reminds us that mathematics is not only computed; it is also built, felt, and lived.