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FRACTAL CROCHET?? What’s Cauliflower Got To Do With It?

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What does cauliflower have to do with crochet?  Not much.  This is just an example of an everyday fractal.  Fractals are amazing mathematical shapes first described by Gaston Julia and Benoit Mandelbrot.  You can google those guys and read til the end of the internet – and if I did that, I still wouldn’t understand the math.  But, I do know what I like when I see it.  This stuff is truly amazing.  So, go do some research.  I’ll wait……

Above is a 3-D fractal ‘cube’.  Does it remind you of anything?

This image of a Herrschner’s Tumbling Blocks afghan could certainly be adapted to more closely resemble the Fractal image above.

The Sierpinski Sieve is the simplest (not to crochet but to visualize) crocheted fractal.  Here’s a schematic:

Not too hard to figure out how we can use this fractal in crochet.  My friend Ronnie crocheted a lovely (if tedious to complete) Sierpinski Sieve Shawl using two strands of a thread about size 10.  It is a dazzling work of art.  Not that you’ll see me making one anytime soon!

I am no mathematician.  Math was always my worst subject in school.  But, I have an instinctive appreciation of the pristine nature of numbers.  The numbers that I can comprehend, and the theories regarding them, are black and white.  The answer to a problem is either right or wrong.  There is something elegant about that.

So, starting with the humble image of a slice of cauliflower, we see how the smallest component of a thing is the same shape as the thing overall.  Look at the veins of a leaf on a tree and you’ll see the shape of the entire tree.  How cool is that??  Same works for coastlines around the world, for snowflakes, for bacteria, for lots of stuff.  That’s fractals.  Show me how we can apply this to crochet.  Please!

Comments

  1. I caught the PBS program on NOVA about fractals. Very interesting…as far as how it applies…give me some time…

  2. I left an astronomy planning meeting for the Intl Year of Astronomy 2009 yesterday. An astrophysicist was sitting outside crocheting and talking about the connection between it and fractals. If you want me to connect you to her, send me an email. She often crochets at sci fi meetings and explains the concept.

  3. Boy, I’d love to meet this crocheter! I’d love to hear her explanation of the concepts. There is more on this sort of thing online. Google
    math + crochet and you’ll find more.
    jd

Have you read?

Crochet Baby Beanie – A Sweet Beginner-Friendly Hat Pattern for Baby Showers and Handmade Gifts

This Crochet Baby Beanie is one of those simple little patterns that makes a really lovely handmade gift. It uses soft Bernat Softee Baby yarn for the hat, a fluffy Pipsqueak edging, and an optional crochet flower on the side, giving it that cute baby-shower-ready finish.

What makes this one appealing is that the shape is worked in easy rounds, starting with a magic circle and increasing up to 48 stitches before moving into the textured post-stitch section. The fluffy edging softens the whole look, and the added flower gives it a sweet decorative touch without making the project feel too fussy.

I also like that it feels like a pattern you could easily customize. You could skip the flower for a simpler baby beanie, change the colors for a more modern look, or keep the pink-and-white version for a classic handmade baby gift. It has that practical “quick weekend project” feel, which is always handy when a baby shower sneaks up on you.

If you’re looking for an easy crochet baby hat pattern with a soft, cozy finish, this one is definitely worth a look. It’s cute, giftable, and the fluffy trim gives it a little extra charm.