Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knitting is Math: How Getting Girls to Knit Could Launch STEM Careers

by

Could knitting be the key to getting girls interested in STEM?This one is kind of a long read, but I think it’s really interesting as a knitter and a mom of a girl who I hope can stay engaged in math and science as she gets older.

The post, “Girls Knit Their Way to a Math Career” looks at how knitting and other fiber arts can be used to encourage girls to engage in mathematical thinking and problem solving that just might lead the to careers in science and math in the future.

I hope more schools and programs will get this idea, that knitting is so much more than handcraft. It would be valuable even if it just helped kids to focus, lower their stress levels and gain confidence as they learn new skills and solve problems, but it’s really more than that. Knitting and crochet can not only be used to explore and explain higher mathematical concepts, the act of designing a knitting project — and sometimes even knitting from a pattern — requires problem solving and math skills.

Sometimes the mathematical connections are obvious, as when I spent a hectic morning with the Pythagorean Theorem while designing a set-in sweater sleeve. Other times it’s not as obvious, or we don’t think about the fact that we’re doing math when we knit a gauge swatch or adjust a pattern. The more experience and comfort kids have with these concepts in a non-classroom context can only benefit them, even if it doesn’t lead to more women in STEM careers.

Knitting might also be a way to reach girls with STEM projects when those girls aren’t interested in robots and computer gaming, which are classic points of entry that might appeal more to boys.

I know I’m going to keep encouraging my daughter in both her fiber arts and her mathematical studies, and I can’t wait to see where that all goes for her.

Have you ever taught kids to knit or crochet? Do you talk about it being math? Or in your own craft do you think about it being math? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

[Illustration by James Lewis for Bright.]

Comments

  2. When I was in high school, the girls were discouraged (sometimes severely) to avoid math and science and to go toward English, and typing, and so forth. As I’ve aged and gotten into quilting I realized I certainly would have had easier lessons if I had been taught in a mode (piecing fabric angles for geometry, compositions of threads and battings for some science concepts). Thank you for a well written essay!

Have you read?

Stitch a Play Mat with a Gorgeous Butterfly

The butterfly on this piece — the Owl Butterfly Playmat by Sophie’s Stitches — caught my eye before I even knew what the project was. Now that I’ve give it a closer look I’m still not 100 percent sure what it is meant to be for, but I still love it. 

I think it’s maybe to give you a flat surface to roll dice or play cards on, but there are no images of the project in use so I’m just speculating on that. If you know what it is, be sure to let me know!

What it physically is is a worsted weight mat (the sample is worked in cotton) that measures 14 by 24 inches, or 35.5 by 61 cm. The impression I get from the pattern notes and the photos is that you knit the rectangle plain and the butterfly is stitched on after using duplicate stitch, which is provided as a chart. 

Of course you could choose to knit some of the colorwork as you go, either using stranded knitting or intarsia techniques, or maybe some of both. It just looks like a lot of duplicate stitch (and it is!) so knowing me if I were making this project I’d probably try to knit some of it instead of stitching it all. 

The pattern also suggests that you can knit a second plain mat to sew on the back and cover up all the yarn ends, as well as making the mat thicker and a little more stable. There’s also a photo that shows fabric sewn to the back, which is also a good option if you have some fabric that has a bit of grip. 

I like the graphic on this one enough I might just make it as a table pad for our entry way table. You can always make the mat part a different dimension, just make sure you’re centering the image if you do. 

You can find this pattern on Ravelry. 

[Photo: Sophie’s Stitches]