Geometric Threads: Artisanal Takes on Pattern, Dimension, and Topology

This summer, experience the breadth and beauty of geometry found in traditional handicrafts and contemporary design with skilled artisans who demonstrate the mathematics inherent in crafts practiced across the globe. Offered in conjunction with our new Geometry Playground exhibition. Today we look at Symmetry, Topology, and Handmade History.

We may think of reuse, recycling, and upcycling as contemporary ideas. But textiles were once made by hand and considered much more valuable than they are today. The folk arts of lacemaking, marlinspike seamanship (ropemaking), and Japanese temari (embroidered balls) produce extraordinary symmetries and pattern; they also evolved as creative solutions for repair or reuse. Crochet, on the other hand, emerged as a less expensive alternative to other forms of lacemaking with the advent of machine-made thread in the early 1800s.

Though each of these techniques developed from different needs and influences, they all begin with a simple string or cord, and result in an endless variety of elegant designs. Explore their intertwining geometries with experts and enthusiasts who continue to preserve and evolve these artisanal traditions.