KnitYak, Custom Knit Scarves Created With Unique Mathematical Algorithms

KnitYak is a wonderful project that combines yarn with numbers. Founder Fabienne "fbz" Serriere, who is both a knitter and a mathematician, is currently seeking funding through Kickstarter in order to purchase an industrial knitting machine that would allow her to provide custom knit scarves created with unique algorithms.

When I started out modifying knitting machines it was because I wanted patterning that was beautifully non-repeating. I wanted something that looked great no matter how I draped it or wore it. To find algorithms that produce great knit patterns, I set out on a journey to find code that created images that look great "pixelly" as a knit. Knitting is made up of tiny "v"'s, not square pixels, so that also played into the choice of algorithms. One of the algorithms I ended up loving was an elementary cellular automaton that generates great knit patterns which are non-repeating in some lengths, and yet not noise. "All of the scarves are provably unique; no one has the same scarf as you and I can prove it. KnitYak scarves ship with the specific code and generating key used to make the pattern on your scarf. There is something powerful about knowing the mathematics and code behind the pattern you are wearing.

images via KnitYak

via Bre Pettis