Math

I was thinking about why I love crafting the other day. I came up with a lot of reasons, but one I think might only be true for some crafter. Not all crafters, but some crafters. Geeky crafters mainly.

So why do I love crafting??

Obviously crafting is a great way to be creative!

I adore knitting and seeing something spring out of nothing more than just a simple ball of yarn. Wearing it/showing it off is fun too! It's a great way to show off your personality because what you make is unique to you. Even if you follow a pattern exactly, you still get to choose the colour of yarn.

Yes, I love crocheting because the repetitive motion is calming and a great stress reliever.

Of course, I like crafting because I like to give homemade gifts!

And there's just something about x-stitch and seeing it slowly turn into a picture that is pretty cool.

But one reason I love crafting, that I never thought would be the case? Math.

Yup. I love crafting, because at it's core, is mathematical. Just like Bach's music (maybe all music?) is mathematical. Or is a combination of mathematical and creative genius.

For knitting, you have needles and yarn and knowing how many stitches per inch you have you can knit enough to go around your wrist or head or neck or shoulders. The mathematical side of you can figure that part out. (as shown in the picture above.) But it's the creative side of you that adds the cables or lace work or flourish that makes a project unique.

But when you think of it, those flourishes are often mathematical too. Lace work is done in a pattern. It isn't just random. It's done with a purpose. Cables too. You set them so they are evenly spaced around the project.

Again, even if you are following a pattern, you have to be able to count. Go math its simplest!

I even find a way to make x-stitch mathematical. I noticed the last time I was working on a project that I'd in my head be trying to figure out how to use the least amount of floss. It's not like I was worried I was going to run out, but it was kind of a competition with myself. Is it better to go over two and up four or over three and up three? All because it gives me math.

And that, my friends, is why I knit and wear a GEEK button on my Ravenclaw scarf.