Nerd Knitting :)

My eldest sister, Karla, often seen here in the comments, has been a knitter for 50 years. She started early. She did other forms of visual arts throughout her life, but at some point, her love for statistics, etc, took over, with painting, etc, falling by the wayside. Knitting was the only thing that stuck the tightest.

Two years ago, aside from knitting gorgeous sweaters, wraps and blankets, she improvised hand puppets. I can knit. I enjoy knitting, but I've never been one of those people who could get past a certain point. Her sweaters, and the fact that she could talk while making them, always amazed me, but most of those had a pattern. The fact that she could improvise and make hand puppets. Well, that's something my brain still doesn't get.

 
Then she moved on to improvised hats. I believe I've posted about this cute sea lion  before... 

Last year's side project (by side, I mean aside from all of her other knitting craziness) was sweaters for trees... yes, sweaters for trees... it was some kind of guerrilla art project I believe, and no, it didn't harm the trees. No girdling of trees was done, just some random adornment. 

This is what she's doing now... she's cracking the code for yarns, finding their repeat, programming that repeat and doing Monte Carlo studies of the virtual yarn. She then *knits* up the virtual ball of yarn in different numbers of stitches to find the stitch count that best shows the colors of the yarn and that best fit the project she is doing. 

 Here is the graphic that lead to the production of the scarf...

A true number lover's, knitting lover's dream. By doing the virtual knitting, she's avoiding a problem that people have with *pooling* when using variegated yarns... Yes, this has been her obsession of late. She knits and programs when she's awake, she knits and programs when she's asleep... she might also be knitting at work... and probably when she's driving, and gawd knows when else! She's obsessed.

She's also going to start a blog based on these programs, but until she's got it up and running, I've offered her weekly space over here. She's got a good sense of humor, is fluent in Monty Python, and... has me for a sister, so no need to put on your Sunday best when she's around.

Also... the watercolor challenge is still on! I have started roughs for mine... I'm hoping to get something up by the end of the week. Anyone and everyone, feel free to join in!

Comments

[blue girl]

Tree sweaters! Awesome! Can't wait to hear more from Karla. Looking forward to your watercolors, too, Jennifer. Wish I could join in, but the only watercolors I'm "good" at are the ones where you put the water on the paper and the color just shows up magically!

[Jennifer]

Wish I could join in, but the only watercolors I'm "good" at are the ones where you put the water on the paper and the color just shows up magically!

Sounds ideal!

[Jennifer]

I also see that my spacing got all out of whack after hitting "publish". Grrrr. Why does it do that? I don't have time to mess with it now, and probably won't get back to it until this afternoon... until then... enjoy the crappy spacing. I need a spacing program. Oh wait, that's supposed to be TypePad!

[ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©]

enjoy the crappy spacing.

Well heck, it's Monday morning...
~

[Jennifer]

Good point. Unfortunately I can't use that excuse every day...

[fish]

finding their repeat, programming that repeat and doing Monte Carlo studies of the virtual yarn.

This is cool as all get out.

[karla]

My daughter has decided that in the Venn diagram that displays the two domains statistical simulation studies and knitting, there is one point of overlap - and I am it.

[karla]

And, thank you, Fish. I have nurtured this little madness for about three months and am just getting to where I think it works well enough to web enable it and offer it to others. Getting a positive reaction is still shockingly thrilling!

[fish]

Do knitters normally do this by trial and error? Do they not usually try? Not to take anything away from you because as I said, this is cool as all get out, but I am shocked that there isn't commercially available software to generate these kinds of patterns quickly. Can you model for specific kinds of patterns (for example: stripes v. plaid) or do you just run a MC simulation and see what patterns emerge?

[Von]

Wow!! That's amazing! I crochet, and only scarves. Scarves are verrrry easy. NO counting.
So impressed.

[karla]

Fish - There is nothing available right now. Knitters typically buy the yarn and pick the pattern they want and then the number of stitches is a given - not based on the colors of the yarn but based on the size of the object they want to make or the number of stitches required for a particular knit stitch. The result is many objects where the yarn and the stitches fight each other. For things like blankets or scarves, the difference between 48 stitches in width and 51 is meaningless as far as functionality, but can make a huge difference in how the yarn looks once it is knit up. I am sending Jen more pictures of the predictions based on a totally made up yarn so everyone can see how much difference a few stitches makes.

[karla]

Von, I plan to build in predictive crochet at some point, too.

[Another Kiwi]

Hi Karla, I've been looking and looking but I can't find an article I read at the end of 2009 about knitting of fractals where the stitches were accurate representations of the little whirly bits one sees in the pictures. About all I can remember is that it was red. Damn! You could sell jumpers for trees here today, SUMMER ???? I think not!!!

[karla]

AK - You have propelled me on a quest for fractals and knitting! I actually wrote a program based on cellular automata for creating lace knitting.

[Jennifer]

Dear. Lord. What have I unleashed?!?!

[herr doktor bimler]

http://radicalcrossstitch.com/2009/03/10/outdoor-love/>Tree cozies, Wellington, NZ.

[Jennifer]

Ah yes! I've seen that site before! Karla, I think you directed me to it as well!

Also, you chose the tamest tree sweater photo out of all the previous ones you've sent me. Where's the one on the Oma and Opa papaya tree?

[zombie rotten mcdonald]

If we give sweaters to the trees, where is the incentive for them to get a job?

Liberals. Hmpf.

[karla]

ZRM
The blasted harlots shrugged (hahahahaha) off those sweaters over time. The squirrels helped. They would not be bound. They WOULD be bare...

[zombie rotten mcdonald]

Bear Trees?