Kate's Curly

Here, I think, is an interesting example of the idea of domain change. From knowing crochet as a tool for designing pretty or useful items that are usually made from fabric, Daina Taimina created a paradigm shift when she saw crochet as a scientific/mathematical tool. She was seeking a concrete and mathematical way to express constant negative curvature (the hyperbolic plane). This curvature is found in nature in plants like curly kale and animals like the nudibranch. She is now well known among mathematicians and crocheters alike.

I have a copy of Daina's book, Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes. The other day it called to me to pick it up. I read the first chapter and then set my hands to this strange form. After about ten rows I stopped to play with it, variously: opening it up, folding it, twisting it and wondering whether I should sew the side edges together or leave it as it is. I wasn't sure. In the end, I sewed it up and recognized it as a very cool baby toy, making my own domain shift. It is soft and lightweight, easy to pick up, colorful, can be packed into a pocket and shaken back into shape. As you can see Kate is a great tester!