Margolus Cowl
Materials and Methods: Knitted
Designer & Artist: Lana Holden
Year: 2013
A method sometimes used for developing knitting patterns is to interpret cellular automata rules as knitting directions.
The stitch pattern for this cowl uses the stranded (cellular) automata generated by turning rule 201 and crossing rule 39 in the numbering system developed by Joshua Holden. These automata consist of strands on a brick wall neighborhood, with the time dimension moving upwards. The turning rule determines whether strands move to the right, left, or straight up; the crossing rule determines whether strands that meet cross with the left or right strand on top. In this cowl, each brick is interpreted as a block of knitting eight stitches wide by four rows high. Since all strands are present in this particular automaton, the cowl is completely ribbed, with two traveling ribs per block on a purl background.
Slides for J. Holden's talk Braids, Cables and Cells II : Representing Art and Craft with Mathematics and Computer Science are available on Slideshare. L. Holden has a related article for a knitting audience accepted for publication in early 2014. The pattern for the Margolus Cowl will be available shortly on Ravelry.