Activities for Students: Curve Stitching: Linking Linear and Quadratic Functions

Abstract

Curve stitching is the craft of creating the illusion of a curve by stitching a sequence of strategically placed straight stitches. Invented in the mid–1800s by Mary Boole, this craft allows artistic expression and mathematical activity at several different levels. A child as young as four or five years old can complete easy designs, yet curve stitching can also be sophisticated enough to create very beautiful art. Over the past century, sculptors Naum Gabo, Antoine Pevsner, Henry Moore, and Barbara Hepworth have made extensive use of curve stitching in their sculptures.