2025 Bridges Conference Math + Fashion

Carolyn Yackel

Designers

Carolyn Yackel

Professor of Mathematics

Mercer University

Macon, GA

yackel_ca@mercer.edu

View exhibition history

Biography

Carolyn Yackel is a mathematical fiber artist, who enjoys observing mathematics in the wild. She especially loves making physical objects with fiber, where it seems that mathematics is always playing a role behind the scenes. She has a fascination with the mechanisms for achieving symmetry via various techniques, such as knitting and shibori dyeing.

Looks

Image for look 'Utilitarian Orbifolds'

Front view of Caribbean blue skirt in ** (pm, mirrored annulus).

Carolyn Yackel taken by Penni Hartley

Image for look 'Utilitarian Orbifolds'

Front view of orange cross-back apron in *442 (p4m, 45-45-90 triangle).

Bobby Stecher taken by Carolyn Yackel

Image for look 'Utilitarian Orbifolds'

Front views of blue sarong in o (p1, torus).

Carolyn Yackel taken by Bobby Stecher

Image for look 'Utilitarian Orbifolds'

Side view of Caribbean blue skirt in ** (pm, mirrored annulus).

Carolyn Yackel taken by Penni Hartley

Image for look 'Utilitarian Orbifolds'

Experimental color (blue and dragon fruit) bag in *x (cm, Möbius band).

Carolyn Yackel taken by Penni Hartley.

Image for look 'Utilitarian Orbifolds'

Front view of experimental color (orange and dragonfruit) shirt in *333 (p3m1) equilateral triangle.

Carolyn Yackel taken by Penni Hartley

Image for look 'Utilitarian Orbifolds'

Front view of jungle red box-pleated skirt in *2222 (pmm) rectangle.

Carolyn Yackel taken by Penni Hartley

Image for look 'Utilitarian Orbifolds'

Side and front view of dragon fruit tunic in *632 (p6m, 30-60-90 triangle).

Carolyn Yackel taken by Penni Hartley

About the look

Utilitarian Orbifolds

cotton broadcloth

2025

The concept of this seven-piece utilitarian entry is to exemplify the theorem that exactly seven of the seventeen wallpaper patterns can be realized via itajime shibori. [1] I am submitting a collection rather than a single piece to allow each orbifold type to individually shine. For this project, I used itajime shibori with Procion dyes and bespoke laser cut resists to hand-dye large pieces of cotton broadcloth, which I then sewed into modified copies of my most beloved clothes. Orbifold types were carefully matched with designs to best display the wallpaper patterns. For example *333 (p3m1) was matched with an A-line tunic rather than assigned to the straight apron given to *442 (p4m). Care was taken when placing pattern pieces to maximize the impact of symmetry and motifs, eating up additional fabric and requiring unexpected behind-the-scenes mathematical fiber arts problems solving. The sewing designs for the two skirts, the apron, the shirt, and the tunic were amended from wardrobe favorites, with added pockets, adjusted hemlines, and deleted fabric for a better fit. The fundamental bag design is contained in [2]. [1] C. A. Yackel “Wallpaper patterns admissible in itajime shibori.” Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, vol. 15, no. 3-4, 2021, pp. 232-244. DOI: 10.1080/17513472.2021.1971018 [2] Bara, Brett. Sewing in a Straight Line. Potter Craft, 2011.