Enlarge / Introducing topological defects into knitted patterns can shape (a) the out-of-plane elasticity of a plush rabbit (left) and (b) in-plane deformations of knitted textiles (right). Elisabetta matsumoto Knitted fabrics like a scarf or socks are very elastic, able to stretch up to twice their length, but the individual …

Knitting dates back thousands of years, but new research suggests that it may be more than an ancient way of making materials. According to Elisabetta Matsumoto from Georgia Institute of Technology, the underlying mathematical rules of knitting could inform the development of revolutionary materials. Matsumoto believes that understanding how stitch …