Gaussian curvature = zero.

I've always been fascinated by the Moebius strip. It only has one side. How does it only have one side?! The math involved is so complicated it makes my eyes cross, but the Moebius strip itself is an amazing thing.

Very early on in my knitting career, I knit a stocking-stitch scarf and gave it a half-twist before sewing the ends together. It was sort of cool, but I was a little disappointed by the experience; I'd done the same thing with a strip of paper a hundred times. Surely there should be something more... well, more Moebius-y about knitting a Moebius strip.

So yesterday, I went to the library. And there, in a collection of Vogue Knitting articles, was an essay on the Moebius Strip, written by none other than Elizabeth Zimmerman. Her Moebius strip is also knit straight and given a half-twist before seaming the ends...but then she applied i-cord all around the edge. All around the single, Moebius-y edge. Awesome!


And now this ball of wool is telling me it wants to be a Moebius strip and have a contrasting i-cord applied to its edge. All in good time, ball of wool...I'm only working on three laceweight shawls at the moment, and I really should finish this sock. When I finish the sock, I'll need something simple and fun and not-laceweight to work on when I'm too tired or grumpy to tackle the lace. And a trip to the yarn store to find a contrasting color for the i-cord will be in order.

Also: I should do more outdoor photo shoots.