Hexaflexagon Cushions
HEXAFLEXAGONS & HEXAFLEXACUBE
A hexaflexagon is a curiosity, usually made in paper
This isn’t the most comfortable cushion in the world but it is great fun. We can absolutely predict what will happen when it is presented to a group of kids (or adults!):
First, it is used as a frisbee (It is quite aerodynamic.) One person will put it on their head and it isn’t long before someone discovers that a slight tug will pull it over the head and it will sit snuggly round the neck, like a ruff.
Eventually they investigate its strange properties and discover that this flat cushion has six faces.
The crochet cushion in the first six photos was made for MathsYear2000 and has been handled by hundreds of people. These new photographs show how well it has stood up to this treatment.
We invented the name Hexaflexacube for this version because the faces were shaded to resemble a cube.
Although the construction is different, there are still six different faces. There are obviously three colour combinations but, if you look carefully, you will see that the positions of the colours change.
This cushion was exhibited in Washington, DC, in January 2008 at JMM2009
This knitted version was added to the pattern in January 2013.
The instructions for these three cushions are included in one pattern.
Buy the pattern on the Puzzles and Games page of our order form
Woolly Thoughts, UK
PROFILE
Mathematics through knitting and crochet.
Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer, described as Mathekniticians.
Textile art is one of the vehicles they used for making Mathematics more accessible, during their teaching careers. They are now retired from formal teaching and their knitting and crochet has expanded beyond their mathematical beginnings.
Woolly Thoughts started, in 1994, as a book about making sweaters, jackets and other garments using mathematical methods.