Knitting Data: Data Visualization and Crafts

Pattern and Pattern Key

After spending so much time looking into knitting data projects, we decided to create our own! More specifically, we created a model that you can use to make your own data-based knitting pattern. This example is based on library statistics, but you can also use this guide for things like temperature, the number of times your roommate has left dishes in the sink, or the number of books you've read each month.

Below is the basic pattern for a simple Swatch to try out data visualization.  The principals in this pattern could be expanded to create a scarf, hat, or any other type of knitted garment and it is a great way to use up scrap yarn.  You could also create many swatches over a period of time and join them together to make a Data Visualization Blanket!

Step One: 
Select the data type that you would like to work with. We will be using library loan statistics.

Step Two:
Pick your yarns.  Gather up the various different colored yarns that you would like to use to visualize the data.  

Step Three:
Look at the data and create a pattern key.  Your pattern key will depend on how many different colors of yarn you have to do the project and the data set you are working with.  Here is an example pattern key using Loan statistics between July 2019-December 2019:

July: 236 Loans
August: 683 Loans
September: 584 Loans
October: 474 Loans
November: 343 Loans
December: 242 Loans

If you have 3 colors, you might create your pattern key like this:

Red - Fewer than 250 Loans
Blue - Between 251 and 500 Loans
Grey - Between 501 and 750 Loans

Step 4:
Start Knitting!

Consider each month of data as 2 rows of knitting.  In the example above, the full pattern would look like this:

Cast on (choose a number of stitches you would like to cast on.  For a simple square 12 stitches would be easy)
Rows 1-2 (July): Knit with Red Yarn
Rows 3-4 (August): Knit with Grey Yarn
Rows 5-6 (September): Knit with Grey Yarn
Rows 7-8 (October): Knit with Blue Yarn
Rows 9-10 (November): Knit with Blue Yarn
Rows 11-12 (December): Knit with Red Yarn

The more data you have (or the more types of yarn you have) the more variety you will see in your stripes.  For example, let’s take the same data as above but consider how it would look if you had 7 different colors.  Your pattern key might look like this:

Red - Fewer than 100 Loans
Grey - 101-200 Loans
Blue - 201-300 Loans
Orange - 301-400 Loans
Purple - 401-500 Loans
Green - 501-600 Loans
Black - 601-700 Loans

Now your pattern might look something like this:

Cast On:

Rows 1-2: Knit with Blue Yarn
Rows 3-4: Knit with Black Yarn
Rows 5-6: Knit with Green Yarn
Rows 7-8: Knit with Purple Yarn
Rows 9-10: Knit with Orange Yarn
Rows 11-12: Knit with Blue Yarn

Add more colors to your pattern key if at any point Loans for a month go above 700. 

You can add onto your pattern as more data becomes available.  In this example you could check each month what the loan statistics are for your library and then add two more rows in the correct color.

Try this basic Data Visualization Swatch pattern out with different types of data sets or with different projects and show us your results!
 

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