According to our calculations, today marks week 8 of Jimmy Beans Wool University! This week, we'll be going over how the math world and crafting world overlap. Math may not have been everyone's favorite subject, but it certainly comes in handy in the future (ESPECIALLY when knitting and crocheting)!

One of the first areas of the crafting world we think about when we talk about math is our patterns. It takes a whole lotta brainpower whether you're using written or charted instructions, counting your cast-on stitches, or just figuring out your gauge! Making patterns is a lot of work, but so, so worth it once that project comes to fruition! Each purl, yarn over, and color-change needs to be accurate, or the math in the row is messed up (unless you like frogging, of course).

In the world of mathematics, MODE is a term that refers to the number that appears most often in any given group. In the new Rowan Mode Collection, the feeling of coziness and sophistication pops up the most, making a very special collection of 18 hand-knit designs! Using the same Rowan yarns we all know and love, this collection features modern and elegant designs that we're seriously drooling over! In all new patterns, these yarns are utilized in comfortable and fashionable ways to keep your needles busy and you lookin' fab!

DID YOU KNOW?: It's believed that the Babylonians originally came up with the measurement of a circle. They believed that to find this measurement, you would multiply the diameter of the circle approximately 3 times. This is shockingly close to our measurement of pi being 3.14!

What catches our eye when we pick out what needles to use? Is it the material? The color of the cord? Maybe it's the shape of the needle itself! People have been saying for years now that square needles are IN, offering benefits in the ways of being easier on the joints for people with carpal tunnel or arthritis and even making your stitches more even!

Addi Rockets Squared is anything BUT square! Featuring the same sharp, tapered points we love from the Addi Rockets and the sharing the same sleek finish as the original Addi Turbos, these needles are comfortable and classic (with the fun twist of being square, of course!).

The flat sides of these needles help your fingers stay put without the need for straining them. They also have a subtle texture that keeps your stitches in place until you need to knit with them! No more slippin' and slidin' fibers on these brass beauties!

DID YOU KNOW?: While we don't know exactly where the square root symbol comes from, some people believe it was from the letter R! They believe this because it's the first letter of the Latin and German word "radix" which means root or base!

Stripe Defi-Knit-Ion

From measuring out to the exact inch or just good ol' fashioned guessing, one of the nicest things about dyeing yarn and creating self-striping fibers on your own is the multitude of different routes you can take to achieve similar results. The amount of work that goes into making a self-striping yarn is off the charts! Even after the hard part of dyeing the yarn, then you have to pick out a pattern that will showcase that yarn perfectly, which is surprisingly challenging. Some companies like Adriafil and Berroco have perfected this process, making different kinds of self-striping yarns for any occasion!

Berroco Pixel is a 100% wool yarn with a little bit o' haze and a whole lotta squish! This yarn comes in a variety of vibrant colors complete with tweed-like speckles and a heathered appearance to give you that feeling of coziness! And best of all? This yarn is machine-washable, making it a fun and easy-going fiber all around!

Adriafil Bon Ton is a delicate, 97% cotton yarn with a touch of polyester to give it that extra bit of softness to it. Each colorway comes in a palette of elegant, calming colors that contrast each other beautifully. Each row you knit with this yarn is a surprise (even if it's stockinette) due to the length of the stripes, making for an intriguing and refined outcome!

DID YOU KNOW?: Probably the most famous pattern in the world of math is called the Fibonacci Sequence. The trick to this pattern is adding the sum of your first two numbers to the one preceding it. Here's an example: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21...

Made to Measure!

Keeping count is imperative to perfect your project. Missing just one little stitch can move an eyelet over and completely mess up the symmetry (totally NOT speaking from experience here, nope, nuh-uh)! Each stitch and row in a project is mega-important and carefully written to make sure whoever is following along with that pattern can read it and replicate the original perfectly! Your gauge plays a huge role in this too, keeping you on track with not only the size of your garment but the amount of yarn you use!

The Knitter's Pride Row Counter will help you keep track of those rows, letting you stay on top of it. That way, you know exactly where to start that lacework section or when to switch colors for the yoke of your sweater!

Each ring is durable and has two numbered dials that move independently of each other to count those rows from row 1 and beyond! Sizes run a touch small, so be sure to round up if you're between sizes or are on the fence about which size to grab!

ILoveHandles Wrist Rulers are a trendy, stylish way to keep your measurements in check. This super-soft leather bracelet can travel with you wherever you go and transform into a ruler with ease!

Each bracelet is made to fit around your wrist twice not only to provide a little boho chic vibe but to allow for maximum measuring!

Katrinkles has come up with a handy tool specific for measuring gauge for swatches made out of any kind of yarn! All you have to do is hold the tool against your work and count the stitches that fit inside the cut-out square.

The bottom checks for stitch gauge and the side checks for row gauge! This tool also has its measurements in inches and centimeters, making it a universal ruler for all yarn-ists out there!

This high-quality row counter from Cocoknits comes in a translucent, matte-finish that features magnified numbers and a lock. Each number rotates under the magnifying glass with a satisfying click to always keep you on top of it!

This sweet little accessory also has a steel backing, which makes it able to stick to the Cocoknits Maker's Keep Slap Bracelets with ease, so it's always within reach!

Jimmy Beans Wool has a built-in calculator on the website to help figure out how much yarn is necessary for your next favorite project (as well as some suggestions for what yarn would work well with it)! All you need to do is plug in your measurement type (both imperial and metric systems are available!), what kind of project you're looking to make, and your desired finished size and gauge! Please note that this calculator works by assuming everything is in garter stitch and is just an estimate. To be safe, you may want to add 10% to your estimate as a margin of error.

DID YOU KNOW?: In the 14th century, it was ruled (by King Edward II of England) that an inch was equal to exactly 3 grains of barley placed in a line lengthwise.

All good things must come to an end. As you may have heard, Namaste is saying goodbye to the Maker's Tote Bag and Maker's Foldover Bag styles. While we're sad to see them go, there's also a bit of excitement, as we know this opens up new spots moving forward with all new designs and colors in the near future. With millions of colors and shapes out there, it's hard to guess what Making Nirvana has in store for us, but we DO know we're delighted to see what comes next!

DID YOU KNOW?: The oldest form of counting device is the abacus! Invented anywhere between 2700-2300 BC in the Mesopotamian era, this paved the way for newer technology to become part of our daily lives (and fit in our pockets!)

5/5 = 100%!

Ready for this week's required reading? On our blog, we're delving into "A Tale of Two Needles"! Reading this can help you get 5 out of 5 questions correct on your next quiz for that sweet score of 100%. Doing this puts you in the running for a fully loaded Namaste Maker's Backpack or Namaste Maker's Train Case when school ends! Missed your last quiz? There's always time to go back and take it even after the next class session!

DID YOU KNOW?: The Birthday Paradox states that If you're in a room with 23 people, there is a 50% chance that two people have the same birthday (We can confirm this as two beans here share a birthday!).

One of the most interesting things about the crafting word is just how personalized you can make everything. People all over the world have started using their knit and crochet projects as mediums to record different types of data! These crafters have made one-of-a-kind projects to keep score of their favorite sports team with their team colors, record the temperature for the day in a year-long blanket project, or even track their newborn's sleeping patterns! These projects definitely seem like they require a lot of dedication to finish, but the products are incredible!

DID YOU KNOW?: Less than 0.5% of all the data we create is ever analyzed and used!

This laid-back project was the perfect on-the-go knit for Marie and resulted in a gorgeous wrap! This shawl knit up like a breeze and featured a free pattern from Ravelry where gauge doesn't matter! Knit sideways, the shape of this shawl is completed as a symmetrical isosceles triangle, but the gradient stays asymmetrical to remain interesting to both knit and wear!