Euler’s Number Scarf

When our son brought home his interest in irrational numbers and mathematical theorems, his excitement was contagious. His knowledge far outstrips mine, but I shared his fascination with Pi as a middle schooler. It is really fun to think of numbers unfurling in space, marching out beyond imagination and light. I also rediscovered e or Euler’s number while reading Margot Lee Shetterly’s Hidden Figures. In a scene in the celebrated movie, the protagonist Katherine Johnson used Euler’s number to calculate the trajectory of John Glenn’s space capsule on a blackboard. That moment inspired me to plot the numbers of e using a color algorithm – my own take on a color trajectory. I wanted to engage numbers in a new way and found there was an architecture, a different kind of reveal as I painted row after row of squares that looked like chiclets. I found cadence in irrationality and a new correspondence with color.

I travel a good deal and like to keep my suitcase small and at my side. Black and navy are pragmatic but often drab and make me look a bit like a pilgrim without the hat. This purple and blue scarf is a way to keep color at hand. I use mine around my neck, my waist, as an impromptu pareo and on the ground for a picnic in the park. Purple and blue squares chiffon scarf.

Printed Chiffon. Chiffon is an ultra-sheer, lightweight 100% polyester fabric. Printed by Spoonflower in the USA using ecologically-safe inks. The fabric is then cut and sewn by a small crew of dedicated makers in the USA.

Wash separately in cool water on a gentle/delicate setting, using phosphate-free detergent. Machine dry using a low temperature or permanent press setting and remove promptly to avoid wrinkles. Iron if necessary with a very light touch on a synthetic setting with the printed side down for best results.

Approximately 25″ x 72″