A textile practitioner and two mathematicians with an interest in textile knotting carried out co... more A textile practitioner and two mathematicians with an interest in textile knotting carried out collaborative work to analyze textile knot practice and create novel knot pattern designs using mathematical tiling methods, in particular the Wang tiles. This paper shows how tiling notation was used to design knot diagrams and visualize novel patterns and structures.
A mathematician and a textile practitioner both with an interest in textile knotting and a focus ... more A mathematician and a textile practitioner both with an interest in textile knotting and a focus on research in textile design have collaborated to analyze textile practice and realize novel knot designs through mathematical characterization. The design process has made use of century-old drawing techniques used to represent knots and braids. This paper demonstrates how the manipulation of these diagrams was utilized as a design tool to generate and visualize novel patterns.
This research details an investigation into processes employing laser technology to create design... more This research details an investigation into processes employing laser technology to create design-led three-dimensional textiles. An analysis of historical and contemporary methods for making three-dimensional textiles categorises these as processes that construct a three-dimensional textile, processes that apply or remove material from an existing textile to generate three-dimensionality or processes that form an existing textile into a three-dimensional shape. Techniques used in these processes are a combination of joining, ...
International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education, 2012
Abstract: A teaching innovation for first year engineering students' was designed to involve... more Abstract: A teaching innovation for first year engineering students' was designed to involve inquiry-based questions, an electronic graphical medium, small group activity and modifications to assessment. The use of an inquiry approach was intended to encourage students' deeper engagement with mathematics and more conceptual understanding. Data were collected from observations of teaching, ongoing teacher reflections, student surveys, interviews and assessment outcomes. Despite evidence of success in assessments, ...
This paper describes an ongoing collaboration between a textile practitioner-mathematician and a ... more This paper describes an ongoing collaboration between a textile practitioner-mathematician and a textile practitioner-researcher, and their investigation of certain knotted textiles from a mathematical viewpoint. The paper examines (1) how mathematical diagrams that characterize an individual craft knot may facilitate the design and production of a new knotted structure and (2) how other connected mathematical concepts, such as braid theory, may be used to characterize knotted textiles. The results of this collaboration are expected to shed light on the role of mathematics in making the experiential knowledge of a knotting process more explicit and the significance of collaborative projects on textile design development.
The paper is an examination of a novel process of combining a traditional textile technique with ... more The paper is an examination of a novel process of combining a traditional textile technique with laser cutting to produce hybrid constructions of interest to the garment and interiors industries. Pleating of fabric is a technique performed either mechanically or by hand to manipulate flat sheets into three-dimensional structures. In combination with laser cutting, pleats or folds may be made in strategic locations to produce three-dimensional constructs not previously achieved. Uniquely, precision cutting and pleating may be combined with fabric patterning to produce three-dimensional surface structures and pattern placements not available through traditional means. This novel process has been applied in the conventional areas of fabric manufacture for garments and interiors but recent experiments have demonstrated the capability of the process to be used in other areas ranging from architecture to bio-implants.
Laser processing of textile substrates is embedded in manufacturing systems for cutting and surfa... more Laser processing of textile substrates is embedded in manufacturing systems for cutting and surface patterning through marking. A number of challenges exist with the processing of natural fibres and natural fibre blends such as cashmere, lambs wool and silk.
This paper shows how the response of a luxury textile may be favourably influenced by ‘ designing in desired properties through interventions to any or all of the following: the selection, blend and manufacture of the fibre; the composition and formation of the yarn; the construction of the cloth; and finishing treatments that may be applied to the fabric.
Woven cloth may be post- processed to generate a raised surface, which may then be preferentially modified to create three-dimensional texturing. The composition and structure of a woven textile may be modified such that, when preferentially processed, texturing and surface patterning occurs whilst maintaining the stability of the fabric. Modifications pre-processing may generate effects not normally achieved in woven fabrics.
In Winter 2011 we surveyed the views of 428 mathematics graduates from the 2008/9 graduating coho... more In Winter 2011 we surveyed the views of 428 mathematics graduates from the 2008/9 graduating cohort. Each graduate was asked to reflect on the knowledge/skills they believed that they developed during their mathematical study, and to assess how useful these skills have been during their career to date. We were also able to benchmark these data against an earlier survey of incoming undergraduates' expectations.
A series of seminars called “How we Teach” has focused on the teaching of mathematics at universi... more A series of seminars called “How we Teach” has focused on the teaching of mathematics at university level. Participants are mathematics educators and mathematicians in a university School of Mathematics. Video recordings of the seminars have been analysed to uncover a teaching discourse in the mathematical community involved. Analysis reveals the preferred approaches to teaching (within institutional boundaries), the resources teachers use and the ways teachers think about students' learning of mathematics.
Abstract Engineering Students Understanding Mathematics (ESUM) is a developmental research projec... more Abstract Engineering Students Understanding Mathematics (ESUM) is a developmental research project at a UK university. The motivating aim is that engineering students should develop a more conceptual understanding of mathematics through their participation in an innovation in teaching.
A mathematics module for Materials Engineering students in a UK university has run for three year... more A mathematics module for Materials Engineering students in a UK university has run for three years over two semesters with the same lecturers, a different one in each semester.
The project had four phases: a design phase (of questions and tasks) preceded teaching and contin... more The project had four phases: a design phase (of questions and tasks) preceded teaching and continued in parallel with the teaching phase of 13 weeks; a phase of data analysis followed involving the research officer and two members of the teaching team; a fourth phase (which is still ongoing) involves dissemination of findings and their use in the (re) design of the module for the subsequent year which is now underway.
A textile practitioner and two mathematicians with an interest in textile knotting carried out co... more A textile practitioner and two mathematicians with an interest in textile knotting carried out collaborative work to analyze textile knot practice and create novel knot pattern designs using mathematical tiling methods, in particular the Wang tiles. This paper shows how tiling notation was used to design knot diagrams and visualize novel patterns and structures.
A mathematician and a textile practitioner both with an interest in textile knotting and a focus ... more A mathematician and a textile practitioner both with an interest in textile knotting and a focus on research in textile design have collaborated to analyze textile practice and realize novel knot designs through mathematical characterization. The design process has made use of century-old drawing techniques used to represent knots and braids. This paper demonstrates how the manipulation of these diagrams was utilized as a design tool to generate and visualize novel patterns.
This research details an investigation into processes employing laser technology to create design... more This research details an investigation into processes employing laser technology to create design-led three-dimensional textiles. An analysis of historical and contemporary methods for making three-dimensional textiles categorises these as processes that construct a three-dimensional textile, processes that apply or remove material from an existing textile to generate three-dimensionality or processes that form an existing textile into a three-dimensional shape. Techniques used in these processes are a combination of joining, ...
International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education, 2012
Abstract: A teaching innovation for first year engineering students' was designed to involve... more Abstract: A teaching innovation for first year engineering students' was designed to involve inquiry-based questions, an electronic graphical medium, small group activity and modifications to assessment. The use of an inquiry approach was intended to encourage students' deeper engagement with mathematics and more conceptual understanding. Data were collected from observations of teaching, ongoing teacher reflections, student surveys, interviews and assessment outcomes. Despite evidence of success in assessments, ...
This paper describes an ongoing collaboration between a textile practitioner-mathematician and a ... more This paper describes an ongoing collaboration between a textile practitioner-mathematician and a textile practitioner-researcher, and their investigation of certain knotted textiles from a mathematical viewpoint. The paper examines (1) how mathematical diagrams that characterize an individual craft knot may facilitate the design and production of a new knotted structure and (2) how other connected mathematical concepts, such as braid theory, may be used to characterize knotted textiles. The results of this collaboration are expected to shed light on the role of mathematics in making the experiential knowledge of a knotting process more explicit and the significance of collaborative projects on textile design development.
The paper is an examination of a novel process of combining a traditional textile technique with ... more The paper is an examination of a novel process of combining a traditional textile technique with laser cutting to produce hybrid constructions of interest to the garment and interiors industries. Pleating of fabric is a technique performed either mechanically or by hand to manipulate flat sheets into three-dimensional structures. In combination with laser cutting, pleats or folds may be made in strategic locations to produce three-dimensional constructs not previously achieved. Uniquely, precision cutting and pleating may be combined with fabric patterning to produce three-dimensional surface structures and pattern placements not available through traditional means. This novel process has been applied in the conventional areas of fabric manufacture for garments and interiors but recent experiments have demonstrated the capability of the process to be used in other areas ranging from architecture to bio-implants.
Laser processing of textile substrates is embedded in manufacturing systems for cutting and surfa... more Laser processing of textile substrates is embedded in manufacturing systems for cutting and surface patterning through marking. A number of challenges exist with the processing of natural fibres and natural fibre blends such as cashmere, lambs wool and silk.
This paper shows how the response of a luxury textile may be favourably influenced by ‘ designing in desired properties through interventions to any or all of the following: the selection, blend and manufacture of the fibre; the composition and formation of the yarn; the construction of the cloth; and finishing treatments that may be applied to the fabric.
Woven cloth may be post- processed to generate a raised surface, which may then be preferentially modified to create three-dimensional texturing. The composition and structure of a woven textile may be modified such that, when preferentially processed, texturing and surface patterning occurs whilst maintaining the stability of the fabric. Modifications pre-processing may generate effects not normally achieved in woven fabrics.
In Winter 2011 we surveyed the views of 428 mathematics graduates from the 2008/9 graduating coho... more In Winter 2011 we surveyed the views of 428 mathematics graduates from the 2008/9 graduating cohort. Each graduate was asked to reflect on the knowledge/skills they believed that they developed during their mathematical study, and to assess how useful these skills have been during their career to date. We were also able to benchmark these data against an earlier survey of incoming undergraduates' expectations.
A series of seminars called “How we Teach” has focused on the teaching of mathematics at universi... more A series of seminars called “How we Teach” has focused on the teaching of mathematics at university level. Participants are mathematics educators and mathematicians in a university School of Mathematics. Video recordings of the seminars have been analysed to uncover a teaching discourse in the mathematical community involved. Analysis reveals the preferred approaches to teaching (within institutional boundaries), the resources teachers use and the ways teachers think about students' learning of mathematics.
Abstract Engineering Students Understanding Mathematics (ESUM) is a developmental research projec... more Abstract Engineering Students Understanding Mathematics (ESUM) is a developmental research project at a UK university. The motivating aim is that engineering students should develop a more conceptual understanding of mathematics through their participation in an innovation in teaching.
A mathematics module for Materials Engineering students in a UK university has run for three year... more A mathematics module for Materials Engineering students in a UK university has run for three years over two semesters with the same lecturers, a different one in each semester.
The project had four phases: a design phase (of questions and tasks) preceded teaching and contin... more The project had four phases: a design phase (of questions and tasks) preceded teaching and continued in parallel with the teaching phase of 13 weeks; a phase of data analysis followed involving the research officer and two members of the teaching team; a fourth phase (which is still ongoing) involves dissemination of findings and their use in the (re) design of the module for the subsequent year which is now underway.
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Papers by Janette Matthews
This paper shows how the response of a luxury textile may be favourably influenced by ‘ designing in desired properties through interventions to any or all of the following: the selection, blend and manufacture of the fibre; the composition and formation of the yarn; the construction of the cloth; and finishing treatments that may be applied to the fabric.
Woven cloth may be post- processed to generate a raised surface, which may then be preferentially modified to create three-dimensional texturing. The composition and structure of a woven textile may be modified such that, when preferentially processed, texturing and surface patterning occurs whilst maintaining the stability of the fabric. Modifications pre-processing may generate effects not normally achieved in woven fabrics.
This paper shows how the response of a luxury textile may be favourably influenced by ‘ designing in desired properties through interventions to any or all of the following: the selection, blend and manufacture of the fibre; the composition and formation of the yarn; the construction of the cloth; and finishing treatments that may be applied to the fabric.
Woven cloth may be post- processed to generate a raised surface, which may then be preferentially modified to create three-dimensional texturing. The composition and structure of a woven textile may be modified such that, when preferentially processed, texturing and surface patterning occurs whilst maintaining the stability of the fabric. Modifications pre-processing may generate effects not normally achieved in woven fabrics.