Quilting and mathematics.

Quilting Quilting Textiles Designs and patterns Patterns and designs is a needlework technique in which two layers of fabric are sewn together, usually with an inner layer of padding (called “batting”) between them. Often, one or both outer layers are formed by sewing together (or “piecing”) smaller pieces of fabric. Sometimes, designs are appliquéd (sewn onto a larger piece of fabric) or embroidered on the quilt. The quilting itself (the stitches holding the layers together) is often also decorative. Many traditional quilt designs display mathematical concepts, such as symmetry and tessellations, that generalize into the abstract mathematics of group theory and tiling theory. In diverse parts of the world, people create quilts not only to warm the body at night, but also to use as clothing, furnishings, or to share family or cultural history. A carving of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh figure containing what may be a quilt and a quilted carpet found in the mountains of Mongolia dates to approximately the first century. Directions can be found to quilt coded designs that may have been used on the Underground Railroad.