Representing Crochet with Stitch Meshes

Crochet is a fabrication technique in which a 3D surface is created from yarn by interlacing loops formed with a special hook. Crochet patterns are typically represented using a standardized set of abstract pictorial symbols. Unfortunately, while this notation is enough for someone well-versed in the individual stitches, it does not directly show the yarn layout of stitches. This lack of specification makes it difficult for both novice users and computer programs to parse, visualize, and design crochet patterns. We demonstrate how to represent crochet patterns within the “stitch mesh” paradigm. That is, the pattern is represented using a library of tiles, where each tile contains yarn geometry, and tiles connect along their edges. In order to adapt stitch meshes to crochet, we introduce a special edge type which captures the idea of the current loop – the loop of yarn held on the crochet hook during fabrication. We also create a library of mesh face types which model commonly-used crochet stitches. We illustrate the richness of the crochet stitch faces by showing a number of examples including patterns generated from 3D models.