Fibonacci Spiral Yarn Bowls

The Fibonacci spiral is a geometric pattern which includes of a spiral made by linking the corners of neighboring squares such that the latest length of the geometric square is the sum of the previous two. This pattern is repeated over and over in all forms of nature.

​In the beginning, creating functional yarn grooves that are pleasing to the eye was a challenge. In the final step prior to finishing every yarn bowl, Bob hand draws the groove on the bowl as a guide to hand cutting.

Drawing this perfectly proportioned, graceful yarn groove was a trial at the outset. Unhappy with the initial results, Bob would seek my advice, usually receiving responses from me such as "not graceful enough," "too big and clunky," or "can’t you get the center to curl in on itself?" Nothing seemed right until he realized that forming a perfectly pleasing groove relates to nature –the next step after visualizing the shape of each vessel as it emerges from a log of fresh hardwood

Bob’s problem was solved when he started thinking about the (Leonardo) Fibonacci series and the Golden Ratio; something that has intrigued artists, scientists, designers, and mathematicians for centuries. The Fibonacci spiral repeats its perfect “golden spiral” in a mathematical pattern found in a nautilus shell, the eye of a hurricane, or the perfect spiral of petals in a flower, for example. Bob realized that the blueprint is there; the artist must learn to see it.

Creating functional yarn grooves that are pleasing to the eye was a challenge at first, but with this knowledge and visualization, he mastered the final step before finishing every yarn bowl.

"...the blueprint is there; the artist must learn to see it."

In nature.

In architecture.

In Heckathorn Yarn Bowls.

​After many years of practice, Bob’s pencil flows easily when marking his yarn grooves, the centerpiece of most of his yarn bowls. And, while his spirals are more free form versions of this precise geometric formula found in nature, his Fibonacci yarn grooves are not only pretty; they all capture the yarn nicely in its silky, hand-finished golden spiral!

I occasionally do a Google search to see the mass-produced offerings flooding the market and always noticing how patience and an eye for nature makes his yarn bowls stand out in the crowd. Check it out and see if you agree.

Sources/Details: 
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-Fibonacci-Spiral
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_spiral
https://io9.gizmodo.com/15-uncanny-examples-of-the-golden-ratio-in-nature-5985588