Make your own Borromean rings! (You know you want to.)

Make your own Borromean rings! (You know you want to.)
This is an instructable showing you how to crochet your very own Borromean rings.

You could also also make the outside by knitting or sewing a tube if you wanted. I crocheted them as I thought knitting may be too stretchy and sewn ones would take some refining before they stopped being all wrinkly and untidy looking.

Borromean rings are a knot (in the mathematical sense) where the three rings cannot be separated even though no two rings are linked. Also the space in the centre is in the shape of a Reuleaux triangle - a shape of constant diameter but inconstant radius.
 
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Step 1Gather tools and materials.

Gather tools and materials.
You will need;

a crochet hook (2.5mm),
a pair of scissors,
a large-eyed needle,
Duct tape,
yarn (DK),
flexible tubing,
newspaper.

A different weight of yarn can be used as long as it isn't too chunky, but you'll need to adjust your hook size.
I used a different colour for each of the rings, but you could do them all the same, or make each one striped.
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13 comments
Sep 20, 2008. 9:23 PMhammer9876 says:
Great Instructable! Yarn AND math. The right side of my brain is feuding with the left side and creativity is winning! Yea! Oh, and it is Duck tape (it says so on the inside of the tape) not Duct tape. Ha ha ha!
Aug 28, 2008. 7:46 PMincorrigible packrat says:
Ah Nuts! I've gone all addlepated from a' staring at the picture...
Apr 12, 2008. 9:58 PMcanida says:
These are so cool!
I love your beautifully clear explanations. (Didn't know the interior was a Reuleaux triangle, either.)

Fantastic!
Apr 12, 2008. 5:30 AMhelenleeks says:
i can't wait to make one of these for the 2yo great niece. and my father in law the retired math teacher is gonna love it! thanks maplesyrup! this is "sweet"!
Apr 12, 2008. 6:00 AMSuperorigamikitteh says:
ha maplesyrup = sweet xd
Apr 11, 2008. 3:59 PMrachel says:
This is great, and very well explained. Math & craft, just like babair sez, they're an unbeatable combination.

(I have to admit, on first glance of the title only, i was half-expecting some Lord of the Rings thing, but now I know that "Borromean" != "Boromir".)
Apr 11, 2008. 1:45 PMBitsi says:
I love it when math and craft come together! :-)
Apr 11, 2008. 11:40 AMbobise says:
would be a great baby gift
Apr 11, 2008. 11:41 AMbobise says:
its best to start them early in puzzles and math : )
Apr 11, 2008. 11:41 AMflio191 says:
wow, this is pretty sweet, i could imagine this being a nice bracelet, or if you flattened it a little, a coaster. +1
Apr 11, 2008. 7:05 AMpolar bear6 says:
what do you use borromean rings for.
Apr 11, 2008. 7:07 AMpolar bear6 says:
ahh lol i see now, i read the text lol. its a mathematical failure of sort, like them hovercrafts made of aluminum and old CRT screens.
Apr 11, 2008. 5:29 AMjoejoerowley says:
Wow! This is really Cool! Great Instructable!!!!

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Author:maplesyrup