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Markov Chains, Coptic Bananas, and Egyptian Tombs: Generating Tablet Weaving Designs Using Mean-Reverting Processes
Tablet weaving, also known as card weaving, is an ancient method of making strips of fabric that is still used by
hobbyists and crafters today. One important difference from other sorts of weaving is that the threads are twisted as
the cloth is produced, with different design elements producing different directions of twist. It is desirable for this
twist to be balanced across the length of the strip, and this feature has inspired the use of a mean-reverting Markov
process known as the Ehrenfest model to randomly generate tablet weaving patterns. I applied this process to the
technique known as “Coptic Diamonds”, with very good results. For perfectly balanced twist, however, some extra
symmetry had to be artificially introduced into the patterns.