International String Figure Association


The International String Figure Association is not-for-profit organization for the preservation, dissemination, and creation of string figures. The association was founded in Japan in 1978 by mathematician Hiroshi Noguchi and Anglican missionary Philip Noble, and is now run by Mark Sherman out of California. Members have included Honor Maude. ISFA publishes the Bulletin of the International String Figure Association annually, ISFA News semi-annually, and String Figure Magazine quarterly.

Mission and activities

The mission of the ISFA is to "gather, preserve, and distribute string figure knowledge so that future generations will continue to enjoy" them.
Activities of the association include working backwards and attempting variations to solve "Figures Known Only from the Finished Pattern". Other activities include the Arctic String Figure Project.