The Crochet Coral Reef is a global creation to highlight climate change and inspire hope. Organized and run by the Wertheim sisters, this fiber-art project uses math and evolutionary theory to create a stunning variety of coral structures. Many of you will recall when the Crochet Coral Reef exhibit visited the Southwest School of Art in 2015.This is the only satellite reef that appears to have been Texan made. Guess what? It’s still going strong and we’re in love with all of the fabulous versions! While there is a Core Collection that travels the globe, there are also satellite reefs, such as the one currently showing at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, PA.

While there isn’t a local reef exhibit for us Texans, you can still make your own mini reef using patterns like the Crochet Hyperbolic Coral ($2.50 on Rav or free at GoldenLucyCrafts). Want to get all science-y? Check out Michele Lock’s 2005 Interweave Crochet article Taking Crochet to a Higher Plane, which includes a pattern and explanation for why crochet is best for creating coral shapes. Both of these patterns are based on Dr. Daina Taimina, a mathematics researcher at Cornell. If you really want to dive into the art and science of reef making, check out the Art + Science Overview.

Whether you love the science of hyperbolic crochet or just love making gorgeous colorful things, we think crocheting reefs sounds like a great way to express yourself! As the patterns above note, you can use any weight yarn and hook size. We encourage you to play with form and color.

We can't wait to see what you make!

-Caryn and the Yarnivore staff