Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef.

IFF Atoll formation at the Chicago Cultural Center

plastic jelly fish by Inga Swarm

photos by Margaret Wertheim at flickr

"One of the acknowledged wonders of the natural world, the Great Barrier Reef stretches along the coast of Queensland like a psychadelic serpent, a riotous profusion of color and form unparalleled on our planet. But global warming and agricultural pollutants so threaten this fragile monster that scientists now believe the reef will be dead in 30 years. As a homage to the Great One, the Wertheims - who grew up in Queensland - have instigated a project to crochet a woolen reef. Using the techniques of hyperbolic crochet discovered by mathematician Daina Taimina, the Institute has been evolving a wide taxonomy of reef-life forms - loopy "kelps", fringed "anemones", and curlicued "corals." Though the process that brings these models into being is algorithmic, endless permutations of the underlying formulae result in a constantly surprising panoply of shapes. The quality of yarn, style of stitch and tightness of the crochet all affect the finished model so that each is as individual as a living organism."

The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef at The Chicago Cultural Center until December 16. Click here to read more about the exhibit, the contributing crafters & hyperbolic crochet.

thanks to *j for the heads up! :-)

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i've done the knitted version of this technique, which is to increase the number of stitches by knitting into the front & back of every stitch. this is the technique i used to create the poppy.