hyperbolic crochet coral reef project

Our after school Talents class participated in an international project that combines math, craft, and environmentalism!



This was the first time using crochet for most of the students (grades 2-6) and they ended up doing an amazing job! I am super proud of them for a beautiful display of craftivism.



The Institute For Figuring first used the hyperbolic crochet technique to curate an exhibit, The Crochet Coral Reef Project, to bring attention to our coral reefs under environmental stress. Since then the small project has grown to an international collaborative project. There is currently an exhibit at the Smithsonian and we got special permission from the IFF to have our own display at New City School!



Hyperbolic crochet is made using a simple algorithm of increasing stitches to create the shapes you see here. These forms mimic what you might find in nature: lettuce, sea slugs, anemones, or coral.