Crocheted Hyperbolic Plane - Work in Progress

How can I furl you.... Let me count the ways....

I LOVE the hyperbolic plane pattern created by Daina Taimina! I used 20 chain stitches to begin and have increased at a rate of one for every thirteen stitches. I am using single crochet and have about 3 1/2 skeins of acrylic Red Heart Super Saver Yarn into it and am using a G hook...... slow going :-) BUT.... I am loving the results!

What I so love about this shape is that as it grows, you end up with a piece than can be furled into so many lovely shapes.

This first photo is the piece laying flat. The bottom is the original edge of 20 stitches which measures about 6 1/2". As you can see from the 12" ruler that I laid on it, the piece is now about 2' across. The edge however, measures about 32'. Yup you read it right. 32'! From bottom to top edge measures only 15". Isn't that crazy??? It takes forever to complete one row now.

I'm not sure how far I will get with this piece. I'm a bit ADD and get bored with things when they go on too long. My original intention was to make this piece using 7 skeins of yarn. I chose 7 randomly based on how many skeins of the color was in stock when I bought it. We'll see how far I get :-)

Here are a few other photos of the wonderful ways you can furl the piece into beautiful shapes. What I haven't experimented with yet but might try once I feel complete with it, is to run a wire in the edge that will allow me to shape it in even more ways. So many choices!

This is the same piece simply rolled up. It ends up looking like a large bouquet or one huge flower!

And my absolute favorite.... A free form arrangement that I did by simply curling and folding it on itself.

Now we will just have to decide how and where it will be placed in the final installation. I can't wait!

I'm still waiting for your pics of either completed or works in progress. Won't you share with us?

Happy creating!

Until next time......

Rivercroft Farm Donated Wool for the Maine Reef Project

Joe and Judy Miller of Starks, Maine raise Shire Horses and Registered Fiber Sheep. The Miller's are well known in the Fiber Art world for their high quality fleeces which they sell at a number of venues throughout the area to hand spinners and felters. Blue ribbon fleeces are common place for the Millers in every show where they enter fleeces.

The Maine Reef project has been fortunate to receive a large gift of white and dark fleeces from the Millers including Merino, Romney, Lincoln, and Border Leicester . Thank you Joe and Judy! We appreciate your generous contribution to this amazing community project!

We have had the fiber processed into beautiful felting batts by Frankenmuth Woollen Mills in Michigan thanks to the support of the Fryeburg Fair. The fiber will be used in the creation of the reef parts with plenty left over for use in educational efforts during future Fiber Center activities.

Talented Fiber Artist Julie Yarborough is the steward of the wool. She is storing it for us and will be dyeing some of it for various felting projects to be used in the creation of the reef by children and adults.  She has reported that the fiber is beautiful! No doubt her phenomenal talent will be evident in the reef project along with the talents of many of our dedicated Fiber Center volunteers.

Dare to imagine.....
Felted caves, sea serpents, fish, clams, kelp and other sea creatures.

ANYONE who does not come to see this exhibit during fair season 2012 will definitely miss out on one of the finest and most ambitious community art projects this state has ever seen!

Mark your calendar and be sure to visit the Fiber Center October 2nd - 9th, 2012!

Maine Crochet Reef Contribution From UNE Dean Hey

UNE's Jeanne Hey,  Dean of Arts and Sciences, recently delivered some of her creations for the Maine Crochet Reef Project. That's quite a pile!

Thanks Dean Hey! We appreciate your donation and look forward to your future creations :-)

Crochet Brain Coral & Sea Urchins

Here are a few of my more inspired pieces of free form crocheted.

The first is a cluster of Sea Urchins. Each was made individually and then crocheted together to form a mound. A little poly fill gave it more dimension. This piece is 12"wide by 8" across.

This Brain Coral is a favorite of mine :-)

The photo of real coral in the background is what inspired this piece. I used a technique which is used to make hot mats where you begin with a flat grid piece and then double crochet on top of the grid to give it dimension. I then did a final row of single crochet in light purple cotton to finish it off.
I completed this piece while at the Fryeburg Fair. It was a real show stopper! People couldn't walk past it without taking a closer look.






I know that many of you are basic or beginner crocheters so here is another piece I just finished using an easy common pattern, done in the round. Once you get the circle made you chain 10 and attach to the center, 10 times. the next round, you double crochet 20 times in each chain 10 loop. I did a final single crochet round with a contrasting yarn.


Keep sending in your finished pieces so we can post photos of them AND send us shots of works in progress and pieces you haven't sent in yet.

Everyone wants to see them!

HAPPY CROCHETING!

New Pattern Links for Fun Reef Creatures & My Newest Inspirations

Thanks to:
The Loop, Halifax, Nova Scotia's downtown yarn store for some fun patterns for knit and crochet sea creatures.
Scroll down the page for multiple crochet and knitted creatures. Cute!

Here are inspiring photos for my next attempt at creating some really cool stuff! Incredible colors and shapes. Check them out! Why don't you free formers give it a try?

Zoanthus

Donations of Crochet Reef Pieces Rolling In!

It's so exciting to see that our efforts to get the word out about the reef during fair week is working! Keep the mail coming! We have been receiving donations for the last two weeks. I hope to see something from YOU soon!

Here are the most recent donations:

These pieces are from Kramer of Sidney, Maine and Linda Larson of Wolfeboro, NH.

Thank You!

From Charon Littlefield, Block Island, RI

Thank You!

From Lin Greene of Sebago, Maine.

Thank You!

No matter how big or small, YOUR contribution helps. We look forward to YOUR piece next time :-)