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This project made possible by funding from The West Oxford Agricultural Society ~ presenter of The Fryeburg Fair

Sunday, November 6, 2011

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!



7 comments:

  1. Wow, I'd love to know how you made those sea urchins. Do you have a pattern?

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  2. Hi Selena,

    Sorry there isn't a pattern per se since almost all of my work for the reef was free form. But.... The sea urchins were done individually using a bullion stitch. I began with a circle and did bullion stitches all around then pulled them tight after a light stuffing. When I got a bunch done, I stuffed them a bit then crocheted and or stitched them together in a random order to mimic the way I had seen how they grow in photos of the real thing.

    Hope this helps and good luck!

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  3. Thanks Gale. That actually does help. I hadn't heard of the bullion stitch before. Now that I know what stitch you used, I can try and replicate it. Thanks so much!

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  4. Wow these are so fun&beauty Beautyfull! I found them looking for inspiration of crocheted Coral as I am part of a collective team making and installation of a coral reef from recycled materials and I am crocheting plastic and fishing line etc.
    Question: for the grid you used on the purple piece, do you have a picture of the grid before the double crochets were added? Would super love to see how it started :)

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  5. WhatYouSea sells coral frags on the internet for people with saltwater aquariums. A coral frag is a small piece of live coral that a person can add to their tank,and grow out. The niche should be blogs related to saltwater aquariums, and coral propagation and sales. Let me know if you need more information.

    if you want more just look here "Buy live coral"

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  6. I have just joined a crochet group who are going to be doinga reef display next year - I have been researching this morning and found this very inspiring! I have never tried free form (though I do go rogue on some hat patterns and wing it!) but I am excited by your work and hope to create some similiar forms for our reef display .

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