Inspiration:Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef

http://www.flickr.com/photos/genista/

Always on the look out for project inspiration, I came across this marvelous picture of corals---crochet corals! The patterns, especially the curves of the crochet was so beautiful and so realistic, I just had to make them right there and then!

Searching on the internet for the pattern, I found out that the hyperbolic crochet here is actually a geometric model of a hyperbolic space, developed by Dr Daina Taimina, a mathematician at Cornell University. For centuries mathematicians and physicists have struggled to make actual models of the hyperbolic space and although there were some efforts made, most were failures especially the ones made out of paper which could hardly retain the shape and easily disintegrated. Dr. Taimina, a mathematician and a handicrafter, thought of using crochet and the very first hyperbolic crochet was made. For more of the fascinating story on this you can check this article on Dr. Taimina by the New York Times as posted at the Institute for Figuring website. Many thanks to Anna Mayer of the IFF for permission to use in my blog some of the information from their website.

You may also check the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef website at http://crochetcoralreef.org/about/index.php for more pictures and crochet inspiration. 

Below are the finished product of my imagination inspired by the hyperbolic crochet. I made earrings! They look so dainty and the curves reminded me so much of graceful ballet dancers that I named these pirouette. If you want to own a pair, you may purchase beginning on August 15, 2010 at my online store http://millicentmelissa.multiply.com (at the moment, only for Philippine buyers). 

Pirouette in Yellow

Pirouette in Lavander