Hyperbolic Crochet

July 6, 2008 at 10:14 am | Posted in Crochet | 3 Comments

A friend gave me the link to the website of the Institute for Figuring. The institute devotes itself to educating about different kinds of figures. They figured out that hyperbolic geometry can be demonstrated easily using crochet, while it’s very difficult to do so using just pen and paper. Their online exhibit on hyperbolic space is consequently full of crochet models to demonstrate the different properties of hyperbolic space. On the gallery page you can find lots of examples of crocheted (and even beaded) hyperbolic beauty. I really couldn’t keep my fingers still while looking at those images, so I found myself a leftover ball of yarn and a crochet hook and played along:

This is a hyperbolic pseudosphere, crocheted in a spiral from the center outwards and increasing one stitch every two stitches. As you see, Hyperbolic forms often look very organic, just like kelp, or corals, or other marine life. Inspired by the different forms that could be created using the hyperbolic crochet technique, the IFF started to build a hyperbolic coral reef. The results are simply amazing.

And the best of it? The crochet reef is currently exhibited in London. So I just added another must-see location to my itinerary in London. It looks like it will be a lot of fun. I’ll leave you with another view of my tiny little model:

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