A Crocheted Coral Reef

If you are a dab hand with a hook, you may be interested in a crochet project currently running at Manchester Museum. Projects that bring together science and nature with creative skills can turn out some really interesting results, and this sounds like a great example.

Detail of an island from the Latvian Reef, with coral by Dagnija Griezne. Photo by the IFF.

From October 2013 to March 2014 a crocheted coral reef is being created at the Museum and they are looking for people to crochet corals to add to the reef. You can do this at the Museum on one of the workshops they are running, or make your corals at home and send them in.

The Manchester reef is a 'satellite reef' of L.A.’s Institute for Figuring’s International Crochet Coral Reef. It will be part of an exhibition of natural coral specimens, including examples of its use in the decorative arts. The exhibition, Coral: Something Rich and Strange, runs from 29th November 2013 to 16th March 2014 at Manchester Museum.

Irish Reefers sort through a plethora of coral as they prepare to compose their Satellite Reef. Photo by the IFF.

If you'd like to find out more you can find the project's Facebook page here (which includes details of crochet workshops) and they also have a Ravelry group where you can find patterns and ask questions.

Although I live in Glasgow, Manchester is a city close to my heart as I studied there for a year. If you do manage to visit, let me know how the coral reef looks!

K x