In 2021, I picked up a crochet hook for the very first time. Before that, my only experience with fiber arts was knitting on a loom as a child. I had never even attempted traditional knitting, let alone something as intricate as crochet. But that all changed when I started university in the fall of 2021 and took a 3D design class. What I thought would be a typical art course ended up launching me into a full-fledged crochet obsession—one that continues to this day.
The Crochet Coral Reef Project
One of our major class projects was to create a crochet coral reef as a group. Our professor, ambitious (and maybe a little overly optimistic), tasked a room full of students—most of whom had never touched a crochet hook—with contributing to a collaborative art installation. Only about three people in the class had prior crochet experience, so our professor’s teaching strategy quickly became… putting YouTube tutorials on the projector and hoping for the best.
It was absolute chaos. Hooks tangled, yarn slipped through fingers, stitches appeared and disappeared at random—but somehow, we all started to get the hang of it.
The Math Behind the Reef
The core of our project was the hyperbolic sea urchin, a structure that represents a hyperbolic curve. Hyperbolic geometry is fascinating because, for years, mathematicians struggled to physically model it—until crochet came along. Unlike flat or spherical surfaces, hyperbolic surfaces curve outward exponentially, much like coral formations in nature. As Margaret Wertheim explains in her TED Talk, crochet is one of the only known ways to accurately replicate these shapes in a tangible form.
A Statement on Climate Change
Beyond its mathematical significance, our project also had an environmental purpose. Coral reefs around the world are suffering due to climate change, particularly from coral bleaching—a devastating process caused by rising ocean temperatures and pollution. Inspired by the globally renowned Crochet Coral Reef Project by Christine and Margaret Wertheim, we wanted to bring awareness to this issue through art. Their project has gathered thousands of crocheters worldwide to craft stunning exhibitions that mimic natural coral reefs, making a powerful statement about the fragility of marine ecosystems.
Following in their footsteps, we decided to create our own coral reef exhibition at the University of Northern Colorado. After months of stitching, we installed our crocheted reef at Michener Library, bringing a handmade, hyperbolic representation of the ocean’s beauty—and its endangerment—to our campus.
Hooked for Life
What started as a class assignment quickly turned into something more. Even after the project ended, I found myself unable to put my crochet hook down. I continued watching YouTube videos, experimenting with different stitches, and slowly teaching myself how to read patterns. Before I knew it, I had moved from basic stitches to creating intricate designs. Recently, I even started designing my own crochet patterns—a step I never imagined taking when I first struggled to make my first few stitches in that 3D design class.
Crochet became more than just a skill; it became a creative outlet, a stress reliever, and a way to connect with both the past and the future—through traditional handcraft and modern artistic innovation.
Looking back, I never expected that one chaotic semester of struggling through YouTube tutorials would turn into a lifelong passion. Crochet, which once seemed like an impossible skill, is now something I can’t imagine my life without. And it all started with a coral reef, some tangled yarn, and a classroom full of confused students.
To anyone considering picking up a crochet hook—whether for math, for art, or just for fun—do it. You never know where a simple stitch might take you.
