Under the Sea: Crocheted Coral

As many of you know, I love creative collaboration.

So when Mrs Snail posted her Scrap Happy post about their proposed shop window display, I was immediately digging out suitable scraps of yarn to make some coral.

You might be interested in this Ted Talk about a couple of women who coinordinated an enormous crocheted Coral Reef and link the forms to mathematics

https://darlombfiberart.wordpress.com/category/freeform-crochet/

It is the most wonderfully relaxing, freeing and freeflowing way to crochet – anything goes. Mrs Snail emailed her pattern to me and then I just went for it, making spontaneous changes to size and numbers of stitches to form these delicious little sculptures.

They are so tactile and wonderfully squidgy and fascinating in the way they change as you move them around.

I wanted to make big pieces and thought I would share how I made mine with you, in case you want to have a go.

I have used a 5.5mm hook with DK yarn. But you can use any size of hook with any size of yarn.

The Crochet terms I use are US terms.

Ch4 to start (or make a magic ring if you prefer

Slip stitch into the beginning chain to form a circle.

Ch3 to make the first stitch, 7dcs into the circle.

Sl st into the 3rd beginning chain.

Ch3, 2dcs or 3 dcs into each st all the way round, Hdc into the 3rd starting ch and continue round in a spiral from now on.

Increase at random whenever you like.

If you want it to be big, increase less often to grow the central area, with more increases towards the edge.

I made the edge look extra frilly by single crochet, ch2, single crochet in the next stitch all the way round.

I was able to use up some of my Mum’s stash

Popcorn stitches add texture and interest.

I love the look and feel of them and will keep some for myself, but I’m not sure what to do with them!

I used cotton for this one, but found that it does not hold the shape as well as acrylic yarn

They devour yarn, so it is an excellent Scrap Happy project.

I’m joining Kate and her other Happy Scrappers.

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 
Moira, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 
 Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Nóilin, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa,
Lynn, Tierney and Hannah