In hyperbolic geometry a plane is hyperbolic if it curves away from itself at every point. It is the opposite of a sphere which curves inward. The result is an exponentially growing lichenous form, something which I derive a lot of pleasure and mental stimulation.
I started crocheting them intuitively the first time I picked up a hook years ago. Crocheting round and round, adding loops in different patterns to see what the end results would be. Wow, I thought, these remind me of the body, coral and other things. I kept reading about space, extra dimensions, ripples in space time and these little forms helped me visualize our universe, which I imagined curving infinitly outwards. Later I found a great article by mathemetician Daina Tamina in Discover magazine. It was a real eureka moment, I realized this was what I had been interested in all along! (I recommend reading the article with her in the links at the bottom of the post).
Here is a piece I had up at the Khyber called Colony and Entity.
Since then I notice them all over the place; in photos of frilly corals, flowers, lettuce and microscopic fallopian tubes (above). I’ve used them in both art and craft. I also love wearing them, so naturally I made some brooches and hair pins for the sale. They are crocheted wool embellished with vintage fabrics and beads. The little pieces of fabric are stitched on by hand and lightly stuffed. These have a great handmade air and each is truly unique.
Psychedelic: This paisley pattern is really bright and wild. It is one of my all time favourites. As a shirt it was pretty garish, but it makes for a great touch of colour as an accessory. I like to use these in my hair instead of flowers sometimes. The hair pins are surprisingly light weight and sewn on to heavy duty bobby pins so they stay put. They are available in a variety of colours.
Vintage Florals: Pretty floral brooches and hair pins for spring.
Flower Pins: Poppies and other crocheted curvy blooms to adorn you hair.
Hyperbolic Gallery:
Recommended reading - Some Hyperbolic Crochet Links:
Crocheting the Hyperbolic Plane: An Interview with David Henderson and Daina Taimina
The Sydney Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project
Institute for Figuring: Hyperbolic Coral Reef
Here is an excellent TED talk on the subject:
