Pattern Highlights: Cephalopods!

A few years back, starting in 2007, I was pretty obsessed with making these creatures. I sold hundreds of them on Etsy, often crocheting dozens of tiny arms while working at a call center.

A few years later, I wrote a pattern...

... and then another...





... and another.





I am still very proud of these patterns, and I am so happy that many of you have continued to connect with them and make tons of sea creatures for your friends, family, and self!

To see each pattern's info, click the picture. <3 p="">

How cool is Hyperbolic Crochet?

While researching an upcoming segment for YarnTalk, I found myself once again pulled into the wonderful world of yarny math and science. 

Knitting and especially crochet are perfectly suited to produce a hyperbolic plane, which is a mathematical concept of a surface that expands exponentially as you move away from a center point. The idea of using crochet to create hyperbolic planes came from Daina Taimina, a mathematician at Cornell, who realized that she could represent this complex concept with crochet, by increasing stitches at a set rate in each row. This was in 1997, and before this, there was no comprehensive, effective way to produce a model of a hyperbolic plane, even on a computer, so this was a game-changer.

Daina Taimina's hyperbolic crochet model!

This idea later inspired the famous Crochet Coral Reef, which, since 2007, has traveled to major art galleries and museums all over the world. 

Coral grows in hyperbolic forms, so crochet was a perfect way to create a realistic yet whimsical version of undersea life. This evolving exhibit started with the Institute for Figuring, which is an amazing organization that educates people about the aesthetic and poetic beauty of science and math.

The Institute for Figuring was founded by Margaret Wertheim, a cultural historian and science author. Margaret and her twin sister Christine, and eventually thousands of other crafters, created the reef, which is now so extensive now that it is probably the worlds largest community art project. 

99% of the crafters involved in the project are women, and indeed much of Margaret's work explores the interactions between what are traditionally considered women's handicrafts and science and math. Margaret has a wonderful TED talk that I'd recommend watching!

Many more scientists, mathematicians, knitters and crocheters have explored this intersection of science and craft, a recent example being the Neural Knitworks, a collaborative project on brain health, that created a “walk-in brain” from over 1600 handmade neurons. It's not hyperbolic, but it's a great example of the way that craft and science can interact to strengthen communities.

If you're still hungry for more (and there is SO much more! Google "hyperbolic crochet" to get started) check out Gabriele Meyer's gorgeous hyperbolic surfaces, and keep your eyes peeled for hyperbolic crochet-- it's everywhere!

Our next episode of YarnTalk will include a segment on all this yarny-mathy goodness.

UPDATE: Here is Episode 6 of YarnTalk!

Quick Fancy Headbands - new pattern

I'm so happy these are finally available as a pattern-- lots of folks asked about them when I sold them at craft fairs.

it's a headband party and you're invited!

Deceptively simple and QUICK as heck, with yarn ends used as braided ties-- these are the ultimate last-minute-crochet gift.

two head(bands) are better than one

The pattern includes photo directions for the beginning crocheter, making this a simple, pleasurable hooking experience.

tassels are fun

Endless border and color combinations! Also, they make cute bracelets and bookmarks.

gifts for all your lovely peeps

Quick Fancy Headbands crochet pattern PDF

$3

New crochet pattern! Patches the Elephant

Do these curtains make my ears look big?

Patches is here! I made this squishy, huggable pillow-toy for Ewe Ewe Yarns in their excellent superwash Wooly Worsted.

This happy creature is about a foot long, a nice large size for playing or snuggling at nap time. Patches only has two legs-- but really, how many legs do you need when you're a pillow?

The better to hear you with, my dear

I chose colors that were sunny and bright and unisex (at least in my opinion! I was never one for the pink-or-blue dichotomy). The pattern involves minimal finishing: the belly-ful body is join-as-you-go, stuffed with plenty of cushy stuffing, quick embroidered eyes and sew the ears on-- done. 

It's times like these when I wish I had a handy kid-model for scale. We'll have to settle for this shot of me being a goof.

Do the Pachyderm Rock

Patches the Elephant crochet pattern PDF

$6

Hot Time knitting and crochet

Let's face it, the weather affects what you want to work on, right? Here in Chicago it is a humid 83 Fahrenheit and I am avoiding the presence of my woollier, warmer yarns for the time being.

So, what to do? My answer is usually: Cotton or small or quick or all of the above.

Melt Slouch Hat

Realistic Crochet Octopus

crochet headband party!

Some random tips for making yarn-crafting bearable during the warmer months:

• Drink more water! (basically my solution for everything)
• Put your project and/or yarn into a bag so they don't get fuzzies all over you
• invest in a spray bottle from the Dollar Store or something, mist yourself like an orchid when you get hot
• stick to smooth fibers like cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, viscose 

I'm getting ready to make a few pairs of cotton socks. Keepin' it cool and small.

Has summer crafting season reached you yet? Got any more tips? Because you know we're not just gonna stop just because it's hot!

Handmade for the Holidays

Just in case you can't craft fast enough... I did it for you!

 More of my handmades in the Esty Shop.

my first yarnbomb

   It's so dainty! Gonna try something more robust next time.

crochet coral

Yarn is a mix of Missoni and Noro. So organic-feeling and fun to work with!

Which creature to feature next? Vote vote vote

I just posted a poll asking crafters far and wide to VOTE on which sea creature they'd like to see next as a pattern. Stop by and tell me what you think!

Click here and scroll down a tad

It's a bebeh!

I am torn between writing a knit octopus pattern (I just have a crochet octopus so far), super-cute amigurumi style baby octopus and squid combo pattern (see above), a crochet seahorse (which I KEEP TYPING as seahore... um), a knit tentacle scarf (see previous post for a taste of that sauce), or a starfish/sea star.

Sea-lady-of-the-night

As always, it will be a blend of anatomically correct/realistic and cute.

There's also a write-in option. What critter are you itchin' to make? Let me know!

Realistic Squid Crochet Pattern is here!

Blub blub blub...

The tentacular companion to my octopus crochet pattern... It's finally finished! I need a siesta (what else is new??)

Eight arms, two tentacles, head fin and mantle like a real squid.

Horaaay! Happy hookin'

Realistic Squid crochet pattern PDF
$6

Octopus Crochet Pattern at last...

Happy April Fools! Um, I wish I had thought of something tricky or clever for this post, but you see, I have been distracted.

IT. HAS. RISEN.

The octopus crochet pattern is here. I didn't sleep much last night, but it was totally worth it. I have wanted to release this for about four years... a sorta-realistic octopus with curly tendril-like arms.

Any weight of yarn can be used for this, it will just change the size of the creature. For an octopus with a large egg-sized head, I used chunky weight yarn, a G hook for the head and a J hook for the rest. Just make sure your smaller hook size is small enough to prevent holes in the fabric so the head stuffing doesn't come spilling out. No one likes to see that.

Please enjoy, and spread the cephalopod love!

Realistic Octopus crochet pattern PDF

$6

OMG OCTO

My friend Tara made the octopus!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(insert Leah's happy dance here)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at eeet!

IT'S ALIVE!

I have never seen it made by someone else, and I am so ecstatic I can barely handle it.

She test crocheted it for me, the pattern is almost ready. I am hoping to release it just in time for April Fools Day. Not sure why, but that seems fitting.

Coming soon... the Octopus crochet pattern

Oh, little curly arms, how you have long haunted my dreams.

I have churned out many hundred -- actually, over a thousand-- little curly arms for the octopodes I have made over the years. I have loved each and every creature I have created... but. But. I am over-the-moon happy that other people will soon be able to make them too.

Finally. I am finally getting the pattern together, four years after making the first cephalopod as a birthday gift for my dad. I have sent the pattern to June Gilbank, a wonderful tech editor over at Planet June, and after she works her magic and I come up with some images, I will release it into the wild.

My experience with crochet is very experimental and free-form (in fact, all the critters I have made were improvised, and each one was slightly different), so nailing down a precise pattern has been a little tricky. I think I have come up with a formula that consistently creates the shapes I want, and I am pretty happy.

Stay tuned!

In the meantime, ghosts of critters past...