Crazy Crochet

While researching, I came across this piece of art that was too cool to not share.  I discovered the Smithsonian's Community Reef.  Using hyperbolic geometry, this reef was created by Margaret and Christine Wertheim is all crocheted out of yarn.  I'm sure the images do not do it justice but they still really caught my attention.  The structure had lots of helping hands to create it, over 800 people from the Metropolitan D.C. area, as well as people around the country and world.  Over 4000 pieces of coral were crocheted to construct the reef.  The crocheters looked living corals, such as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in order to form complex and natural-looking structures.  Although the recreated Reef is no longer home  to the Smithsonian, it is still displayed at the Putnam Museum in Davenport Iowa.  Next time I'm in the midwest, I am definitely putting this on my list of things to stop and see.

The link below is a lecture by one of the creators Margaret Wertheim that gives thorough detail of the construction and growth of the coral reef project.
Lecture By Margaret Wertheim

Look #2

 

ruffle around sleeve hem

Buttons are for the jacket, Beads for the first dress

Bronze leather that will be a mini skirt to complete the look

As it has been very hectic the past month plugging away at my collection, I am finally well underway on my second look!  After finishing my dress ( for the most part, with photos to come), I felt my collection going in a different direction than I had originally planned.  I found new fabric swatches, drew more sketches, and got more opinions, so what you see in the photos is a reflection of that. For a preview of the third look, yes I have had to narrow it down to three (time is going by way too fast), I am making leather pants and an asymmetrical tunic that will include layers of the various fabrics and possibly some silk painting!  It is bittersweet that the deadline is approaching, since I will be graduating and will miss very much all my fashion friends that I've grown so close to.  Late night sewing definitely leaves room for lots of bonding moments.  Anyways, shown is what I've been recently spending my time on.