Find out what kinds of coral I make!
Learn About The Coral!
Find out why I make these types and why they are essential to our planet!
Brain Coral
Brain coral are some of the most advanced species of coral discovered. This is because the individual polyps that make up brain coral are closely connected to each other, and not separated by skeletal structures. Not only are they advanced, but large! Living up to almost a thousand years and growing 6ft tall, brain coral are essential structures in reefs four foundation and shelter. Despite their advanced nature in the ocean, brain coral is the easiest coral to crochet. The pattern only involves increasing in a circle until the yarn folds in on itself, creating the iconic grooves that brain coral display!
Pillar Coral
Pillar coral are rare, even in their natural habitats in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Their distinctive and large shape make them stand out against the reef’s other organisms. Even with their rarity, their population has declined due to a hard coral tissue disease that has ravaged pillar corals across its range. Tall, cylindrical structures are the defining feature of this hard coral, making it the second simplest coral to create. Creating three or more pillars and sowing them together create unmistakeable shape of pillar coral.
↓ Sea Anemones ↑
Project Goals and Structure
This project is done under the NOAA Ocean Youth Ambassadors program, where students are asked to formulate and execute a community project regarding marine conservation, wether related to local water sources or the ocean itself. My project’s structure runs like this: 1) Crochet coral to showcase at two art markets I participate in every year. 2) I talk to curious market-goers about the benefits and importance of coral and their reefs in regards to us, humans!
3) After talking, they receive a piece of my reefs as a little free memento, and in return I ask them for a short 30 second or less video, where they hold their chose crochet coral while stating their favorite fact they learned from talking to me that day! 4) As I plan to continue this project over at least the first three years of my high school, I will compile the videos I receive each year into one long montage for each year, and display that montage on this website! This is both for proof of project completion and to document the project’s progress!
History of the project: How does one begin to think of doing such a thing?
During the pandemic, people were desperate for something to do. A hobby that rose to the top of the market was crocheting, and the popularity would continue through my middle school years. My entire middle school friend group fell victim to the crochet craze, and it was a hobby that I continued for a while, until graduation loomed and I stopped. Fast-forward to ninth grade, and I enter the NOAA Youth Ocean Ambassador program. Faced with the task of deciding what to do for my project, I tried my hardest to brainstorm, to no avail. I figured doing a beach clean up would be hard to organize, considering I don’t live near one. Anyways, lots of other people were doing beach cleanups and I wanted to do something a little different. Others did amazing research projects, and others had to courage to speak at their schools’ assemblies. Unfortunately, I had no such courage at the time. One day, I was reorganizing some bins and found a load of unused yarn. The pile of unused yarn sitting in my room really called to me, and I rediscovered all the animals I had made during middle school. Connecting the crochet with the coral was easy, due to the wonderful TED Talk done by Margaret Wertheim. Thus, my little branch of the crochet coral reef was born.
Here is a picture from my presentation at my old elementary school, Bryant Elementary! It was wonderful to talk to my sixth grade teacher’s new class about the importance of coral to our inland community. They enjoyed holding the crochet coral, and several of them were lucky enough to take some pieces of the crochet reef home! This was my first youth outreach venture!
Friends and Family 2025 (Pt. 1)
Friends Pt. 2 2025
Alternative Gift Fair and Exchange 2025