[Nfb-krafters-korner] FW: Weekly Update from the Smithsonian Community Reef, August 9-15, 2010

Mon Aug 9 03:07:16 UTC 2010

Subject: Weekly Update from the Smithsonian Community Reef, August 9-15, 2010

Hi Everyone –

I hope you are enjoying the last few weeks of summer!  We have a busy schedule for August with lots of reef-making activities on the calendar.  Take advantage of the events below to get started on making coral for the Smithsonian Community Reef or just enjoy the opportunity to work on your on-going projects with a very creative, talented and enthusiastic group of contributors.  

Want me to visit your group or office and teach you how to crochet for the reef?  E-mail me to schedule a workshop at sicommunityreef at yahoo.com!  There’s still time!

CURATING OUR REEF; SAVE THE DATE

We are about three weeks away from our mailing deadline of August 30, 2010, and about five weeks away from our curation workshop with Margaret Wertheim, scheduled for Sunday, September 12, 2010, Baird Auditorium, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, (time still TBD).  I will provide more details about the workshop and the ensuing curation schedule as soon as they are available, but please plan to attend the workshop so you can learn firsthand how to prepare the coral for display.  

LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Last week the Smithsonian Community Reef visited Baltimore – back-to-back workshops on Saturday, August 8 at Woolworks and Lovelyarns were a rousing success!   Word on the street is that Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA has a reef in their front window – stop by to check it out and to add your own contributions!

Fridays in the Museum are always a treat to attend and this one was no exception – great turnout and everyone enjoyed it.  Thanks to all of you who made the trip, brought your projects, and shared your crochet and teaching expertise with visitors to the Museum.  We have all taught a lot of people to crochet!   Today we also had a great turnout at our first weekend day to crochet in the Museum. 

I am still waiting for confirmation that we can meet next Friday, August 13, from 1-3 PM to crochet in the Museum; as of now, there is a possible scheduling conflict.  We will be meeting to crochet in the Museum on Saturday, August 14, 1-3 PM, however, details below.

RESOURCES TO EXPLORE; THE SMITHSONIAN COMMUNITY REEF IN THE NEWS AND ON THE WEB

Dive in to the Ocean Portal <http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life-ecosystems/coral-reefs/>  for a great on-line exhibition on coral reefs or visit one of our sponsors, the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) and view their Photo Bank <http://www.coral.org/resources/photo_bank> .  You will learn a lot about marine science and see some wonderful images of coral and coral reefs to inspire your crochet.  Join our  <http://www.flickr.com/groups/sicommunityreef/> Flickr and  <http://www.ravelry.com/> Ravelry groups to stay up to date on activities for and contributions to the reef!

The General Guidelines for participation in the project and the exhibition are now final.  They are posted on our  <http://www.flickr.com/groups/sicommunityreef/> Flickr and  <http://www.ravelry.com/> Ravelrygroups for easy reference, or e-mail me at  <mailto:sicommunityreef at yahoo.com> sicommunityreef at yahoo.com for a copy.  If you are submitting coral for the Smithsonian Community Reef, please review these General Guidelines and let me know if you have any questions.

Check out our new web page for the Smithsonian <http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/hreef/communityreef.html>  Community Reef!  Check out these links to recent articles and blog posts in the Carroll <http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/article_da41ca7e-9ab0-11df-8c49-001cc4c002e0.html>  County Times and Smithsonian <http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2010/07/29/a-coral-reef-constructed-from-yarn/>  Magazine Online.  Look for a podcast prepared by Natalie Zarowny coming soon!

Would you like your crochet group to be featured in a list of groups working to crochet coral for the Smithsonian Community Reef that will be included on the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s and Institute For Figuring ’s websites for the project? E-mail me at sicommunityreef at yahoo.com with the name of your group, and I’ll make sure it’s included. 

PLEASE TAKE OUR SURVEY:

Want to tell us your story of working on the Smithsonian Community Reef?  Please take our survey <http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XYYJY3D>  and let us know what you are learning and what you are making. This survey is an important way for you to share your experiences and offer suggestions for programs and outreach related to the exhibition.  If you have enjoyed this community project, we would like to know; your comments are helpful in evaluating whether to offer similar types of exhibitions in the future!  If you respond by August 9, your comments may be included, with your permission of course, in text panels for the exhibition.

MAIL-IN AND DROP-OFF DEADLINES

You still have a number of weeks to work on your contributions, but here are the deadlines, below:

Our mailing deadline is Monday, August 30, 2010.  If you will be mailing your coral contributions to us, it would be great if you could get them posted by that date. If you want or need to mail your contribution in after August 30, please contact me at sicommunityreef at yahoo.com.  The mailing address, which is also in the General <http://www.flickr.com/groups/sicommunityreef/discuss/72157624463105818/>  Guidelines, is as follows:

c/o Smithsonian Community Reef / Exhibits

National Museum of Natural History

10th & Constitution Ave., NW

MRC 101

Washington, DC 20013-7012

Our drop-off deadline is Sunday, September 12, 2010; we would like to have  your pieces delivered to the Museum by that date so they will be available for use in the curation workshop with Margaret Wertheim.  If you cannot attend the workshop on September 12, I will schedule one or two days in the Museum prior to that date when you can deliver your pieces.  And you can always bring your finished pieces in during any of our upcoming our “crochet in the Museum” events.  If you cannot make the September 12 deadline, please e-mail me at sicommunityreef at yahoo.com to discuss how best to get your pieces submitted so they can be included in the reef display.

UPDATE:  THE “NOT-SO-FANTASTIC PLASTIC” VIRTUAL CROCHET-ALONG FOR THE TOXIC REEF

Join us, explore the creativity of working with unconventional materials, and show the world the Smithsonian Community Reef-makers are serious about getting plastic and other household and industrial waste out of the ocean!  The “Not-So-Fantastic Plastic” Virtual Crochet-Along began Monday, August 2, 2010 and will conclude on Sunday, August 15, 2010.   Although you can continue to work on toxic corals until the September deadline, during the crochet-along many of us are attempting to finish one or more pieces for the toxic reef display.  You are invited to post your pictures, ideas and works-in-progress for the toxic reef on our Ravelry and Flickr groups, and on the 15th, photos of your finished, or nearly finished, toxic corals.  Other participants will cheer you on and share their projects.  (If you can’t or don’t want to post your own photos, you can e-mail them to me at sicommunityreef at yahoo.com, and I will post them for you.  Please describe your work to me when you send the photos so I can include some of the interesting details.)

Pieces do not have to be made out of plastic; you can use any materials that would be appropriate for the toxic reef.  See our General <http://www.flickr.com/groups/sicommunityreef/discuss/72157624463105818/>  Guidelines for more information, or look at these links on the hazards of plastic trash: Smithsonian <http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-news/trashing-ocean/>  NMNH Ocean Portal; Institute For Figuring <http://crochetcoralreef.org/about/toxic_reef.php> ; Science Gallery Dublin <http://www.sciencegallery.com/the-toxic-reef>  (where the last exhibition of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Ref took place) and a personal <http://jmd1125.blogspot.com/2007/12/emergen-c-and-toxic-reef.html>  testimonyby a car-free blogger about her experience seeing the Chicago Cultural Center’s toxic reef display. Here’s a link to some of the materials I will be using: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50404548@N07/4851051856/.  

As a finale to our “Not-So-Fantastic Plastic” Virtual Crochet-Along, on Saturday, August 14, 2010, 1-3 PM, we will meet to crochet in the Sant Ocean Hall during a “Science in the Arts” event where conservation and recycling will be a hot topic. Details are included below; if you are in the neighborhood, please bring your toxic corals to show and share!

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS ON THE SMITHSONIAN COMMUNITY REEF:

Monday, August 9 – Sunday, August 15, 2010

The following events are free of charge and open to the public.  Beginners are welcome, and you can bring your coral projects to show and share.   Join a weekly reef-making group near you.  Events starred with an asterisk (*) are new venues this week for the Smithsonian Community Reef!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Knitters Nest

1431 Liberty Road

Eldersburg, MD 21784

E-mail: knittersnest at verizon.net

Phone: 410-549-0709

Join Mabel for a coral reef  “Tea on Tuesday,” 11-2 PM.  Check out the progress on their beautiful <http://www.flickr.com/photos/50404548@N07/4836162019/in/pool-sicommunityreef>  reef and add some of your own handmade coral specimens!

Nature’s Yarns

11212 Lee Highway

Fairfax, VA 22030

E-mail: info at naturesyarnsinc.com

Phone: 703-273-3596

Join the weekly reef-making group with Ginny, Tuesday, 6-9 PM, at Nature’s Yarns. Their growing reef display now includes the coral made by two summer fiber arts classes of 7th -12th graders in the Fairfax County Public School’s Institute for the Arts.  Tamryn McDermott, their teacher, was inspired to bring the coral reef project to her students and I think you will agree when you see the reef at Nature’s Yarns that they have made some spectacular coral!  Congratulations to Tamryn and her students! 

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

A Tangled Skein

5200 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 101

Hyattsville, MD 20781

E-mail: info at fineyarns.com

Phone 301-779-3399

Meet in Hyattsville to make coral for the reef with at the weekly “Sit and Stitch,” Wednesday, 7-9 PM.  Stop by, admire the ever-expanding reef display at A Tangled Skein and enjoy some time to make coral with other dedicated reef-makers.

Knit & Stitch = Bliss

4706 Bethesda Avenue

Bethesda, MD 20814

Phone: 301-652-8688

Visit Knit & Stitch = Bliss for a workshop on Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 PM and learn how to crochet hyperbolically so you too can contribute to the reef!  Materials will be provided for you or you can bring your own.  Beginners are welcome!  Jennifer Lindsay will attend to discuss the process of curating the reef and how you can help. 

The Yarn Spot

11406A Georgia Avenue

Wheaton, MD

E-mail: victoria at theyarnspot.com

Phone: 301-933-9550

Join other reef-makers at The Yarn Spot, Wednesdays, 6-8 PM.  Their reef is growing fast; stop by and see some very creative coral pieces made by a young reef-maker who is contributing her handiwork to the display.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

A Likely Yarn

213 Pecan Street

Abingdon, VA 24210

Email: alikleyyarn at yahoo.com

Phone: 276-628-2143

Joint the weekly “Chix with Stix” group Thursdays, 5-7 PM, and make coral for the Smithsonian Community Reef!  Stop by the shop any time for free instruction on how to make coral for the reef.

A Tangled Skein

5200 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 101

Hyattsville, MD 20781

E-mail: info at fineyarns.com

Phone: 301-779-3399

Meet in Hyattsville to make coral for the reef at the weekly “Sit and Stitch,” Thursday, 1-3 PM.

Aylin’s Woolgatherer

7245 Arlington Boulevard, #318

Falls Church, VA 22042

Phone: 703-573-1900

Visit the growing reef at Aylin’s Woolgatherer; learn to make coral or just enjoy making some progress on your coral projects Thursday, 6-8:30 PM. 

Fibre Space

102 N. Fayette Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

Phone: 703-664-0344

Meet in Alexandria to make coral for the reef at Fibre Space during their weekly “Stitch-in-Space,” Thursday, 5-9 PM.   Enjoy the company; view all the beautiful coral now on display in the Fibre Space window and add your own finished pieces!

Lancaster Yarn Shop 

Kitchen Kettle Village

3519 Old Philadelphia Pike

Intercourse, PA 17534

Phone: 717-768-8007

Visit Lancaster Yarn Shop for their weekly “Knit Night,” Thursdays, 5-8 PM, to make coral for the Smithsonian Community Reef.

The Yarn Spot

11406A Georgia Avenue

Wheaton, MD

E-mail: victoria at theyarnspot.com

Phone: 301-933-9550

Join other reef-makers at The Yarn Spot, Thursdays, 6-8 PM. 

Saturday, August 15, 2010

National Museum of Natural History

Sant Ocean Hall Focus Gallery (now “SI Lab”)

10th Street and Constitution Ave., NW

Washington, DC  20013

Join us Saturday, August 14, 1-3 PM to crochet in the Museum of Natural History!  Celebrate after two weeks of work on the “Not-So Fantastic Plastic” Virtual Crochet-Along with a day to make coral for the toxic portion of our reef display.  I will bring a variety of materials for visitors to experiment with and you can too.  Bring your creative ideas and projects, whether finished or in progress, to show and share!  On Sunday, August 15, the last day of our Virtual Crochet-Along, post your pictures and I’ll reveal the topic of the next Virtual Crochet-Along.

To get to the Focus Gallery/SI Lab, enter the Museum from the Mall and walk to the end of the Sant Ocean Hall.  Behind the kiosk to the right of the Hall is the Focus Gallery, now home of the SI Lab.  When the space opens at 1:00, we will be gathering at the round tables on the right.  

If you love to teach kids to crochet we could use your help – we have lots of kids stop by who are fascinated by the coral displays and eager to learn how to do it.  Please contact  <mailto:sicommunityreef at yahoo.com> sicommunityreef at yahoo.com if you can volunteer some time to teach kids to crochet.  Thanks!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

*Now and Then

6927 Laurel Avenue

Takoma Park, MD 20912

(301) 270-2210

Meet at Now and Then, Sunday, August 15, 5-7 PM for a workshop on how to crochet hyperbolically with Jennifer Lindsay, Programming Coordinator for the Smithsonian Community Reef!  Enjoy this opportunity to get started crocheting coral for the reef display and to learn about the history of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project.  Beginners are welcome; materials will be provided or you can bring your own!

The Yarn Spot

11406A Georgia Avenue

Wheaton, MD

E-mail: victoria at theyarnspot.com

Phone: 301-933-9550

Join other reef-makers at The Yarn Spot, Sundays, 2-4 PM.

WHERE CAN I DROP OFF MY FINISHED CORAL IN PERSON?

There are number of yarn shops in the area who are offering free events to support the Smithsonian Community Reef and all of them have agreed to act as drop off points for your finished corals.   Participating shops include DC (Stitch DC); VA (Fibre Space, Nature’s Yarns, Aylin’s Woolgatherer, A Likely Yarn); MD (A Tangled Skein, Knit & Stitch = Bliss, Knitters Nest, The Yarn Spot, Woolworks, Now and Then, Lovelyarns);  and PA (Lancaster Yarn Shop). 

You can also bring your finished coral to any crochet session held at the Museum of Natural History.  I will schedule more days to crochet in the Museum in August, so stay tuned!

FREE PATTERNS:

You will find many free coral reef patterns on Ravelry and on the Internet. For example, to find the patterns on the Institute For Figuring website, go to the main site for the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef  <http://www.crochetcoralreef.org/> here.  Select “Make Your Own” from the menu bar.  Click on “Information for Teachers and Educators” and in the text box that appears to the right you will see underlined text that reads “information here.” Click on this, and you will be re-routed to the IFF website; on the right you will see in the list of links a“Gallery of Crocheted Hyperbolic Models#1 -- IFF-G1” -- click on it and you will be taken to a series of models with some basic instructions on how to make them. These instructions are not in “crochet language” -- they are just notes about how to make the shapes that anyone can follow and re-interpret. Enjoy!  Check out the other satellite reefs on  <http://www.ravelry.com/> Ravelry for additional patterns.

Karen Klemp, an accomplished designer and teacher who is affiliated with the Northern Virginia Innovative Crocheters, developed a pattern entitled “Coral Reef Basics,” that she has generously agreed to let us distribute free of charge.  It is for individual use only.  You can check out the coral reef section her website for images of the forms in the handout  <http://www.almostamy.com/coral_reef_24.html> here.  You can e-mail  <mailto:sicommunityreef at yahoo.com> sicommunityreef at yahoo.com to request a copy of the handout.

IF YOU NEED SUPPLIES OR WANT TO DONATE THEM:

If you need materials for your community or school group, please let me know; I may be able to help.  If you have yarn and crochet hooks you want to donate, I may know of someone who needs them for their group or classroom.  Contact me at  <mailto:sicommunityreef at yahoo.com> sicommunityreef at yahoo.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HYPERBOLIC CROCHET CORAL REEF PROJECT AND THE SMITHSONIAN COMMUNITY REEF:

The Smithsonian Community Reef is a satellite of the worldwide Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project created by Margaret and Christine Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring in Los Angeles.  It was made possible through the support of the Quiksilver Foundation, the Embassy of Australia, and the Coral Reef Alliance.  Find out more about Margaret and Christine Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring in Los Angeles  <http://theiff.org/> here, and their Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project  <http://crochetcoralreef.og/> here.  Find out more about the upcoming exhibition of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef and Smithsonian Community Reef at the National Museum of Natural History on the Museum's  <http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/hreef/index.html> Temporary Exhibitions Page.  To be included on this e-mail circulation list (or removed from it) please contact sicommunityreef at yahoo.com.