I had admired ‘Wunderkammer’ before, but when my son told me about his teacher’s love for sea horses, I finally decided it was time to attempt one of Jessica Polka’s amazing crochet patterns. I learned how to crochet from my grandma, but am much more confident with knitting and have never followed a crochet pattern. I was a bit intimidated to say the least … but, I am quite proud of my first work. And so is my son to give it to his teacher as a thank you for a great school year.
I framed my crochet seahorse in a specimen box and embroidered the latin name on the bottom of a piece of linen to line it with. How fun would it be to have a whole wall of specimen boxes with more crochet sea creatures. As a gift for a science teacher. Or a decoration for a summer house. Look how many more amazing patterns Jessica has created.
My son wants me to make this adorable narwhal for him. Though I’m partial to the octopus … I’ve braided one before – maybe it needs a baby !? And Jessica is so generous to offer many of her patterns for free, others for a very affordable fee.
1 http://jpolka.blogspot.com/2007/07/pattern-for-baby-octopus-no-5.html
2 this one makes me smile http://www.etsy.com/listing/55689718/pattern-for-gentleman-prawn-no-26
3 so beautiful ! http://www.etsy.com/listing/58958353/pattern-for-red-coral
4 wish I had known about that, when my older son had to do a model of a cell …. and this amazing pattern is free ! http://jpolka.blogspot.com/2010/12/crocheted-eukaryotic-cell.html
5 what a great summer accessory ! http://jpolka.blogspot.com/2010/10/scheme-for-crocheting-fronds-ferns.html
6 if you don’t know how to crochet, then you can purchase some creatures already made. http://www.etsy.com/listing/62897174/crocheted-sea-urchin-pin
I was curious to know how she got to this kind of work. She says she learned how to crochet from her mom as a kid, but didn’t pick it up again until she needed a way to relax during her studies. When I found out that she is a biology grad student, it all made sense. What a perfect way to combine work and fun and the love of it all. Look out for a book with 75+ of her patterns in January of 2012. And maybe the discovery of some unknown sea creature (crochet or otherwise) one day ?!
