The Berkshires Satellite Reef—part of the worldwide Crochet Coral Reef by artists Christine and Margaret Wertheim and the Institute for Figuring—is a communal art project entailing the creation of a life-size coral reef made entirely out of crochet. It will be exhibited at Williams College in the ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance as an immersive installation in the spring of 2026.
All ages and members of all Berkshires communities (and beyond) are welcome to participate by making a coral crochet piece! No prior skills in crochet necessary – beginners welcome at all Coral Crochet Workshops!
How to Participate:
Learn to Crochet in a “Coral Crochet Workshop”
Learn to crochet in one of our monthly Coral Crochet Workshops, held at Williams College and in locations throughout Berkshire County. Instruction and kits provided. No experience in crochet necessary – all skill levels welcome!
Summer Workshops (held on the 1st of every month):
- Sunday, June 1, 2-3:30pm: ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance, Williamstown
- Tuesday, July 1, 5-7pm: Milne Public Library, Williamstown
- Friday, August 1, 5-7pm: Berkshire Art Center, Pittsfield (at Brothership Building on North St.)
- Monday, Sept. 1, 3-4:30pm: ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance, Williamstown
Join a “Coral Crochet Circle”
Participate in one of our weekly drop-in Coral Crochet Circles, held on campus at Williams College and at other locations in Berkshire County. Please note: while beginners are welcome at Circles, formal instruction and materials are not guaranteed. For those wishing to learn how to crochet, please attend a Coral Crochet Workshop (see above for dates).
Summer Crochet Circle: Weekly on Fridays, 2-4pm, at the Milne Public Library, starting June 6! NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO CIRCLE ON JULY 4 – ENJOY THE HOLIDAY!!!
Crochet a Coral On Your Own!
Crochet a coral of any size, dimension, color, material, or type.
For Written Instructions on how to make a crochet coral visit: HOW TO CROCHET HYPERBOLIC CORALS
For an Instructional Video, visit: HOW TO CROCHET A HYPERBOLIC PLANE
For those wanting to do a more advanced coral, consider finding a website like this one!: PATTERNS FOR FLORIDA REEF
Drop off your coral creation at either the Milne Public Library, the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA), or at the ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance, Department of Theatre, all in Williamstown, MA.
Or mail your coral creation to:
Amy Holzapfel
Department of Theatre
Williams College
1000 Main Street
Williamstown, MA 01267
Please include your name and town of residence along with your submission!
Submit your coral by: March 15, 2026.
Please Note: All corals will become part of the communal art installation and will not be able to be returned to their maker.
Donate Yarn & Hooks!
Help us by donating unused yarn, yarn remnants, or crochet hooks as part of our yarn-drive. Drop off yarn at one of several locations in Williamstown. Look for the large drop-off bins and signs in one of these locations:
On the Williams College Campus:
- The ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance (in Centerstage Lobby)
- Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) (Lobby)
- Class of 1966 Environmental Center (Entryway)
In Williamstown:
- The Milne Public Library: 1095 Main St, Williamstown, MA 01267
In Pittsfield:
- The Berkshire Art Center: 13 Willard Hill Rd, Stockbridge, MA 01262
Questions about the Berkshires Satellite Reef? Reach out to Amy Holzapfel, Prof. of Theatre at Williams College, at: [email protected] or see our FAQs (below)
Berkshires Satellite Reef FAQs:
(adapted from Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef):
How do I submit a finished coral?
Drop off your coral at one of three locations in Williamstown MA:
- The Milne Public Library
- The Williams College Museum of Art
- or at Amy Holzapfel’s office in the Department of Theatre, ‘62 Center for Theatre & Dance, 1000 Main Street, Williamstown MA 01267, Office 262 (upstairs on third floor near Dance Studio) or you can drop coral off at the Administrative Offices in the Theatre Department (9am-4pm)
Or mail your coral to:
Amy Holzapfel, Department of Theatre, Williams College, ‘62 Center for Theatre and Dance, 1000 Main Street, Williamstown, MA 01267
Please be sure to include your name with your coral submission so that you can be credited as an artist in the exhibition!
How will my coral submission be used?
All corals will come together to form a large coral reef installation, the Berkshires Satellite Reef, which will be on view in April 2026 at the ‘62 Center for Theatre & Dance.
Will my name be part of the project?
Yes! Participants who provide their names with their coral will be listed in the exhibition. You can also choose to remain anonymous.
What is the deadline for submitting a coral?
You can submit your coral at any time between now and March 15, 2026. If you are mailing your coral, we recommend postmarking it by February 15, 2026.
Will my coral submission be returned at the end of the exhibition?
At this time, we do not plan to return corals at the end of the exhibition. Once submitted, your coral becomes property of Williams College.
What will happen after the exhibition? Where will the reef go?
Williams College will own the Berkshires Satellite Reef in perpetuity. Plans are afoot to disassemble it in such a way that parts of it can be displayed on campus in various locations, as requested.
What are the size restrictions of completed corals?
There are no size restrictions! We welcome corals of any size, big or small. Feel free to be creative and experiment.
What color should I use?
Use any color you like! Each coral will be a participant’s own personal voice, so we hope that you choose whatever appeals most to you. And a single coral can be one or many colors, as you choose. We hope the reef will be quite colorful but we also intend to have a section representing coral bleaching with light and white yarns.
Can I make a coral using something other than fiber-based yarn?
Yes! Corals can be made of twisted reused plastic or other materials that you can turn into a yarn-like substance to be crocheted.
Can I make a coral using a technique other than crochet?
We encourage you to use crochet to learn about the pattern created by Dr. Daina Taimina, which represents hyperbolic space, an area of mathematics. This interdisciplinary aspect is significant to the overall project, and we expect the vast majority of submissions to be crocheted corals. However, if you want to experiment with making underwater elements using other techniques, we will accept them.
I don’t know how to crochet but I want to participate! Are you offering workshops or a how-to?
Yes! All Berkshires Satellite Reef programming is listed on our website. If you are a beginner looking for instruction, we encourage you to attend one of the programs titled Coral Crochet Workshops, where crochet instructors will be available to provide small-group instruction.
Can I participate even if I don’t attend a workshop?
Yes! There is no obligation to attend any of the programming. We recommend reviewing the “How to Crochet Hyperbolic Corals” brochure available on our website to learn how to make a hyperbolic coral crochet for the project, but you are welcome to use other patterns you find on your own.
What kind of yarn should I use? Where can I buy more?
A good yarn to use is Red Heart Super Saver Yarn, weight 198 g/7 oz. We selected this yarn in part because it is easy to work with for new crocheters. You can purchase more at most craft stores, like Michael’s. Also check out your local yarn store for more types of yarn!
KITS (Available only to Williams College students):
What kind of yarn is provided in the kit?
We are at this point using only upcycled yarn in the kits. So each kit will have its own surprise yarn!
What kind of hook is provided in the kit?
Anodized Aluminum Crochet Hook, size I (5.5 mm).
Can I have more than one kit?
If you finish a coral and want to make another, we will trade you a ball of yarn for a coral (as supplies allow). We ask that each student takes only one hook.
Can I keep my hook after I finish my coral?
Yes! It’s for you to keep.
Can I choose what yarn color or hook color I receive in my kit?
It’s a surprise! We have limited numbers of each color and ask that you use the color received. We hope you’ll love it!
Who gets the kits?/I’m not a member of the Williams College community; can I still get a kit?
At this time, kits are available only to currently enrolled Williams students.
If you are inquiring about kits for a school class or community group, please contact Amy Holzapfel at [email protected]
Cosponsors of the Berkshire Satellite Reef:
Groups Internal to Williams College:
Gaudino Fund
Williams College Museum of Art
Environmental Center / Zilkha Center for the Environment
Center for Learning in Action
Williams-Mystic
MakersWeb / FabLab / Makerspace
‘62 Center for Theatre & Dance
Department of Theatre
The Science Center
Sawyer Library
Williams Crochet Club
On the Log initiative AY26
Groups External to Williams College:
Milne Public Library
Berkshire Art Center
Mass MoCA
Williamstown Cultural District
The Clark Art Institute