mhippisley@ecuad.ca
Tuque Project
65 Tuques
Nylon, Acrylic, or Wool
Weight 4-6
Learning to crochet
A couple of years ago, I started crocheting to stay engaged during lectures and have a portable craft I could work on anywhere. While beginners are often told to start with granny squares, I knew the endless repetition would likely make me lose interest. Instead, I jumped straight into making a bolero—essentially half a sweater—which challenged me to improve my skills and tension control. Although it didn’t turn out particularly well, it was a great learning experience. I then move on to make many stuffed animals.
The Next Attempt
After learning the basics, I began exploring a wider range of crochet projects, including sweaters, tops, and even a pair of granny square pants. Each project felt like a new challenge, allowing me to learn different stitches, designs, and pattern-reading skills. I was especially drawn to creating pieces with more detail, which led me to start making and modifying patterns to better suit my ideas and eventually designing my own.
Making the Tuques
This year, I focused on making tuques, crocheting everywhere I went. I started by making a few for my family, then expanded to creating tuques for all my peers in industrial design. I took everyone's preferences into account, adjusting for details like thicker or thinner yarn and their preferred colors to make each piece personal and thoughtful. More importantly, I made them to reflect the sense of community and unity within our group, turning the project into something meaningful that brought us all together.
What started as a simple Christmas project quickly grew into a meaningful group event. Seeing everyone come together and support my efforts was incredibly heartwarming, and I’m so grateful to be part of such a kind and thoughtful community.
The Tuques in the Wild/Finished Project