About the Cycloid Toque
This easy to memorize, simple bottom up toque is a comfortable slouchy hat that feels light and air on account of the lace eyelets and light fabric.

The lace was inspired by the symmetry and organic perfection of the cycloid scales of salmon, crystalline and enchanting in their intricacy and arrangement. In honouring nature and wildlife in my creative endeavours, I am mindful of the crucial importance of the waterways that sustain all life. The salmon skin inspired Cycloid Toque is offered to all in gratitude of water defenders, ecological protectors and those who practice intentional harm reduction toward the health of waters and oceans in their daily lives. Notre terre mère vous remercie. Önenh.

About the Gratitoque Collection
Near the end of summer 2020, I hit a wall in terms of mental health, I was prioritizing the wrong things and not practicing self-care. I was numb to creative things, and not helping myself. To get back on the horse, I needed to inject purpose into my knitting.

What problems was I facing that I could perhaps solve with knitting, my most effective coping mechanism? Two problems came to me immediately: #1 Clutter: something to work through the yarn collection and free up space in my home; and #2 Aimlessness: something with purpose that allows me to inject kindness, positivity and gratitude into the world, even from my isolated safe space.

So it came to be, the Gratitoque challenge, a pledge I made to create 100 toques to gift to humans I appreciate, while concurrently publishing a collection of the toque patterns designed through the personal project. All of my Gratitoques are being knit using scraps and leftover yarns to make some much needed breathing room in the stash, and will be given away to various types of awesome people that pepper my life with loveliness.

Toques as expressions of thanks, love and appreciation, toques for the bus driver, toques for the homeless, toques for Dad, toques for the kids’ teacher or the nice lady who delivers your food on cold days. Toques because knitting feels good and giving feels even better. How many Gratitoques might you want to pledge to make?