I began my journey as a fiber artist 27+ years ago when I got my first hook, a skein of CHEAP yarn and a booklet from the local library.
My interest waxed and waned over the first 22 years and it wasn’t until my breast cancer diagnosis in 2018 that I “rediscovered” this art-form. Without much energy to commit to any of my other creative interest, crochet was something that I could do without pain or exhaustion. It was then that I began to really push the limits of what I thought was possible.
“Steampunk Mark” was born from a conversation I had with a dear friend and fellow artist in Sunset Beach, NC; Mark Head (Mark’s Images). He challenged me to create him a hat that was “Mad Hatter” meets “Road Warrior” with a little steampunk thrown in for good measure, and it must be GRAY.
Tight tension gives the hat structure and the “feathers” have a center rib of bamboo. All motifs were crocheted with multiple strands of fiber utilizing traditional appliqué techniques, then hand stitched to the hat.