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92-year-old Vernon woman crochets 1,000 toques for donation

Daisy Ferguson has been working on the toque project for the past six years
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Daisy Ferguson, 92, has been crocheting toques for the past six years to donate to the Salvation Army, and in March 2020, she completed her 1,000th toque. (Contributed)

Daisy Ferguson has been crocheting for more than 65 years, and her latest project has seen her hard at work creating 1,000 toques to donate to the Salvation Army.

The 92-year-old Vernon woman said she’s found plenty of time as of late amid the COVID-19 pandemic as her home, Orchard Valley, has been under lockdown to curb the spread of the virus.

She has been crocheting toques for the past six years and donating groups of around 20 at a time to the not-for-profit organization.

“I don’t ever sell them,” Daisy said.

The Salvation Army is an organization Daisy is really familiar with, she said.

“My mom and dad were in the Salvation Army years and years ago,” she said, noting her mother played the tambourine and her father played the drums in the streets of Vancouver on behalf of the organization.

Daisy said this project sort of snowballed when friends would see her crocheting away at the retirement residence, ask her what she was doing, and return with more wool for her to use.

“I always make sure the toques are long enough to cover your ears,” Daisy said, adding she’s asked the Salvation Army to try to keep the hats within the Okanagan.

“When people go up town, they see my toques,” she said.

Daisy said hats for adults can take nearly two days to complete, but hats for children can be done in half the time.

She’s well-versed in crocheting items for children as she said she has made all of her own children’s outfits.

“The oldest boy is 65 years now,” Daisy laughed.

As for her toque project, there is no indication that she’ll slow down after hitting the big 1,000.

“As long as people keep giving me wool,” she chuckled. Daisy noted she is always in the market for four-ply balls of wool.

“I do enjoy it,” she said. “I know it’s helping people.”

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@caitleerach
Caitlin.clow@vernonmorningstar.com

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