Sandwiched between the Rocky Mountains and the Canadian Shield are the Canadian Prairies. It is a region characterized by flat grassland plains in three provinces – Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Vast open skies give an impression of endless light and dramatic cloud formations. Fertile soil has led to grasslands turned into farmland, most notably for wheat and canola. The world’s largest and richest deposits of underground potash used to make agricultural fertilizer are found in Saskatchewan.

I selected a colour palette inspired by Canadian Prairie images to crochet cloches – the gold of wheat, the green of rolling hills, the grey of clouds and the blue of Prairie sky. My choice of yarn was 100% Merino Wool. All the cloches feature a shell stitch, multiple double crochet stitches worked into a base stitch. I layered the hats’ colours to resemble the Prairie landscape with its horizontal bands from sky to earth.

I travelled across Central and Western Canada by train and marvelled at the spectacular landscapes. My journey ranged from the vast ruggedness of the Canadian Shield and the flat plains of the Prairie provinces to the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, from rural communities to urban centres. Each region’s palette was so distinct and dramatic that I decided to create hats in colours inspired by the Canadian scenery.

My first of three Canadiana posts features the majestic Rocky Mountains that appeared blue from afar. Up close, the mountains’ coniferous trees were a jumble of every shade of green. There were snow-capped summits reaching up to a sky filled with cotton clouds shadowed in grey. I chose colours from the scenery to sew a new collection of beanies.

My bamboo beanies are a year-round wardrobe staple for outdoor enthusiasts – hypoallergenic, moisture wicking, odor resistant and breathable. They are comfortable for mild and transitional weather such as cool summer mornings. Wear one if you enjoy activities like hiking or trail running. The bamboo rayon used to make my beanies may have an underside of looped terry cotton or brushed fleece.

The Rocky Mountains are home to the lupin, a perennial flowering plant belonging to the legume family. Travellers delighted in these showy spikes of pink, blue and purple flowers at a train station stop. Below I feature two hats inspired by the lupins, a pink summer hat crocheted with cotton and silk yarn and a purple cotton velvet beret.

A sea of football fans hit the streets of Vancouver, Canada on the way to BC Place Stadium for the 2026 World Cup match between Canada and Switzerland. The weather was sweltering with a record-breaking temperature of 27.7 degrees Celsius for the day of June 24th. Trying to stay and look cool, supporters of the Canadian and Swiss teams showed up in red and white, carrying their national flags and wearing all sorts of headwear.

The Canadian team fought hard in the second half of the match, but ultimately was defeated by the Swiss 2-1. Hats off to the show of support, unity and patriotism by the dedicated football enthusiasts!

From my model Coco:

“I’m curious – do any of you enjoy wearing bandanas? I had never worn one before, but yesterday I tried on a few as a model. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by how flattering they are and how they can enhance your overall look. I had a lot of fun wearing them during the photo shoot!”

Coco asked me what to wear for the photo shoot and I recommended something spring-like and casual, like a solid coloured shirt in blue, green or white. She opted for a simple white t-shirt.

I gave Coco free rein to try on a few of my crocheted bandanas and play around with different ways of wearing them. She let her long hair be loose. She tied it in a ponytail. Head scarf, neckerchief…her look went from flirty to reflective, peasant girl to assured woman.

Using a square knot at the back, Coco tied a larger bandana around her neck in a cowboy kerchief style. Later she tied a daintier picot-edged one around her neck, shifting the neat shoelace bow to one side.

Why not try accessorizing with a bandana to change up your summer wardrobe? Bring out some of your inner Audrey Hepburn elegance, boyish charm and playfulness.

Whether you’re going for a boho chic, beach or cottage vibe, this summer accessory adds personality to your outfit. While the bandana or kerchief protects your hair from the sun, it is also easy to pack for travel if you want to take a break from styling your hair. It keeps your hair away from your face, framing it whether you sport a short bob, long tousled waves, or front bangs.

I crocheted the Granny Triangle Bandana for a vintage vibe, experimenting with solid and self-striping yarns. The granny square is an iconic motif from the 1970s. Its traditional pattern, clusters of three double-crochet stitches separated by chain stitches, is easy to crochet.

Fold a fabric bandana, also called a kerchief, into a strip and use it to tie a braid, a ponytail or a bun. Wrap it around your head as a headband or your neck as a neckerchief scarf. I sewed these square kerchiefs using Australian Aboriginal cotton fabrics (patterns designed by Debra McDonald and Tanya Price).

The slouch hat is part of a casual urban streetwear look that can be worn all year round. It looks great with a t-shirt, jeans, an oversized hoodie and sneakers. For warmer months, pair a slouchy beanie made from a natural breathable yarn (such as cotton, linen or hemp) with tees and cut-offs. Take along a sweater or denim jacket for cool evenings. Create a cohesive look by matching the colour of your hat to a colour in your outfit. Hide your messy hair under the hat, show off your waves or put your hair in a loose side braid or ponytail.

In the summer, wear the slouch hat further back on your head so that there’s extra material to drape or slouch at the back. You can expose your forehead, hairline and ears, as the hat is more about aesthetics than warmth this time of year. Work the slouch so it falls in soft tucks. You might have to try on slouchies with different heights. You want it to look cool and not too floppy.

I crocheted a few slouch hats, but elevated this one with an alpaca/merino blend in shades of pinks and purples and a mother-of-pearl button. I sourced the locally dyed wool from a shop in Nanaimo, B.C., “Mad about Ewe Fine Yarns”.

Elevate your look at a garden party with a cotton botanical floral hat. I sewed this one from a McCall’s fashion accessories pattern. It has an asymmetrical brim and a ribbon accent. It’s stylish and functional. 

Hats with symmetrical or slanted brims are particularly flattering for those with round or square faces because they break up the natural symmetry of the face and add interest from the angle.

For something more avant garde, try this hat made from the same pattern in a blue leopard print. The fabric is a warp stretch cotton (73% Cotton, 23% Polyester, 4% Spandex). Being mid-weight and sandwiching a substantial layer of interfacing helps to hold the “crisp” hat shape. I knotted a length of paracord to finish the hat.

Mrs. Micawber, also known as Sue Perez, designed this skinny crochet scarf. I was charmed by the delicate design with its hint of spring. As Sue Perez described in Mr. Micawber’s Recipe for Success, “Its twisting chains remind me of green beans clustered on the vine, and the flowers interspersed are of course the bean blossoms.”

You can tie a single scarf around your neck. Another option would be to pick different-coloured scarves and wear them together, similar to layering necklaces or chains. Tap into your imagination and use a bean blossom scarf as a hair accessory, such as a ponytail tie, or as a handbag scarf to add a pop of colour and pattern.

How should a bucket hat be worn? Position it above the eyebrows and ears with the brim framing the face. The fit should be comfortable, that is, snug but not too tight. One or two fingers slid between the hat and the head is usually a good test. If you like an asymmetrical look, you can tilt the hat slightly forward or to one side.

My latest bucket hats were crocheted with a yarn that is a blend of wool and cotton. The brims of these bucket hats can be left floppy or shaped and molded. The cotton in the yarn helps hold the shape of the brim if it is rolled up or rounded towards the crown.

Although most everyone can wear a bucket hat well, here are some tips to rock yours. Choose a hat shape that suits your face shape and hairstyle. For example, if you have a square or angular face, the rounded rolled-up brim will soften the angles. A long face will benefit from a floppy rather than an upward-curving brim. Whether you have long or short hair, let your curls, waves, bangs, beard and hair texture be as big a part of the frame for your face as the hat. Experiment and embrace the bucket hat as a functional, versatile and stylish accessory.

I had several balls of different coloured merino wool in my stash. It was straight forward for me to crochet a child’s hat in periwinkle and an adult version in grey. I liked how the pattern of crosses separated by a row of single crochet stitches was defined in the mono-coloured merino.

I was up for a bit of experimentation and decided to make multi-coloured hats. I turned to paint chips from my local hardware store to mix and match before starting out. Pairing colours of different hue but similar saturation was the most pleasing to my eye. I chose simple patterns of half-double or double crochet to let colour be the main attraction.

The combination of highly saturated colours creates feelings of high energy and intensity. While the blue yarn is mostly merino wool, it contains 30% mulberry silk which gives the hat a shimmery quality, adding to the hat’s eye-catching appeal.

In contrast, the pastel colours in this infant hat evoke feelings of calm, softness and spring. The baby blue, mauve and pale yellow colours, reminiscent of an Easter egg, are grounded by a neutral grey.