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Victoria woman seeks yarn donations to knit toques for people in need

Patrizia Fitch is hoping to make 150 to 200 toques this year
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Patrizia Fitch is knitting toques to give to people in need this holiday season. She hopes to knit a total of 150 to 200 toques and is looking for yarn donations. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)

A Victoria woman is on a mission to warm hearts and heads this holiday season.

Patrizia Fitch loves to crochet and recently learned how to make toques. She had leftover yarn at home from previous crafts and ended up making about 60 toques of different sizes and colours to donate to people in need. Now, she’s made even more and has laid them out in her living room, organizing them by size and adding a handmade tag to them with care.

“I just thought it would be great to give something back,” Fitch said. “It’s been really cold.”

READ ALSO: West Shore community members team up to warm hearts and feet this holiday season

Fitch brought her first creations to the Mustard Seed Street Church, noting she’s used their services before and wanted to give back in a place that has given to her. She also handed out toques to people who were on the streets in downtown Victoria.

The Mustard Seed Street Church provides items of clothing to people in need and happily took her donation. Fitch said when she dropped off the toques, she also met a woman who selected one for herself as well as a matching sweater.

“She was just so happy,” Fitch said. “To see the smile on her face…I was like ‘OK I have to go home and make some more.’”

Fitch started off with a goal of making and handing out about 50 toques but is now aiming for 150 to 200. She has gone through all of her yarn and is asking the community for yarn donations so she can continue making them.

“Whether it’s a ball or two or three, it’s going to make a difference,” Fitch said. “Whatever I get is not going to go to waste, I want to use it to give back.”

READ ALSO: Oak Bay real estate agents rekindle annual food fight

During a time of the year when people can feel very lonely, Fitch said receiving something handmade can make a big difference and let them know there are community members who care for them.

Fitch hopes to take her two sons out on Christmas Eve to hand out some toques downtown. She said she has explained to them that Christmas is not about presents under the tree but about what you can do for others and with others and hopes that seeing her give back influences them to do so as well.

“My 14-year-old looked at me and said, ‘You know mom, you’re a good person,’” Fitch said with a smile on her face. “For a 14-year-old boy to say that…that’s my Christmas present.”

Those interested in donating yarn to Fitch’s project can e-mail her at safenursingworkload@gmail.com.

shalu.mehta@blackpress.ca


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19641396_web1_copy_191203-VNE-Yarn-Donations_2
Patrizia Fitch is knitting toques to give to people in need this holiday season. She hopes to knit a total of 150 to 200 toques and is looking for yarn donations. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)