How this P.E.I. woman tackled pandemic boredom by making more than 100 tiny hats

Monique Gauthieris surrounded by a large pileof baby hats she has made with a lap-sizedloom, weaving yarn in and out to create them.

Knitting is a new hobby she took on during theCOVID-19 pandemic that began in March,to help pass the time.

Gauthieris intellectually challenged and before the pandemic she worked at a couple of part-time jobs andstayed busy doing various sports with Special Olympics P.E.I., but when all that stopped, she decided to put her energy into making hats.

So far, she hasmade about 106 hats for newborns.

"I love doing it," said Gauthier. "I had nothing else to do, so why wouldn't I make them for the babies?"

"They're different colours, different shapes, some of them have big rims."

Gauthier has even createdseveral Christmas hats ina deepred with a white brim.

It takes her about a day to make a baby hat, and a couple of days to make a regular sized hat.

'I'm so proud of her'

Monique's motherPaula Gauthiersays when her daughter finishesa hat, she expresses her happiness at the feeling of accomplishment.

"She delights in it, she really looks at it and says 'Isn't that nice?'" said Paula Gauthier. "I think it's remarkablethat she's actually able to do it."

"I'm so proud of her."

Her mom said the hobby helpsthem both pass the time during the pandemic as they are spending so much more time at home.

Paula helps to finishthe hats once the loom work is done, andsaid it's fun to think of the hats ending up little newborns'heads.

Feels good to donate them

Monique has already dropped offtwo large baskets filled with baby hats to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown,and said it feels good to donate them.

"The babies and the mothers will enjoy it," she said.

She has now moved on to making hats for cancer patients who may need to keep their heads warmafterhair loss.

The mother and daughter saidthe new new hobby was a life saver and they expect to keep making hats for years to come.

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