The Hat That Started It All: How I Taught Myself to Crochet (and Accidentally Changed My Life)

I was sitting in the cafeteria at the local mall with my 7-month-old baby when I saw it.

The hat.

This was shortly after the release of the first Despicable Me and I kept seeing these adorable minion beanies here and there, but this one—this one was different. It had the classic yellow with one goggled eye, but instead of the usual blue for the overalls, it had a deep maroon. And maroon? That’s one of my favorite colors. The right shade, the right tint, and I’m basically vibrating with excitement and this was hitting the spot.

I had to find out where people were getting these hats.

Cue the search party: my mom and I scoured almost every store in the mall, then dozens more outside it and around town. Nothing. No one had even heard of them. Thankfully, Google exists. After actual days of searching websites and forums, the only thing I could find was a crochet pattern.

Problem: I didn’t know how to crochet. Bigger problem: I didn’t know anyone who did. Even bigger problem (well, maybe this one wasn’t a problem…): I had to have one! Bonus problem: The price of handmade ones? Way outside my budget.

So, I did what any wild-hearted woman would do when the world tries telling her “No”: I taught myself.

I grabbed one of those cheap “learn to crochet” kits from Walmart, picked up a couple skeins of yarn (just the colors I needed, for now), and dove in. Within an hour, I had a basic understanding. Another hour and a YouTube tutorial later—I had the hat. The exact one I’d been chasing!

Ahh… cue the satisfaction! The pride!!

And just like that, a door opened.

Suddenly, I realized: I can do things. If I want something, I can make it. I can learn it. I can create it. And I get quick, satisfying results from just a short burst of effort. That’s powerful.

I started taking requests from people who worked with my mom. It was a fun little side hustle—nothing serious, just a few bucks and a lot of joy. Even after I quit taking order requests though, I never stopped crocheting. Eventually, I shifted my focus and found more passions: sewing, making matching purses and wallets for me and my daughter, hand embroidery. I even tried to teach myself to knit (life got wild before I could finish, but hey—it’s still on the list).

Now, life has taken another turn, and I’m standing in front of a new opportunity. I’m gathering all these skills I adore—crochet, sewing, embroidery, and yes, one day I will conquer knitting—and building them into something incredible.

Welcome to Woven Wild.

This space is where I’ll share my journey: following patterns, testing tutorials, creating one-of-a-kind pieces, and maybe even reviewing the wild and wonderful designs I stumble across.

Whether you’re here to learn something new, get inspired, or just admire the magic—I’m so glad you’re here.