A Nova Scotia-born crochetier went viral on social media last week after sharing her most recent project — a sweater inspired by artist Maud Lewis.
Grace Tompkins wasn’t expecting the overwhelming response when she tweeted photos of her most recent crochet project.
Her hand-made sweater, featuring Lewis’ 1995 painting Three Black Cats, was viewed more than half a million times on Twitter, receiving more than 13,500 likes.
“I just love this project so much, it was so fun,” she told Global News.
Tompkins began learning crochet in the winter of 2021 as a “quarantine hobby,” but artistic talent runs in her family. Tompkin’s mom knits and her sister is an artist who has used crochet before.
“It was something that just stuck. It was something I was good at,” Tompkins said.
Born and raised just outside of Truro, N.S., she is a biostatistics PhD student at the University Of Waterloo. As an homage to her home province, Tompkins wanted to make something that would remind her of Nova Scotia.
What inspired her to begin this project was a fellow Nova Scotia crochetier Alexandria Masse, who created a dress featuring scenes from Halifax’s Citadel Hill in May 2022.
“I thought that was so cool. What a nice homage to Nova Scotia,” Tompkins said.
“I’m very sentimental about home,” she said. “This was one of the ways to kind of take a piece of home with me.”
Tompkins said she was still thinking of a good name for the piece, but is now calling it ‘If Maud Lewis was a crochetier.’
‘One-of-a-kind’ piece, for now
The Three Black Cats painting is the crochetier’s favourite from Maud Lewis’ extensive collection of artwork.
“This painting was one of the first pieces of art that I was really drawn to growing up. Her artwork is accessible and the story behind it is so incredible, and it’s so Nova Scotian. How could you not love it?” she said.
“I tried to keep her style of painting and translate it to a fibre art which was difficult.”
Tompkins said she does most of her crochet freehand, and has made several sweaters in the past.
She began designing the Maud Lewis-inspired piece in December, and estimates she spent 100 hours making it.
Since her tweet and Instagram posts went viral, Tompkins has received many asks from people wanting to purchase custom sweaters inspired by Maud Lewis.
But, considering her ongoing schooling — as well as copyright issues — she’s likely not in a position to take commissions right now, she said. That may change in the future.
“For now, this is my one-of-a-kind unique piece that I get to keep,” she said.
— With files from Amber Fryday.
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