'No idea it was going to blow up like this': Woman crochets Edmonton Oilers themed emotional support chickens for stressed out fans
Edmonton Oilers fan Ashley Sinclair crochets Oilers emotional support chickens for stressed out fans. They take roughly one hour to make, and over the last 10 days she's been overwhelmed with orders as the Oilers playoff run continues into the second round. (Credit: Shaughn Butts)
Ashley Sinclair is like many fans of the Edmonton Oilers.
They eat, sleep and breathe every move the team makes and ride the wave of momentum in every game, whether it's a random Tuesday night game in October or a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Emotions can run high and low and can be stressful. The Sherwood Park mother has come up with a way to help Oilers fans deal with the stress of Oilers playoff hockey by crocheting Oilers-themed emotional support chickens.
'It's a popular pattern out of Oak and Marlow out of Ontario and last year when they made the playoffs, I thought, I'm watching these games and my emotional support is (tied) directly at watching the Oilers play hockey, so I decided to make myself one,' said Sinclair.
Sinclair crocheted 12 more chickens during last year's playoff run, took them to a downtown market and they sold quickly — so she decided to crochet more for Oilers playoff runs this year.
During Game 5 of the Oilers' opening round series against the Los Angeles Kings, she posted a video on Tik Tok, and now Oilers fans are ordering emotional support chickens like crazy.
Just how popular? There is now a shortage of blue and orange yarn at every craft store in Edmonton and surrounding area.
'I've closed in on 300 orders over the last few days. I had no idea it was going to blow up like this,' said Sinclair.
'I've had to recruit a team of Edmonton crocheters to help me with the bodies so I can finish them. This has gotten so big, I've got four local crocheters to help get these fans their emotional support chickens.'
Sinclair said it takes about 30 minutes to build the shell of the chicken, and about another 10-20 minutes to finish the detailing. She decided this year to add 97 grams of pellets to the chickens to fill them out more.
She's been selling the chickens for $20 and she and her team of crocheters have been delivering them to Oilers fans all around the Edmonton area.
Edmonton Oilers fan Ashley Sinclair crochets Oilers emotional support chickens for stressed-out fans. In 10 days, 300 orders have been placed, and Sinclair has had to bring on a team of local crocheters to help fulfill the order.
'I've been a crazy fan forever. I know we have such a unique hockey culture in Edmonton. There's nothing generic about it. There's these collective experiences. There's these highs and lows, and it's so deep, that if any fans in the NHL need an emotional support chicken, it's the fans here in Edmonton,' said Sinclair.
'This whole experience has been crazy. I have a full-time job, and I'm raising my toddler son, I lead a pretty normal life, but now all of a sudden, my whole life right now is making emotional support chickens for Edmonton hockey fans.'
Sinclair always joked that her dream job would be to become the official crocheter of the Edmonton Oilers. Since that doesn't exist, this is pretty close to a dream come true.
'I've been wandering around, and thinking, am I going to wake up soon? Is this some fever dream? Because this is wild to be doing this in real life right now,' said Sinclair.
Sinclair started crocheting three years ago when she was pregnant with her son. She was suffering from bad morning sickness and couldn't look at screens or read, so she wanted to find a new hobby. Sinclair said it didn't come easy at first — but now she loves it.
'It took me about nine months to make my first plushy and it was so ugly,' laughed Sinclair.
'But after my son was born, he was a huge contact sleeper, so I would keep some yarn beside me at all times, and when he slept, I would crochet.'
Sinclair has no idea how long her little side gig will last, or if it could ever turn into a full-time job down the road, but she's treating this like the typical Oilers fan does. She's riding this little phenomenon of crazy Oilers fandom and enjoying it however long it lasts.
'Who knows what will happen with this because, not even a week ago, I thought this was like some fantasy, but I love working with this incredible team and trying to meet the moment we're in right now,' said Sinclair.
jhills@postmedia.com
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