Fat Thumb artist, Michele Hirata a.k.a. Fat Thumb Chick, designs, makes and distributes Fat Thumb Chemo Beanies knitted from t-shirt material to cancer centers, hospitals and non-profit organizations worldwide, free of charge.
Her fun and fashionable designs are not only extremely comfortable but very stylish as well. Everywhere people go with her unique hats, Fat Poly Handbags, and accessories a buzz surrounds them with curiosity, interest and amazement.
Every Fat Thumb product is designed, hand-dyed, hand-cut and hand-knit by Michele Hirata, using her unique T-Knit, Fun Tab cutting method. Since February 2004, Michele has given away over 1000 hats to those battling a hair loss illness, worldwide.
Imagine the possibilities, imagine hope and love one another. Go out there and find something you love to do, too.
Fat Thumb Gives Back!
Gymnastics World Girls Gymnastics Booster Club
Michele Hirata has volunteered since she was 13 years old beginning at a school for special needs children and has never stopped. Now as a spouse of a retired military officer, she’s actively volunteered at every assignment to include donating hundreds of hours. While stationed in CA, she taught her young children the benefit of volunteerism as a regular Meals on Wheels driver delivering meals with her children to elderly and homebound community members for two years. She also met Diana Jones in Monterey, CA and they have been working together to raise awareness about worthy organizations.
Over the last 5 years, she’s volunteered 4K+ hours and donated $25K+ in purses, shawls, hats, scarves, etc., to raise money for cancer awareness and other charities. Her biggest satisfaction and reward comes from designing and distributing her own creation, what she calls “Chemo Beanies”, knitted from t-shirt material to patients undergoing chemotherapy or hair loss illnesses, totally free of charge.
At four different parties for underprivileged children, she has volunteered 100+ hours to teach art, inspire children and make a difference in children’s lives. She planned a cancer awareness music festival in Ocean Springs, MS, in May 2007 and rose over $10K in six hours for the Pink Heart Funds, a 501(3) c organization that give out free wigs and breast prosthesis to the uninsured with cancer, www.pinkheartfunds.com. In August 2007, she helped organize an event that brought Robin Roberts of Good Morning America to the MississippiGulfCoast. In September 2007, she developed a campaign to raise awareness and funding for medical expenses for a two year old child. Levi Krystosek suffers from a rare type of debilitating dwarfism. Michele helped raise over $15K for medical expenses and attracted the attention of a doctor that believes he can cure Levi’s symptoms, www.littlelevi.com. Levi and his family are currently awaiting FDA approval on this miracle drug.
Now living in the greater Washington D.C area, Michele continues to visits schools, community centers, not-for-profit agencies, churches and senior centers. She hosts free art workshops and inspires people with her own stories of giving back and how it’s changed her life. She also works with her daughter's gymnastics booster club, Gymnastics World Girls Gymnastics Team, hand-making gifts and creating art for people and organizations in the community as a thank you for their contribution to society. Please visit www.allaroundaward.org to learn more about the award winning Gymnastics World Girls Gymnastics Team located in Woodbridge, VA.
F.A.C.E.S. of Cancer Show, Eastern Shore Art Center, Fairhope, AL
Santa America Believe Celebration, Eastern Shore Art Center, Fairhope, AL
A collaborative project between Santa America and the Eastern Shore Art Center designed to embody the gifts of love, hope and joy.
All about Michele!
I just want to put in a few words about Michele Hirata, an amazing open-hearted textile artist who uses her vivid imagination to better the world with her artistic expressions.
I first met her when I made a call for artists for a show about cancer I was creating. I wanted face of cancer survivors to be illustrated in various media to show the strength and numbers of survivors. She asked to participate and showed up with wonderful, colorful expressions of faces on tie-dyed fabric that still held the imprints of the child survivor’s hands...which people loved. Michele got swept up in the emotion of the event and created wristbands to help further the cause, without being asked.
Next came a show for another charity, Santa America, and I needed large canvas banners created to illustrate the Santas visiting the pediatric cases. She came in with an amazing piece that the founder loved, a large construction showing her knowledge of composition, sewing, color and emotion. It was very well received and became a part of the traveling show for the nonprofit charity.
In short, she is a talented artist, with her own vision, and a desire to impact the world through the use of her gifts. I look forward to working with her again, whenever fate allows it!
