How to Make Crocheted Food Hats and Influence People

This article is presented by Vodafone Upsiders. We profiled a bunch of young Australians who are following their passions and perfecting their pursuits outside of their day jobs. You can watch the episode featuring Phil Ferguson and read our interview with him below.

Phil Ferguson never set out to become an internet sensation. After moving to Melbourne from Perth in 2014, he crocheted a burger hat and put it on Instagram as Chili Philly. It went viral. Since then, the 23-year-old has made and modelled a wonton, banana, pretzel, pineapple, marbled steak, bowl of bolognese, and other foodstuffs.

He has over 140k followers. Miley Cyrus is a fan. The Huffington Post and the BBC have featured him. He never expected so much attention, or that a hobby posting food-hat selfies would help him improve the lives of others.

As an ambassador for the Satellite Foundation, Phil helps raise awareness for mental health issues. He tells us how an art project turned into an online identity.

VICE: How did all of this start?
Phil Ferguson: When I first started my Instagram I thought it could be popular. I just never anticipated it being so popular so quickly. When I moved to Melbourne I wanted to meet people, and I had the idea of making hats that looked like objects as a fun way to do that. Throughout high school and uni I always used social media and met so many people through it. After I made the burger and saw that it was popular I just kept going to food for inspiration and, unexpectedly, it has defined my existence in Melbourne.

You started Chili Philly as a hobby. How does it feel to be self-employed now?
I've only been doing my own thing full-time for the past month, so it's still new. There is lots of admin and emails and stuff like that, but I've been super lucky as I currently have an exhibition on at the Australian Design Centre in Sydney. It's my first solo show, so I've done all this press and that's helped me feel like I'm going somewhere with it all. I feel like I can ride this wave out and then the next thing will happen.

How did you learn to crochet?
I taught myself by watching YouTube. It's interesting, a lot of older people come up to me and say things like, "I don't understand how you can just make it up." They probably learned the skill more formally, step by step. I think younger people have the resources and the attitude to just put it all together. That's how we make things. It's two different chains of thought.

Do you know exactly what you're going to make when you start a food hat, or does it shift as you go?
The thing nobody realises is that the end result to me isn't the crocheted hat—it's the Instagram image. I only really create them for the screen. The end result of my art practice is a curated social media account. Whether it's wearable is a completely separate thing.

What's the secret to your Instagram success?
I can only speak within the context of what I do, but before I started I already had an idea about what qualities my work needed to be successful. I was like, 'Okay, I already know other people crochet hats, but my point of difference is that I'm making these food hats, and I'm the person who's wearing them'. I always tell people to make sure they have a developed idea before they start putting their work out. You can't expect people to just love your work 'cause it exists. Make sure you do your thing well and know your place within the context of the platform. If you're an illustrator, don't post exactly the same content as every other illustrator. You have to be really aware of what you're doing.

That awareness can come across as forced though, like someone is trying too hard. How do you strike a balance?
I think a key thing about people who make some kind of long-standing career from social media, or even the internet, is a self-deprecating sort of self-awareness. They can laugh at themselves and you can tell they're in on the joke as well. They aren't trying to become something they're not. I've been lucky to do a lot of media and interviews, and I think that's because I put myself in my own work, which also makes it easy for me to talk about stuff without making shit up. There's an actual purpose to showing me, as opposed to people who fabricate social media profiles to show a certain lifestyle. It's a strange thing to think about.

Tell us about your work with the Satellite Foundation.
I was at a friend's house one day and she got a call asking if she knew anyone with a connection to mental illness. The Satellite Foundation helps kids whose parents have a mental illness and they were looking for an ambassador. I was like, "Oh, like me!" I ended up becoming a face for the charity. It's great because it's mutually beneficial. I can bring awareness to the cause via my social media and press, and I get to help them and get press in return.

What's your connection to mental illness?
My dad was diagnosed with bipolar when I moved to Melbourne. It explained so much of his behaviour, which is a big reason why I started work with the foundation. I hope we can help kids understand these sorts of things, rather than live with the confusion. A section of my demographic are kids, too, so there's that connection. I'm pretty sure most young people have an experience with mental illness these days. It's not taboo, but the worst thing to do is to hold it all in.

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