Hi Everyone,
A few years ago, I came across a pattern for “Chemo Hats”. It was a being given away free to induce knitters to make them for people going through Chemo therapy. I decided to make one and shortly after I had made it, I found someone who needed it.
Did you know that when someone is in treatment and loses their hair, their scalp is so sensitive that it hurts their head to lay it on a pillow when they go to bed at night? That was something I didn’t know until I got into knitting these hats.
The type of yarn used is very important because very few of them are soft enough to be comforting to the scalp. The only one I have found that is 100% acceptable is Chinchilla by Berroco Yarn. I get it online through www.royalyarns.com. If you go to their website and search Berroco, then search “Chinchilla”, you will be able to see all of the amazing colors available.
I make two different styles. One which is the “ski cap” or “skull cap” that just fits over the head like a covering (best for sleeping) and one that looks like a beret. The beret one is very stylish looking and when you make a matching scarf to go with it, it is very stylish.
Here is the instructions for the “beret” style:
CHEMO “Beret style” HATS
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Use Chinchilla yarn by Berroco (Do not use the “Bulky” yarn unless you are making a hat for a child. It doesn’t have enough yardage to do one for an adult).
Abriviations:
St = Stitch
Sts = Stitches
K = Knit
Sl, St, K1, Psso = Slip a stitch, knit a stitch, then pass the slipped stitch over the stitch you knitted. This means that you take the needle in your right hand, and pick up the first stitch that is on your left hand needle. You just move it over onto the right hand needle. Then you knit the next stitch on your left hand needle. Then you take the point of the needle in your left hand and pick up the stitch that you slipped and move it up and over to the left, passing it over the stitch that you just knitted. Take it all the way to the end of the right hand needle and move it off and under the needle. This decreases the amount of stitches in the project. This is just one of the ways to decrease stitches.
Check your gauge:
Cast on about 15 sts and knit on both sides (there is no purling in Chemo Sleeping hats) for about 6 inches. I use size 9 circular needles but you can use any size as long as you know your gauge. See how many inches across you have and how many rows make up an inch.
These instructions are for an adult hat. The best fit is to measure the head around so you know how many to cast on, and also measure from below the ear up to within 10 rows from the end. The last 10 rows are the decrease rows where it is being shaped to fit the top of the head.
For an adult hat:
Cast on 56 or so stitches. Knit until the piece measures as long as you want it to be. Most like them to come down to almost the eyebrows or just a little above.
Decrease Rows:
*sl 1 st., k 1 st., psso, k3,* Repeat these steps all across the row.
K 1 Row
*sl 1 st., k 1 st., psso, k2,* Repeat these steps all across the row.
K 1 Row
*sl 1 st., k 1 st., psso, k1,* Repeat these steps all across the row.
K 1 Row
*sl 1 st., k 1 st., psso*
Keep doing this until there are only eight or so stitches left. Break a long piece of yarn and pull it through the remaining eight stitches and use it to sew the seam and your done. I use a plastic needle from a craft shop that has a big hole .
So that’s it. Please feel free to contact me directly via email if you would like to speak to me about these hats or if you know someone that needs one and would like to order one. I do not accept money for making them. If you would like to replace the yarn, that’s o.k. but not necessary.
Have a great day.
Sharon
