Great Cancer cap resource

[Susan P.]

Hi, I just posted this to someone asking for a pattern and recommendations but I thought this a really worthwhile resource to share around. Lots of patterns for adults and children:

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/cancercaps.html

[katezin]

Thanks so much for the link! My father-in-law just started chemo and after 3-4 weeks will start into radiation. Yesterday while in the waiting room someone mentioned that a family member had made them a chemo cap. So even though they live in FLA, I know he would love for me to make him a chemo cap just to know that someone loves him enough to make one for him.
I browsed the link you gave and found the perfect cap. Now I'm off to my LYS and can't wait to get it shipped to him.

[Susan P.]

katezin. That's great! On another thread here someone has asked about caps. I noticed on that site one pattern even mentioned not knotting the yarn inside because of the sensitivity of the skin and so on so I thought those little tips really helpful. People who make hats for charity reasons may tend to forget men.

Often people say they have a leftover ball or yarn or 3 and aren't sure what to do with them.

I've got another idea in my head to make a different sort so I'll see how that fares and post an image one day - I hope!

[Susan P.]

Just needed to add that some of the patterns have 'wool' recommended when of course cancer patients should not have wool because of heat and irritation. Just know you can substitute. There is also a comment about 'holes' in the caps showing baldness. There is a pattern on the site for a butterfly hat. I would just have that lined in a nice cotton to match or contrast the yarn. Make sure you wash the hat and the cotton material before lining.

[Rennagayle]

I have an online friend in Arkansas who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and has begun chemo treatments. She mentioned shaving her head the other day since her hair was coming out unevenly.

I thought about trying my hand at knitting her a cap, but I know that Arkansas gets very hot in the summer so a hat for her would be best made out of cotton.

The only cotton yarn available locally to me is kitchen type (Sugar'n'Cream or Lion Brand Cotton), so I'll have to order something, which means I won't get a chance to feel of it first. Can someone recommend a really, really soft cotton yarn or mostly cotton blend that I could use for knitting her a hat?

[Rennagayle]

Oops. I just discovered this question has already been posed in another thread in this forum.

[MommaG]

Thank you so much for that link. I have been thinking about making some as I remember when my mom went through Chemo she wore scarves and stuff as she didn't like being bald. I often try and do things to help raise awerness in memory of my mom (she passed when I was 12) I have chopped my hair and donated it for wigs several times as well. I have some really nice soft stuff in my stash I think I will knit up after finishing my current projects.

[Rennagayle]

MommaG, I'm so sorry you lost your mom at such a young age. :(

[Susan P.]

If you've a sewing machine don't forget those turban styles are often very popular. There are 100% cotton yarns but not being in the US I am loathe to recommend as some of the yarns you folk discuss are not obviously available here and perhaps vice versa.

I've found if I ring stores that are at distance and talk to the staff about what I need and softness etc they are generally very good in giving me great recommendations. I live in a country area and my local shop has a quite limited supply BUT they do have yarn books with examples of threads from many varieties they don't stock. I've sometimes looked at that and then ordered long distance something I found I wanted.

[Nobones]

Speaking as someone who has used these caps, please, be careful what yarn you use! A lovely friend of mine made one for me, It made me itch so much I didn't care about being bald! Also think about ear warmers beacuse for some reason your ears get cold too!