I have a dear friend who will be starting chemotherapy for breast cancer in a couple of weeks, and so naturally my thoughts quickly turned to knitted comforts. Fortunately, in a way, my experience with chemo is limited to one person in my family -- also breast cancer, like my friend -- but since it was high summer in Southern California during her worst weeks, she felt most comfortable without anything atal on her head, and so doesn't have much advice about patterns or yarns. If anyone has suggestions, I would be most grateful!
I've been admiring Grumperina's lovely Odessa for some time, in and of itself, and so that was the first thing that came to my mind. Grumperina used RYC Cashsoft DK, and I even happen to have some on hand, in a beautiful thundery grey, very "Scottish autumn," as per the request. But I've read in a couple of places that wool is not recommended for chemo caps, and so I hesitate -- Cashsoft being a merino/microfiber/cashmere blend. There is also Shedir in Knitty's Breast Cancer Awareness issue from a few years back, and I think that Rowan's Calmer would be a wonderful cloud-soft choice. My friend thinks that perhaps something close-fitting, as these both are, would be uncomfortable, but I wonder if something loose wouldn't stay on very well, once the hair isn't there to help hold it on.
There is definitely a consensus on the internet about seamlessness -- understandable in the circumstances. But what about the wool? and washability? Does the luxuriousness of Calmer and Cashsoft outweigh the dreariness of handwashing things when one is not up to it?
There are, by the way, lots of free knit and crochet patterns for chemo caps at Head Huggers (which also accepts donated caps for distributing to patients of all ages), and links to patterns here from Dallas/Fort Worth Fiber Fest -- I've also found a fancier hat at KnitPicks (which might work in Calmer...) and a rather fetching toque here, too.
Hi, I have knitted Shedir in Rowan calmer, quite difficult to knit, but lovely yarn, and it is soft and fits my scalp lovely! And I have knitted 5 Odessas. I have used a cotton/acrylic yarn, it is really soft. And I have knitted a red one for the red sweater, a blue one for the blue clothes, a white with pink beads for the pink shirt.. and so on. I love the pattern. It is quite easy to knit, remember I have to knit it in a foreign language! :-)
I think your friend will love a soft hat from you!
Give her a hug from me, I am going to my 4th chemo tomorrow.
Thank you for visiting my blog!
Hugs from Margot, Norway
Posted by: Virtuella | July 05, 2006 at 10:51 PM
I'm sure anything you knit will be very much appreciated. My husband has been on chemo for the last 18 month and his head is sensitive to cold. His favorite hat is one I made him using Tahki's New Tweed. It's a multi-fiber blend, including wool and silk. It's delightful to knit with and feels great but I'm disappointed in the way it holds it's shape. The ribbing is a bit flabby now and does not recover with washing but he still likes it. When the weather was colder, I made him a hat out of Trekking XXL using a freebie pattern on Elann - I think it's called the Harlequin Hat. It's a double layer of fingering weight yarn. He's always been very sensitive to itchy fabrics but has not had any problems with either of these. Of course, he's got me to do the hand washing so I can't offer any advice on whether or not that's too much effort for a chemo patient. For what it's worth, the close fitting hats have not felt uncomfortable to him and a looser hat is going to tend to droop and flop in a way that may be unpleasant. I'll keep good wishes for your friend's swift recovery.
Posted by: Dallas | July 06, 2006 at 10:32 AM
I successfully made an Odessa out of two strands of Dale Baby Ull which, though 100% wool, is machine washable and dryable and very soft. The completed hat weighed less than 60 g. I used the needle sizes called for in the pattern (US 4 & 6) but I think the fabric would have had a better drape if I'd gone up to 5 & 7 or even 6 & 8. I'm sorry about your friend's illness. I hope her treatment is successful.
Posted by: Mary Tess | July 06, 2006 at 10:52 AM
My mom is currently going through chemo for breast cancer and I bought some hand knitted caps for her (eventhough I do knit, I went though the same questions you have) from this woman:
http://bjklasell.pledgepage.org/diary.php
She is doing a three day breast cancer walk and you donate the money to her official pledge page and she'll knit the caps for you. They're in a fun fur type of yarn and the reason why I bought them was she had a salt and pepper color which matched my mom's hair exactly.
My mom prefers the knitted cap to any of her wigs. Best $10 I ever spent.
Posted by: Joanna | July 06, 2006 at 01:30 PM
I don't have any experience knitting for those undergoing cancer so I can't contribute much in the way of advice...but I did want to say that RYC cashsoft is machine washable, so at least if you choose to go with that, there won't be too much of a pain in cleaning the hat. Is wool not recommended because of sensitivity of the skin?
Posted by: Marie | July 06, 2006 at 10:57 PM
Ack...undergoing chemo treatment, not cancer. Sorry! Must not type with half a brain in the future.
Hugs to your friend too...I hope her treatment is successful.
Posted by: Marie | July 06, 2006 at 10:58 PM
I've used the Amelia Earhart Chemo Cap pattern and just finished it today. It is very stretchy so it will hug the head without feeling tight and isn't droopy. It feels light as a feather. I used wool but I've used Cashsoft and it would knit up similar.
Posted by: Christina | July 07, 2006 at 08:31 PM
I've used the Amelia Earhart Chemo Cap pattern and just finished it today. It is very stretchy so it will hug the head without feeling tight and isn't droopy. It feels light as a feather. I used wool but I've used Cashsoft and it would knit up similar.
Posted by: Christina | July 07, 2006 at 08:31 PM
I used Berrocco Chinchilla to knit a cap for my mom who lived in a warm climate -- it kept her warm without getting too hot. I also used Debbie Bliss's Cathay I think it was, but it stretched out of shape too readily. I found patterns online just by searching for Chemo Caps.
Posted by: wintrymix | July 08, 2006 at 08:01 PM
So sorry to hear about your friend. My best friend since the first grade has just been diagnosed as well - she's only 41. It appears her cancer was caught early, I hope that your friend also has a good prognosis.
Best wishes.
Posted by: Beth | July 11, 2006 at 05:37 PM
They just posted a nice free pattern for chemo caps at knittingpatterncentral.com.
Posted by: Shelley | July 14, 2006 at 09:20 AM