Making A Life

Every once and a while I get the opportunity to use my crafting skills to help others. Crafting skills don’t really come in handy that often so I tend to jump when I can help someone by making something. I follow a local buy nothing group where members of our community trade goods and services instead of buying things. Wednesday is wishful Wednesday where members post something specific that they are wishing for, and others respond.

Two weeks ago I was reading through the Wednesday wishes and I saw a wish for two hats. The woman wishing is starting chemo in January and she was wanting soft hats to keep her head warm during treatment. I jumped at the chance to make her wish come true.

I contacted her through social media and asked what colours she would like. She had specific colour wishes, she asked for a sapphire blue hat to match her wedding ring, and a soft pink hat to match a baby blanket. I hit the craft shop got the yarn and got to work.

• On the first day of Christmas my true loves made for me, an Ornament Wreath.
• On the second day of Christmas my true loves made with me, Hot Chocolate Mugs.
• On the third day of Christmas my true love made for me, Plum Wine.
• On the fourth day of Christmas my mom made for me, A Nativity Scene.

On the fifth day of Christmas a random stranger made for me… Chemo caps.

The sapphire blue cap was knit with the following pattern by Purl Soho.

The Pink hat I made up as I went along. If you want to make the Cotton Candy Chemo Cap to fit 8 years old and up the instructions are as follows;

Materials

• approx 80 yds Bulky yarn (I used Loops & Threads Charisma)
• 9mm (US 13) circular needles and 4 double points

Directions

1. Cast on 56 stitches onto circular needles
2. Join for working in the round, place a stitch marker. Be careful not to twist the stitches.
3. Round 1:*K2P2, repeat to the end of the round
4. Round 2-6: Repeat Round 1, 6 times
5. Round 7: K7, P1
6. Round 8: The following rows the Purl stitch needs to shift by 1 stitch to the left. Round 8 begins P1, *K7, P1, repeat * to end of round
7. Round 9: begins K1, P1, *K7, P1 repeat *to end of round
8. Knit until the piece is 6″ from bottom of cuff to working row
9. Decrease Round 1: following the same pattern knit to the next P1 stitch. Place the marker. *P1, K2TOG, K6 repeat * to end of round ending with a P1 stitch (you may need to shift your marker one stitch)
10. Decrease Round 2: *K6, P1 repeat * to end of round
11. Switch to double points
12. Decrease Round 3: same pattern but P1, K2TOG, K5
13. Decrease Round 4: *K5, P1 repeat * to end of round
14. Decrease round 5: same pattern but P1, K2TOG, K4
15. Decrease round 6: *K4, P1 repeat * to end of round
16. Decrease round 7: same pattern but P1, K2TOG, K3
17. Decrease round 8: *K3, P1 repeat to end of round
18. Decrease round 9: same pattern but P1, K2TOG, K2
19. Decrease round 10: *K2, P1 repeat to end of round
20. Decrease round 11: same pattern but P1, K2TGO, K1
21. Decrease round 12: *K1, P1 repeat to end of round
22. Decrease round 13: *K2TOG repeat to end of round
23. Cast off, weave in ends.