The Yahoo Crochet-List is making chemo crafts for this month’s charity challenge. I thought for awhile there I wasn’t going to be able to participate. My hat luck wasn’t going that well!

The first hat I started to make, a very cool beret designed by the Crochet Dude, was turning out well, but then I read some place that chemo hats should be tight to the scalp since those wearing it may have little to no hair and need to keep their scalps warm.

Then I started making another hat that fit into this criteria, but that one wasn’t turning out well at all. The instructions didn’t say what size crochet hook to use, so I used an H hook only to find that it was turning into a teen tiny hat! Bummer! I pulled that out to start hat number 3!

Finally, I found success with a free pattern at the Fresh Stitches web site. It’s tight to the head and uses all single crochet (much like amigurumi which makes sense as there are patterns for those too on the site). Since it uses single crochet stitch, that means no holes, another issue I read about when it comes to chemo hats. Obviously, if you don’t have any hair you don’t want holes in your hat!

The instructions for the hat pictured include a different color brim, but as you can see, I made it all in one color. I used a K crochet hook and Vanna’s Choice acrylic (surprisingly soft) in cranberry, and I still have a fair amount of yarn left over from the skein. The width includes 66 stitches around and I ended up making a total of 26 rows for the entire hat, which is about 6 1/2 inches high and 20+ inches wide.

Now it’s onto hat number 2! I’m so glad I found this super easy pattern. Cheers to Fresh Stitches!