Crochet

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You’ve Been Waiting For It

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Everyone is probably tired of hearing me complain about this afghan.  Here it is!

The pattern is a variation of my favorite, the Diagonal Crazy Stitch.  You can learn how to create this afghan here.  The ‘traditional’ crazy stitch (or box stitch) pattern works up to a square.  I wanted this to be a rectangle, so I followed the instructions for creating the variation.  It turned out nicely.  The color choices were not mine.  It’s for a young couple getting married in May.  His favorite color is orange and hers is yellow – so, voila!  they get a yellow and orange afghan.  I’ve never met the bride, so she might not be totally thrilled with this.  But, I made it for a dear friend to give them.  I have met the groom on many occasions and he’s a wonderful guy.  So, that made it easier for me to complete a project which quickly became a nemesis because of a couple of reason.

First, the colors are not my favorites.  Since I find it difficult to work with colors I don’t like, I do not take commission work.  This was an exception – but has confirmed to me that I don’t like the idea of doing commissions.  Secondly, the yarn was ordered sight unseen because of my friend’s very tight budget.  To get enough yarn in the proper colors at a price point she could afford, I took the catalog description of this ‘soft’ yarn at face value.  Mistake!  I won’t make that mistake again.  The yarn is not only NOT soft, it’s downright ‘hard’.  I’ll do some major fabric softening before I send it off to the lucky couple.  Finally, the skeins were full of snags, bad joins, and in one case the ‘guts’ of the skein were pulled out only to reveal that it was a totally separate ball of yarn.  These issues resulted in my having to cut the yarn THREE times after an hour’s worth of fruitless attempts to untangle the mess.  Guess how many extra ends this gave me to weave in?

What I have left to do is weave in the multitudinous number of ends, add a small border of some sort to further hide those ends, then, I’d like to add two small appliques – one of the St. Louis Arch and one to symbolize Utah.  A beehive was suggested to me and that would work well with the yellow yarn, so I’ll probably go with that.

This is one afghan I’ll be happy to send to its new home and hope to never see it again!

If you are looking for more of our DIY Wedding ideas then check out our dedicated DIY Wedding blog.

Looking for more crochet patterns for weddings? Check out these designs we found on Etsy.

Comments

  1. I see nothing wrong with this afghan. I really like the colors, nice and bright. I’m sure the bride is going to love it. It was made with love. How can you not?!! Great work. Gonna try this pattern. I have to make an afghan for a friend’s mother.

  2. Oops! Just checked the link for the pattern and realized I already know this pattern. It was under another name. I have made several afghans using this stitch. Great pattern, great design!

  3. Ok, I’m about finished. Kept getting interrupted. I feel you on having a project that you don’t want to do for some reason for another. Sorry you had so much trouble with the yarn. I usually try to work with my customers on purchasing the yarn. For afghans, I only work with Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Yarn”. It is the softest yarn I have found and so many colors.

    I had a pattern that I picked up one day and crocheted it for a church mother. I threw the pattern away after I finished it. It had a lot of diamond pieces that had to be crocheted, then put together to get each design, then all the pieces had to be sewn together. It took me almost 4 months to finish. I will never, ever crochet that piece again! So, yes, I feel ya!

  6. For Utah, beehive is perfect! JD, the project looks great, love how you worked the middle section. Yes, it is hard on commission items. And the wife to be will appreciate that someone took the time to incorporate her favorite color with her husbands. It may not get used all the time, but it will get used for many years!

  7. JD,
    I know what it is like trying to finish a project for someone else that you just are not thrilled with! Glad it is finished for you. The colors will definitely brighten up a room. It is like sunshine! (same colors as my little dress from the 70’s I had written about.) What a great job!

Have you read?

Make To Donate: Crochet Chemo Cap Patterns

There are some crochet projects that are lovely to make, and then there are the ones that feel like they have a little more purpose stitched into them. Chemo caps definitely fall into that second category.

A handmade crochet chemo cap can provide warmth, privacy and comfort to someone experiencing treatment-related hair loss, but this is one charity crochet project where the yarn and pattern really do matter. A beautiful hat made with scratchy yarn or an open lace stitch may look lovely sitting on your craft table but be completely wrong for a sensitive scalp.

If you are new to making handmade donations, our broader Make To Donate crochet pattern collection is a useful place to start. 20 Crochet Patterns Perfect for Donating to Charities You can also read our guide to crocheting for a cause before choosing an organisation to support. Crochet for a Cause: Using Your Skills to Make a Difference

Before you start crocheting, contact your chosen cancer centre or organisation and check its current requirements.

Crochet for Cancer asks that donated caps are new, clean and free from perfume, smoke and pet hair. They recommend soft cotton, acrylic, silk, fleece or blends and specifically advise against wool and alpaca because they may irritate sensitive scalps. They also recommend close stitches without large gaps. Knots of Love similarly asks makers to avoid lacy or see-through designs and maintains its own approved yarn list.

In other words, this is not the project for that mystery skein of scratchy wool you bought on clearance twelve years ago and have been trying to justify ever since.

Crochet Chemo Cap Patterns to Make and Donate

1. Simple Crochet Chemo Cap

Get the Simple Crochet Chemo Cap free pattern

This is a very practical place to start. The pattern was specifically designed as a chemo cap and comes in sizes from children through adult extra large.

It uses a cotton and rayon blend and combines half double crochet with subtle ridged sections, giving the hat some texture without creating big open spaces. I particularly like having several sizes in one pattern because cancer treatment affects people of every age.

2. Canadia Chemo Cap

Get the Canadia Hat free crochet pattern

The Canadia Hat from Banana Moon Studio was designed specifically with chemo care in mind. It uses a light worsted yarn and linked stitches that help create a fairly solid fabric without making the hat stiff.

The pattern includes a range of sizes and the free version is available directly on the designer’s website.

3. Lily of the Valley Chemo Cap

Get the Lily of the Valley Chemo Cap pattern

If you would like something a little prettier without wandering into overly open lace territory, this floral-textured chemo cap is a lovely option.

It was created for the Crochet Cancer Challenge and is designed using soft lightweight yarn for comfortable wear. It has enough detail to feel special while still being intended specifically for cancer patients and donation programs.

4. Velvet Ridge Chemo Cap in Four Sizes

Get the free Velvet Ridge Chemo Cap pattern

This newer chemo cap pattern includes four sizes from approximately age five through adult XL.

It uses plush chenille-style yarn and has a simple ridged band for a little visual detail. The designer also suggests checking with your local cancer centre before making donation caps, which is advice I wish every charity pattern included.

5. Soft Heart Chemo Hat

Get the Soft Heart Chemo Hat free crochet pattern

The Soft Heart Beanie was created for the 2025 Crochet Cancer Challenge and comes in six sizes, from preemie through adult.

The design is seamless, soft and designed to work up relatively quickly, making it a particularly useful pattern if your crochet group is planning to make multiple hats.

6. Diane Beanie Chemo Cap

Get the Diane Beanie free crochet pattern

The Diane Beanie is a simple top-down design made primarily with single crochet and finished with a back-loop ribbed brim.

The result is a fairly dense fabric, which is exactly what we want for a chemo cap. The pattern includes teen/small adult and large adult sizing.

7. Textured Stripes Chemo Cap

Get the Textured Stripes Chemo Cap free pattern

I like this one for anyone who gets bored making completely plain hats.

The texture gives the cap a little personality, but the designer has kept the inside comfortable and smooth. It was created specifically for cancer-hat donation projects, so it fits our Make To Donate theme beautifully.

8. Elixir Chemo Cap

Get the Elixir Chemo Cap free crochet pattern

The Elixir is another pattern created specifically for charity donation and cancer awareness.

It includes three sizes and was designed to be lightweight, breathable and gentle. You can also choose a yarn colour associated with a particular cancer awareness cause if you are making hats for a specific fundraising or support event.

9. Cancer Ribbon Crochet Beanie

Get the free Cancer Ribbon Beanie pattern

This one makes the symbolism quite literal, with an awareness ribbon worked into the hat design.

The pattern comes in toddler, child and adult sizes and uses front-post colourwork to create the ribbon motif.

For actual chemo use, I would pay particular attention to the yarn choice and inside texture. For awareness events, fundraising or support gifts, though, the ribbon detail is especially meaningful.

10. Hopeful Butterfly Chemo Hat

Get the Hopeful Butterfly Hat free pattern

This hat was originally created as a chemo cap and incorporates awareness-inspired detailing along with butterfly symbolism.

It is a lovely choice when you want something that looks less like a basic medical head covering and more like a thoughtfully designed handmade accessory.

11. Summer Chemo Cap With Sun Hat Brim

Get the Summer Chemo Cap free crochet pattern

Most chemo-cap collections lean heavily towards cold-weather beanies, so I was pleased to find this summer option.

It combines a lightweight cap with a small sun-hat-style brim and was designed specifically for people undergoing treatment or experiencing sensitive scalps.

It is also a good reminder that people undergoing cancer treatment may need comfortable head coverings all year round, not just when the temperature drops.

12. Consuelo Beanie

Get the Consuelo Beanie free crochet pattern

The Consuelo Beanie was created for the Crochet Cancer Challenge and the complete crochet pattern remains available free on the designer’s blog.

It is beginner-friendly and was designed specifically as a hat suitable for donating to someone living with cancer.

13. Linda’s Easy Chemo Cap

Get Linda’s Easy Chemo Cap pattern

This is an older pattern, but still a useful one to keep bookmarked.

The adult-small version remains available as a free download, and the design was created specifically for makers pledging to donate a hat to a cancer patient or treatment centre.

14. Just Chenille Chemo Cap

Get the Just Chenille Chemo Cap free pattern

If the receiving organisation accepts chenille yarn, this plush option is worth considering.

The free pattern includes three adult sizes from XS through XL and uses soft chenille yarn to produce a warm, velvety cap. As always, check the charity’s yarn list first because individual cancer centres may have different requirements.

15. Kim’s Chemo Hat Crochet Pattern

See Kim’s Chemo Hat crochet pattern on Etsy

For our paid Etsy option, Kim’s Beanie from ThroughTheLoopYC was originally designed for the Crochet Cancer Challenge.

The PDF includes child, adult small and adult large sizing plus a photo stitch tutorial. It is labelled as an easy to advanced-beginner pattern and was designed specifically as a soft, comfortable chemo cap.

Choosing Yarn for Crochet Chemo Caps

This is one area where I would choose yarn for the recipient rather than because I happen to love the colour.

A yarn that feels perfectly comfortable against your hand may feel completely different against a scalp made sensitive by chemotherapy.

Look for soft, smooth and washable fibres and avoid heavily textured, scratchy or hairy yarn unless the receiving organisation has specifically approved it.

Knots of Love actually maintains a required yarn list for its own donations, which is a good reminder that there isn’t one universal “best chemo-cap yarn.”

If you’re buying yarn specifically for charity projects rather than raiding the stash, I would choose practical washable colours and yarn you can reliably buy again. Nobody needs to discover halfway through a 20-hat charity project that the beautiful bargain yarn was discontinued in 2009.

What Makes a Good Crochet Chemo Cap?

For most donation programs, think:

soft rather than scratchy

close stitches rather than open lace

comfortable seams

good scalp coverage

washable yarn

no heavy embellishments unless the charity specifically allows them

a useful range of sizes

And always make the hat to the requirements of the organisation receiving it.

For more general hat donations, you can also browse our 10 crochet beanie patterns to make and donate. See the charity crochet beanie roundup

CraftBits also has a free vintage child’s crochet beanie pattern that can be useful for general children’s winter charity projects. Free Vintage Crochet Child’s Beanie Pattern on CraftBits For cancer-care donations, however, I would only use it after checking the yarn, fit and stitch coverage against the receiving organisation’s chemo-cap requirements.

There is something quietly powerful about making a chemo cap for someone you may never meet. It is not going to change their diagnosis or make treatment easier, but it can make one cold waiting room, one difficult morning or one vulnerable moment a little more comfortable.

Sometimes a ball of yarn really can become something much bigger than we expected.