Chemo Cap Pattern

We've recently been having a lot of customers who are coming in to get yarn and a pattern to make chemo caps for friends or relatives who are starting chemo. They want to make them something to wear when & if they lose their hair. 

A chemo cap isn't the same as a winter hat. Of course, sometimes these hats WILL be worn outside in cooler temperatures, so they CAN be warm, but often they are worn inside and really just need to fit well and be soft. 

When choosing a yarn for a chemo cap, think about the recipient. Does this person live in a warmer temperature? Is the house air conditioned (could be cool) or not (could be hot)? Think about the care of the yarn, also. A lot of people don't wash their winter hats much (maybe they should!) but someone who is wearing a hat 24 hours a day will certainly want to wash it often. Don't choose a yarn that is too difficult to care for - a machine washable option is a nice benefit for someone who is feeling pretty awful. Having to hand wash a hat - as easy as that sounds - may actually be a pretty tall request for someone going through chemotherapy. Some yarns that call for hand washing may be able to be machine washed on gently in a mesh bag. Test your yarn first, or ask us for our opinion.

In terms of patterns, you may think that any old hat pattern - made in a soft yarn - will work. This isn't necessarily true. Having just helped someone very dear to me shave her head during chemotherapy, made me realize that a head with hair is not the same size as a head without hair. Go a little smaller.

Here's one option for a quick chemo cap that is very soft. We chose Berroco Marmot - a 100% nylon yarn that's available in beautifully rich colors. This hat measures 19.5" (circumference) by 7.5" tall. It does stretch a bit and there was some yarn leftover if you want to add a few stitches or rows. Just decrease to 60 stitches before your first round of decreases to make it work out. (Also, we feel that a gentle wash (mesh bag) would be fine. It will air dry pretty quickly too.)

This hat is a perfect indoor hat as it's amazingly soft. It could also be worn outside in some climates.

Materials

1 skein Berroco Marmot

US 9 US needle (16" circular and double pointed)

Instructions

Cast on 60 stitches.  Place a marker at beginning of round.  Knit every round until work measures 6” from cast on, ending at the marker.

Decrease:

Round 1: (k8, k2tog) around (54 sts)

Rounds 2, 4, 6, 8, 10: knit all stitches

Round 3:  (k7, k2tog) around (48 sts)

Round 5:  (k6, k2tog) around (42 sts)

Round 7: (k5, k2tog) around (36 sts)

Round 9: (k4, k2tog) around (30 sts)

Round 11: (k3, k2tog) around (24 sts)

Round 12: (k2, k2tog) around (18 sts)

Round 13: (k1, k2tog) around (12 sts)

Round 14: ( k2tog) around (6 sts)

Cut yarn leaving a 9" tail.  Thread through the remaining stitches, draw up tights and secure.  Weave in all ends.

We're working on another hat in a soft pima cotton blend and we'll post that when we've finished it.

Forced Knitting

Alright kids, if you're coming to the yarn shop with mom, I'm going to force you to knit for at least an hour.

And since the Fletcher Allen NICU always needs preemie hats, that's what you're making!

NICU hats needed!

The NICU is looking for some knitters to help them build up their supply of baby hats!

One of our customers just dropped off a flyer asking for preemie hat donations. It says:

"The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)at Vermont Children's Hospital at Fletcher Allen is home to the smallest and often sickest patients in our hospital. The babies in our NICU can be born up to 3 months early and weigh less than one pound. Premature babies often have trouble regulating their own temperature and we rely on volunteers to make hats to keep our babies warm. Each hat can only be used for one baby - so we go through donations very quickly! 

I have included a size chart for your reference, but in general we are looking for hats small enough to fit on a lemon, large enough to fit on a grapefruit, and everything in between. The more creative the hats, the better! Parents prefer gender-specific colors and the babies prefer soft, washable yarn.

If you have questions or have hats to donate, please contact Whitney at wlthomas@med.uvm.edu."

The brown bear pattern shown on the flyer is the Baby Bear Hat for Newborn or Preemie by Jennifer Dickerson, and is available online for free. Try worsted weight Plymouth Whitney or Classic Elite Seedling & Seedling Handpaint yarns.

We also have a free Preemie Hat Knitting Pattern written for sport/dk weight yarn. Best choices for yarn are Plymouth Dreambaby DK, Berroco Comfort DK, Sirdar Snuggly Kisses DK or Sirdar Crofter DK yarns.

Whatever you do, please remember that certain yarns are just not appropriate for preemie hats. If you're unsure about a yarn you have, you are welcome to stop in to ask us our opinion. We'll be happy to help determine if your yarn is right for a preemie hat!

And as always, preemie hats can also be dropped off here at the shop. We will be happy to get them to their final destination!

Over $150,000 donated

contributed by Shawn

Did you know? 

• On June 1, 2011 the amount of money donated to the S.D.Ireland Breast Cancer Research Fund by the Denise company reached $150,000!

• FIVE dollars from each purchase of a pink Denise Kit, TWO dollars from each purchase of a pink Companion Set, and ONE dollars from each purchase of a pink Long Cord Set goes directly and entirely to breast cancer research through the S.D. Ireland fund. 

When we called to order from Denise recently, they thanked us for our support, and we just have to share this thank you... with YOU!
 

We love Denise kits - it is so handy to have every size needle available!  And since our shop is in Vermont we know a lot about the Fund and the story behind this effort.

Check out the Denise connection here and the Vermont S.D. Ireland connection here for more information.

THANK YOU KNITTERS!

A Feel Good Moment

Last week, a customer of ours stopped in to share some photos with us. She's a nurse at the NICU at FAHC and wanted to stop in to thank everybody for the preemie hats, and to show us some adorable photos of some of the hats "in action"! 

She also brought a beautiful framed thank you note from the staff at the NICU. If the pictures of these adorable little babies wearing some of the hats that our wonderful customers made for them didn't make us tear up enough... seeing the thank you note and reading the lovely sentiments on it, just about put us over the edge.

Barb emailed me to let me know, and sent me a photo of the thank you note so I could read it. She also shared the photos with me and I, too, was moved to tears. I wanted to share the thank you here with everybody, so you can see just how much this meant to them.

Some of the comments:

• Thank you for the lovely hats! Our babies have never looked cuter.
• Our parents are thrilled to see a little color and fun on their children. It brings smiles to everyone's face.
• Each little hat makes a big difference and is so appreciated.
• Absolutely adorable hats! Thank you for your beautiful creations!
• The hats are BEAUTIFUL!!! So much fun to give out to families!
• Thank you so much! The parents were so excited to see their little ones all dolled up in these wonderful hats!
• Thank you for the talent you have and share. We appreciate it so much!
• Your kindness and creativity shine!
• Thank you for your diligence. The children look so cute and the parents appreciate the hats!
• All your hats have turned our unit into a bakery (cupcakes), farm (sheep) and garden (flowers and vegetables). And your creativity has brought many smiles. Thank you with gratitude.

For any locals who contributed hats, please stop into the shop to read this thank you note in person. It is, after all, for YOU!

We did get permission to post this one photo, and look - this sweet little baby is wearing one of the ones we named "Cutest Unisex". What a little love!

 

One of the "cutest babies" in the NICU, cuddling with Mommy and wearing the "cutest" hat!

This was a really fun thing to do. And please know that while our "official" preemie hat "contest and drive" are now over, we are ALWAYS happy to accept preemie hats and get them to the NICU. They're easy and fun to make, and when you think of how happy it makes people (parents, nurses, doctors and of course babies!) - that's all the thanks you'll ever need.

From 75 to 85 to 45. At least it's knitting weather here!

On Sunday afternoon I flew back to Finland. I left an unseasonably warm Vermont (75 degrees) and landed in Newark, which was unbearable (85 degrees).  The flight to Stockholm, Sweden was long, but decent, although the weather there - foggy, raining and cold - was just a hint of what was waiting for me in my new hometown. I was there for less than 2 hours, but that was long enough to enjoy my last real Starbucks establishment and to freshen up in the Arlanda airport's pristinely clean restroom facilities. 

Seriously, once you've been in some of these restrooms over here, you will think twice about using some of the public ones in the US.

I stepped off the plane in Tampere, Finland at 10:55am and immediately began to shiver. It was 45 degrees, but felt much colder due to the fog, rain and wind.

It was so great to be back at the shop with my staff last week. I am already looking forward to my next trip back (2 weeks during Christmas and New Year's). I had so much to do, and felt I hardly scratched the surface. It was neat to see so many familiar faces and to meet new folks visiting from out of town. I was able to drop off the preemie hats at Fletcher Allen on Saturday at the NICU. 

Walking through the hallways with 3 large bags filled with colorful hats certainly turned a lot of heads! 

And one of the nurses has already posted on our FB page that "Finding the bags of hats was like Christmas, Valentine's Day, and a birthday all rolled into one" so that's great news!

My latest yarn acquisitions made it home safely, and didn't take up much space thanks to the Space Bags I now travel with. As long as the person I stay with has a vacuum, I'm all set! To keep me busy, I've got Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock, Malabrigo Chunky, SMC Juvel, Manos del Uruguay Serena, Melody Superwash, Lamb's Pride Bulky, as well as a number of others.

It was so great to see Marc and the girls - I really missed them! Helen was so glad I was back that she insisted on cooking dinner for us. If you knew Helen, you'd know this is a really big deal. She made "Molly's Meatballs with Onion Sauce" from her "Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook" and served it over tagliatelli.  It was quite tasty, and I'm looking forward to her next creation!

Today I walked to meet the girls after school and we hit the French market that's been set up in town since last Monday. The girls have been walking home each day and buying a little snack... either a baguette or a pain au chocolate, and practicing their french with the vendors. We bought 2 piping hot baguettes, which kept me warm as I hugged them close to my chest and walked home (directly into the wind). Despite the bitterly cold wind and occasional rain, the bread was still warm when we got home. It was delicous!

While I really miss everyone in Vermont, I am excited to be back with my family and in the cool weather. It's certainly easier to knit with it like this!

Top Hats

As promised, here are the photos of the winning preemie hats!

CUTEST GIRLS' HAT(S): Janet B.

CUTEST UNISEX: A tie! Mary Ellen G. & Stephanie S.

CUTEST BOYS' HAT(S): Charlotte R.

MOST COLORFUL: Janet B.

FUNNIEST: Janet B.

BEST TWIN SET: Fern D.

BEST TRIPLET SET: Kali E.

BEST TEENY TINIES: A tie! Anne C. & Erica B.

BEST PRESENTATION: Janet B.'s dozen cupcakes

And, we also awarded "Above & Beyond Awards" to several people who donated an "above and beyond" number of hats. These went to Fern D., Susan B., Annie F., Janet B., Kali E. and Maggie L. Shawn will be contacting all of our "top hat" winners individually - we have a little something for you here at the shop.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed hats. We are thrilled with the response!

The Sorting Hat (or the sorting of the hats!)

I'm back in the states! I traveled from Finland to Vermont on Monday and surprised my staff at the shop yesterday. I only told Barb I'd be back, and she kept it quiet (though she said it wasn't easy! We met early at Starbucks before coming in to the shop. Starbucks has not yet "arrived" in Finland (though the Helsinki airport is getting one soon) so I wanted to get my fix.

We had fun catching up and talking yarn stuff and then headed back to the shop where I quietly came in the back door. I came down into the shop, where Shawn, Michele and Chrissy were working with customers. They were all more than shocked to see me - it was pretty funny! And fortunately, Polly and Emily also came in to work in the afternoon, so I got to see the whole crew in one day. 

The shop looks amazing and so does everybody here. It was SO, SO good to see them. I miss them all so much!

And OF COURSE I miss the shop. It was wonderful to look around and get inspired with all the yarns I ordered months ago, that have now arrived and I finally got to see in person yesterday. I'm the one who put all of these yarns online, so they're not completely new to me... but dealing with a picture and seeing it in person is just not the same. 

I spent hours browsing through patterns, and we've now got a great lineup of new shop samples in the works. I saved the most fun task for just before I left... the sorting of the preemie hats!

We recently accepted the last of our preemie hat entries for our "contest" and I got to go through the box and look at over 200 adorable preemie hats! 

I had no idea we would be able to drop off this many hats at the Fletcher Allen NICU.

This morning we went in and judged the hats. We had to add some extra prize categories.

These are just some of the hats. There are about another 40-50 that I did not photograph. 

I am completely blown away by this collection of hats! And what a great selection of colors, styles, shapes... the NICU nurses are going to have fun with this.

Some folks made 10 hats, 15 hats, 25 hats! It's just beyond generous. 

There are even two sweater & hat sets!

So when I left last night to drive back to Waterbury, where I am staying with my parents for the week, I felt really good.

Doesn't giving feel better than getting? I think so. Thanks so much to everybody who contributed.

Shawn's going to contact the winners tomorrow, so once they've been contacted I'll follow up tomorrow with the names of the winners, and the photos of their creations.

I thought my baby days were over!

Ok, these ADORABLE preemie hats are enough to make me want to have another child... and that's saying a lot because my baby days are WAY over people!

Every single hat in this picture was made by our customer Janet B. That's right, every.single.one. When we asked folks to make preemie hats for the NICU, we figured one, maybe two hats would be a nice donation. But 24!? We are speechless.

Janet told the gals at the shop that since my girls Helen & Sophie just turned 12 this year, she would make 12 hats to donate for each of them. Aw! That is so sweet, thanks!

The hats on the right are cupcakes. The box is decorated to look like a bakery box - isn't that the sweetest thing ever? I can picture lots of little cupcake babies up in the NICU...

Cupcake Hats

And the other box contains 12 completely different hats. Look at some of these. I love the little sheep with it's textured fleece, and the beautiful colors, and flowers and fruit! I envy the NICU nurses when they get to give these to new babies.

Janet, you went above and beyond. Thank you so much! Your hats are amazing and brought such smiles to all of us. I know they will be cherished by all the babies (and their parents!) whose heads they get to top!

A little housekeeping for Charity

Some updates on some recent charity items...

Yesterday was a feel good day! We sent a check to the Vermont Foodbank for over $3,600. We pledged 25% of our sales over a several day period to the Vermont Foodbank, and we're really proud of our efforts, and of your support. 

We were so touched by the kind emails and letters we received. It's really clear that the beautiful state we live in has also touched many of you in one way or another. We know the Vermont Foodbank has always done great work, and now they're working even harder than ever to make sure that Irene-affected Vermonters don't go hungry. They are doing a great job, but contributions certainly help them.

And last week, a pattern designer named Suzy Allen-Wuttke from Long Island contacted us after she heard we were donating a portion of our sales to the Vermont Foodbank. She very graciously offered to design a pattern for us to sell to our customers, if we'd donate 100% of the proceeds to the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund. This pattern is going to be available online in the next day or so (sorry! I've been hit with my first bad cold of the season here in Finland... yes, it's FALL already here and that means sickness!) Anyway, it's a great pattern and we are really excited to be able to give back in this way. Thanks Suzy!

And finally... preemie hats! Yes, we are still running our preemie hat contest and drive and we are accepting preemie hats through the end of September. We've had a bit of a slowdown in the preemie hat donations... I think that Irene had a bit to do with that. But it's not too late to whip one (or two!) up. For more information please read this.

Thanks again, we're proud to be here for all of you.