Operation Marigold

About a year ago, I made a hat for a neighbor who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The hat was patterned after one I'd designed years earlier for a very dear friend battling ovarian cancer. Crocheters have been begging me to write the pattern for the two hats. I didn't get it done because I was tied up with snowflakes. And socks. And snowflake motif projects. Oh, and cycling...


Recently a blogging buddy was diagnosed with breast cancer. Mrs. Micawber and I thought it would be the perfect time to write our hat patterns, in honor of the Goatmother and all those battling cancer. Mrs. Micawber thought a hat drive would be a great idea, and she has done most of the footwork in launching our Operation Marigold. Her hat pattern was published last Saturday. (See the Goatmother in her beautiful turquoise hat here. And see her again in two more incredible hats, including the Curly Q, here.)

Just a short time after Mrs. Micawber and I committed to this project, I learned another of my very close friends has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Then came word a close friend has been prescribed to have a mammogram every three months because she, too, has found a suspect lump. Then last weekend at church, I learned of a young mother whose toddler is undergoing chemo. Time to start Butting the Hay Out of Cancer!

This hat pattern is designed with love and admiration in honor of everyone currently facing a battle with cancer.

Hats for chemo patients should be soft, cover the entire head and be washable. Keep in mind some cancer patients are unable to tolerate wool or animal fibers. Color schemes should be upbeat but also fashionable and suitable for everyday wear.

Below is a list of charities that accept hats, but you also may contact hospitals or cancer/oncology centers in the area where you live to see if they accept donations. The list below is alphabetical and not in any order of preference.

Caps for a Cure
Chemocaps
Chuck's Hats for Chemo
Halos of Hope
Hat Box Foundation
Hats off for Cancer
Head Huggers
Knits of Hope
Knots of Love
Other charities exist to provide warm handmade items to homeless, AIDS patients, victims of domestic violence, less fortunate, families who have lost everything through tragedy such as fire, and military soldiers and their families, but our focus this month is on cancer, so I have not included such charities in this post. However, a terrific list is located at Daily Crocheter.

You may do whatever you'd like with hats you make from this pattern, but please consider donating at least one hat you make to charity or to someone you know battling this all-too-common enemy.

We'd love to see the hats you create for charity. Please share them with us here.

You may not sell or republish this pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 7 inches from top of crown to brim, not including tendrils, 23 inches around
Materials: Approximately 200 yards of the softest yarn you can get your hands on (for the turquoise hat, I used one skein of Yarn Bee's Soft Delight Extremes), size H crochet hook, three big beads (optional), sewing needle, thread to match yarn


Curly Q Hat Instructions

Make magic ring. Tutorial here.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.
Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st from Round 1, 2 dc in each dc around for a total of 24; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st from Round 2, 1 dc in next dc, * 2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc; repeat from * around 10 times for a total of 36 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, *1 dc in each of next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc; repeat from * around 10 times for a total of 48 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc around, increasing 1 dc 6 times evenly spaced around for a total of 54 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 6: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc around, increasing 1 dc 6 times evenly spaced around but not directly above increases of Round 5 for a total of 60 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 7: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc around, increasing 1 dc 3 times evenly spaced around for a total of 63 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc around, increasing 1 dc 3 times evenly spaced around for a total of 66 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Rounds 9-13: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc around; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.
Round 14: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, [ch 5, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc] 3 times, [ch 10, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 8 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc] 3 times, [ch 15, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 13 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc] 3 times, [ch 20, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 18 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc] 4 times, [ch 15, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 13 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc] 3 times, [ch 10, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 8 ch, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc] 3 times, omitting final 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.


Optional Flower Instructions

Flower 1

Round 1: Make magic ring. Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 2: *3 dc in next dc, sl st in next dc; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in starting sl st. Bind off; no need to weave in ends. Ends may be used to attach flower to hat.

Flower 2

Round 1: Make magic ring. Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 2: *5 dc in next dc, sl st in next dc; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in starting sl st. Bind off; use ends to attach flower to hat.

Flower 3

Round 1: Make magic ring. 9 sc in ring. Sl st in starting sc.
Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same st as final sl st of Round 1, 2 dc in each sc around for a total of 18 dc. Sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 3: *1 sc in next dc, 3 dc in next dc, 1 sc in next sc; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 petals. Sl st in starting sc; bind off. Use ends to attach flower to hat.








To make hat larger, increase 6 stitches instead of 3 on Round 8. To make it even larger, increase in multiple of 3 stitches on the 9th Round. Adjust number of tendrils in relation to number of stitches added in Rounds 9 through 13, such as, one additional tendril for every 3 stitches added.

To make hat smaller, don't increase on Round 8. To make hat even smaller, increase only 3 stitches on Round 7. Adjust number of tendrils based on total number of stitches when working even, such as one less tendril for every 3 stitches less than 66.

To make hat shorter or longer, add or subtract even Rounds.

Finish: Attach bead to center of each flower, if desired. Attach flowers to hat, if desired. Weave in ends. Present hat to recipient. Smile, because you’ve done something good today and made the world a better place.

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