Free Chemo Headwear Pattern and Tutorial-Special Request

Here’s a chemo headwear pattern and tutorial so you can make that essential accessory to help her feel more beautiful during recovery.

Today is Mother's Day in most parts of the world, so Happy Mothers Day!  To all of you that have experienced the privilege of raising children and the immense love and fear of being responsible for a little one, I salute you and my wish for you is that you are remembered today.

Today is also the beginning of a few styles I will be dedicating to the woman that I admire the most.  I should start with my mother and grandmother, but this is not in a particular order.  These are the woman that for some reason or another have touched my heart because their resilience, strength, dedication, sacrifice, and love for the people around them and themselves have let them take the “road less traveled”, the one thing they have in common: they are strong.

I begin with the story of my Aunt Rossi.  My Aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 61.  She thought she would never have to worry about checking her breast anymore, but one morning she rolled on her bed and felt a sharp pain on her side.  She touched the source of the pain and discovered a lump.  Worried booked an appointment and was found to have stage 3 breast cancer.

Recently at her hospital, she rang the bell for those that have finished the treatment and are free from cancer cells.  The amazing part about my Aunt is that no one can say she was upset, depressed or that she complained about the treatment or her bad luck –not even once.  She got out of bed and went about her day as usual working when the treatment allowed her and never giving up.

When I asked her what kept her going, she said it was her children.  “I can't give up.  I want to see them married with children of their own”.   Below is a picture of my aunt ringing the bell and with her children. 

Her hair is not out yet, so she is wearing a wig, but wigs are quite warm.  So here is a headscarf to make the wait for her hair to re-grow less difficult.  This headscarf pattern is also been requested by a few other readers that are going through chemo.  We've also seen a lot of readers make these as part of their sewing for charity initiatives.  We hope this free pattern and tutorial will help.

Materials:

• 1 rectangle of fabric (18″ X 22″), one bandana or 1/2 a yard (60″ wide) of cotton/silk, Cashmere, 100% Cotton or Rayon    Plus a 12″X 4″ rectangle in a contrasting fabric.
• 6″ of 3/4″ elastic or 1″ elastic
• thread to match
• 9″ of thin elastic (1/4″ or 3/8“)
• rotary cutter or scissors

Tools:

• sewing machine
• scissors
• size 70 needle
• serger or overlocker (optional)
• loop turner

Pattern download:

We're going to continue to use the new Payhip webstore to distribute our patterns. As most readers know, Craftsy is changing a lot and they have stopped designers like us from publishing new patterns on their site, so we've had to move to another service.

Our patterns are still free, but now you now have the option of making a small contribution if you like our work! We'd really appreciate it and it will help is keep going with new and fun designs like this. Even a dollar or two really goes a long way.

Thanks so much in advance for helping us out.  You can use any credit card and you don't need a Paypal account, although you can use one if you have one.

Download the Pattern HERE

Layout of the easy headscarf pattern:

How to print your chemo headwear pattern

Print the pattern in Actual Size and Landscape format using the latest Adobe Reader version.

Skill Level:  Intermediate

Although this is a simple chemo headwear pattern, a thorough understanding of pleats is essential and necessary.  IF you have never worked with pleats, and do not know how to follow instructions this is not the project for you. Read all the instructions and watch the video before attempting this project.

Video tutorial:

Cutting the fabric

If you are using silk, the best way is to lay a piece of cotton fabric on your work table then lay out the silk and place the pattern on the silk fabric.  The cotton underneath will prevent the silk fabric from moving around too much.  You can also spray a thin coat of hairspray over the silk, but test this first!   The hairspray will make it easier to hem.  Pin the pattern and cut while marking the pleats with tailor's chalk.  If using cotton or rayon you can mark using a notch.

Step One: Making the pleats

Following the pattern make the pleats from the top to the bottom.  The pleats are very close to each other.  Topstitch on the sides at 1/4″ to keep the pleats from coming apart.

Zigzag or use your serger on both left and right sides of the chemo headwear.

If you are using silk or voile hemming might be a bit more difficult.  Here is a tutorial that will show you a few ways to hem delicates fabrics.

How to Hem Sheer or Lightweight Fabrics

Step Two:  Making the elastic band

Cut the rectangle and sew on the longest side at 3/8″.  I am using a different fabric because it will be easier for you to see but I think it is better to use the same fabric. Turn the rectangle inside out using your loop turner. Iron.

Insert the elastic and sew at 1/4″.  Pin the elastic on the other side and sew at 1/4″.  You should now have an elastic band.

Step Three: Attaching the band and thin elastic

Pin this elastic band  2 1/4″ from the 1″ hem side.   Fold over the band until the edge is at the end of the pleats.  Sew at the 1/2″.Pull the band across to the other side and line it up in the same spot. 

Fold over the band and sew at 1/2″.

Step Four: Sewing the top and bottom edge

Make a small zigzag on the hem fold and iron.

Fold the hem 1″.

Sew at 1/8″.  Iron.

Repeat the zigzag on the lower edge, fold 1/8″ and fold again then sew. 

If you are using silk or voile hemming might be a bit more difficult.  Here is a tutorial that will show you a few ways to hem delicates fabrics.

Pin the elastic under the last pleat on both sides about 1/4″ from the stitching line. Do the same on the other side.Pin and pull the elastic in a few places. Sew the elastic using a medium zigzag.  Match the top thread to the elastic, in my case it is white. Zigzag or use the serger on the sides.  Turn and sew the sides at 1/4″. 

And you're done!  This is a very easy and functional chemo headwear pattern.  Used with a different type of fabric will become a great accent for any wardrobe and will ease the wait for the hair to come out after chemo and most importantly make her feel more beautiful during recovery.

Hope you make a few for a special someone or make many for charity and donate to hospitals and churches. Do send me a copy of your take on this Chemo headwear pattern I would love to see what fabrics you have chosen.  Until next time, happy sewing!

P.S. IF you pattern pdf sais to cut a 2X22″ strip of fabric that was a typo and what you can do with that is:

A Quick And Easy Headband Project in 15 minutes.