Why I designed this hat for Halos of Hope:
I designed this hat specifically for a very special charity: Halos of Hope. I first met Pam Haschke, the organization’s Executive Director and Founder (and also a crocheter and knitter), at a STITCHES knitting and crochet event in 2011. You can read more about Halos of Hope on page 2 of this pattern. Please consider donating hats or making a financial contribution to help this very worthy organization.

I feel a close connection to Halos of Hope as I lost a grandfather to brain cancer, a friend to breast cancer, and have many other friends who are breast cancer survivors. After two scares with atypical cells, I am now considered at high risk for breast cancer myself. I wanted to find a way to help the organization beyond what I can do personally, so I decided to design a hat pattern.

Why I chose an openwork stitch pattern:
This hat has more openwork than the typical hat for cancer patients. There are a couple reasons for this.

1. I live in the Deep South, where the weather is often hot and humid. Many people appreciate the little bit of “air conditioning” from the open stitch pattern, as believe it or not, solid hats can simply be too hot and stifling.

2. Some women choose to embrace and celebrate their baldness as a symbol of their strength in their fight against cancer. This hat allows them to highlight their baldness in situations where they need the warmth provided by a hat.