Knit Hair Helps Cancer Patients

A British student’s work knitting fanciful wigs is now helping cancer patients and others suffering from hair loss. Louise Walker of London began knitting hairstyle-inspired projects as part of her final year photography project, but she says chemotherapy patients and others have shown interest in the toppers as a different way to confront hair loss.

The designs look like classic hair styles but may be worked in different colors than you’d normally see on a person’s head. They also will help keep the head warm in winter.

Walker says she learned to knit about two years ago and it took over her life. The wig designs were inspired by her hairdresser mother’s skill with design, but she also knits animals and fanciful creatures and has launched a blog sharing her designs and selling kits and patterns.

[Photo by Caters News Agency via the Daily Mail.]

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The other day I saw a post from Pinterest about trends for summer and it said one of them was “cultivating whimsy.”

Well, I don’t know where Pinterest has been all this time, but we’ve been cultivating whimsy here at Craft Gossip for a long time. I love sharing projects that are a little different, things that make you smile when you see them, and will make you smile when you knit them and wear them or use them.

Such it is with the Tutti Frutti tee knitting pattern from Bea Creative Knits.

This cute little baby tee is worked top down in the round with contiguous shoulder construction to shape the sleeve caps. There are short rows for the neckline and folded hems with picot edging at the hemline, neckline and edges of the sleeves.

All of this would be great on its own, but then there’s the addition of a super cute fruit icon, which is added with duplicate stitch. There are a lot of options, including strawberry, banana, orange, cherries, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, kiwi, peach, dragon fruit, apple and pear, so it’s likely you can add on your favorite fruit.

It is offered in eight sizes, to fit a bust measurement ranging from 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) to 56-58 inches (142-147 cm). The design is meant to be worn with around 6.3 inches/16 cm of negative ease, but you can choose the fit you prefer. There’s also optional bust and waist shaping included in the pattern if you want to make it even curvier.

This is considered an advanced beginner or intermediate project because of all the skills involved, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun even if some of these techniques are new to you.

Grab a copy of the pattern for yourself form Bea Creative Knits on Etsy.

[Photo: Bea Creative Knits]

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