Friday, September 18, 2009

Doing some volunteer work

I volunteered a while back to help Hopespring, the cancer support center that hosts my meditation classes, by making head coverings for people who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. I'd thought when I volunteered that they had a pattern or example of what they wanted, but they all they said was for me to check the internet.

They did describe something that covers the head with tails long enough to start at the nape of the neck, cross there, and then go up over the head to tie there or on the side. The person also showed me a turban thing, which they could use, but they really want these ones that tie.

So I looked on the internet. Do you know how many different head covering patterns there are out there? A kabillion. And I don't know which ones are best; do they want one that has a tail separate from the tie thingies? How long should all of those be? There are lots and lots of options.

Honestly, when I volunteered I thought it would be easy - all I'd have to do is sew some things. I'm good at that and even have tons of fabrics that I can use; I thought I could just whip out a few every week or month. I didn't anticipate having to develop a pattern, which is what I'm faced with. Yeah, I could just use a pattern from the internet, but what are the chances that it'll be perfect the first time I take it in? Close to zero, I'd say, which means that the pattern will need to be tweaked... and that's how a pattern is developed.

I know that I'm not doing much else but, as I say, this isn't what I thought I was signing up for. Even so, I'm not going to just abandon them and do nothing - I can sew, and I can develop a pattern, and I'm not doing much with my time, so if I can help I will - but I am kind of annoyed at the way this has gone. I think they're having a head covering workshop the week after next; maybe if I go they'll be able to show me what they want. In the meantime, I'll see what I can dig up.

So.... do any of you know of a good head covering pattern for people who have lost their hair? If there's one in particular that you like, please let me know. Even if you don't have a pattern, if there's a picture of one that you like, you can send that to me and I can try to figure out the corresponding pattern. Thanks!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I understand the problem! When I took my lap afghans in to the cancer institute, I asked if they would like caps for chemo patients. Their response was a definite yes, but they had no pattern either for knitting, crocheting or sewing. So I haven't done anything about the caps.
Love, Mom