My Aunt Jude is a classy lady, and she has cancer. This situation (understandably) makes her angry. When she mentioned that she’d wear the original version of this cap, I had to start making one for her right away. I cast on 5 different versions of this cap, but the color was all wrong, or it was too big, or it was too small.

In the end, I figured that, as a classy lady, Jude may want a few days where she can just say “fuck cancer” to herself, without having the whole world see it. When that is the case, she can wear it stockenette-side-out.

On days that she’s feeling a bit more talkative? Purl-side-out.

I ended up mostly following the directions for the cap (84 stitches made a snug, but not too-snug hat that was a bit larger than 20 inches), but added the words into the double-brim

• Chain-crochet 84 (or a few more, to give yourself a bit of breathing room)
• From this chain-crochet, pick up 84 stitches with C2.
• Join in the round. Knit one row with C2
• Begin doing color work, beginning at the upper left hand corner of the “f!ck cancer” chart, working from left to right (note, this is different than how you typically work a chart)
• After finishing the chart, knit another row in C2
• Switch to C1. Knit one row.
• Purl one row in C1
• Knit enough rows in C1 that you have enough length after the purl row so that when you fold your fabric along the purl row, your “live” stitches match up with your provisional cast on.
• For the next row, knit together one stitch from your provisional cast on with each live stitch you knit. This will make the brim
• Continue working until hat measures 5 1/2”
• Begin decreases as called for in the instructions.

May 18, 2014