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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

odessa for alice



I've wanted to write this post for weeks now, but I've struggled with what to say and how to say it. So, I'll just jump in. 

I made this hat for my grandma Alice. She just finished up chemo to treat ovarian cancer. She lost her hair because of the chemo, and when I saw her last month she kept saying how cold she was. So I figured the least I could do was to make her a hat, the warmest, softest hat I could manage, that would keep her toasty all winter long and remind her that she's got lots of people who care about her. 

I picked out the coziest yarn I had in my stash: half a skein of Juniper Moon's Herriot, which is a lush baby alpaca that knits up like a dream. I'd been saving it for something special, and this project seemed like exactly that. The half skein worried me at first, but the Odessa pattern worked well with the small amount of yarn (110 yards or so) that I had. 

My family had a brunch recently to celebrate the end of Grandma Alice's chemo. It was a big get-together with my aunts, uncles, and cousins and more food than we could ever eat. We laughed and talked and held babies. It felt really good to see my grandma in better spirits, smiling and even playing poker with the family. I'm hoping this hat will keep her spirits high throughout the winter.

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If you'd like to make a hat to help keep up the spirits of someone receiving chemo, check out the Halos of Hope Ravelry page

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See more details of my Odessa here.



8 comments:

  1. Bless you. I know she feels so loved and thought about. I love Halos of Hope. Pam, the woman who created this organization, is a sweetheart. I met her in person at STITCHES this past February.

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  2. Allison, I'm so sorry your Grandma has to fight this battle but it sounds like she has a great support team behind her, and a sweet granddaughter to offer her a bit of comfort.

    I'm so glad you posted the link to Halos of Hope. Since I started a challenge to knit 12 hats in one year, I've been wondering just what I'm going to do with that many hats. Perfect solution.

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  3. Beautiful hat, beautiful yarn, beautiful sentiments. I like to think that knitting encodes hopes, wishes and memories in every stitch rather like spells or perhaps prayer if you are that way inclined. It is of course a romantic view but one that seems so powerfully apt for your Odessa. Good health to Alice!

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  4. Beautiful gesture from you to your grandma, I am sure she will be warm and proud of you, I wish mine was here...

    Have a lovely weekend!!

    Lluisa xx

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  5. What a beautiful gift of the heart. I'll have to check out that page. I remember my dad always being cold because he got so frail while doing chemo, so I wish I had known how to crochet back then. Now, I can crochet for others in his memory. Thanks for reminding me how much I love crocheting and creating!

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  6. Best wishes to your grandma and I'm sure the love that comes with the hat will keep her head and heart warm.

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  7. what a beautiful gesture.. I'm sure she loved it.

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  8. I didn't realize you made grandma that beautiful hat. That was so thoughtful.I really enjoyed our brunch and joking with you and Kory

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