There is something for everybody in this list of 22 free crochet chemo cap patterns.
While chemo caps may be something people can use year-round, a comfortable hat becomes even more important during the fall and winter months.
And since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it is peak fall season, sharing these hat patterns is a perfect match.
Who Uses Chemo Caps?
Just like with a chemo port pillow, not everyone is familiar with chemo caps.
And yes, I realize the phrase “chemo cap” may seem obvious, but still feel it’s good to explain more about them anyway.
A chemo cap is a form of head cover that people wear to protect and cover their head during their day-to-day activities while they are in treatment, as well as after chemotherapy.
Many people may assume that chemo caps are knitted or crocheted, but there are a variety of different ways to make chemo caps.

What Materials Do I Need To Crochet Chemo Caps?
Not everyone loses all of their hair during treatment, but many do.
This is why it’s important to choose materials that will not irritate a person’s scalp when you crochet chemo caps.
It’s also best if the yarn is machine washable so that it’s easy to keep clean.
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Free Crochet Chemo Caps Patterns Just For You!
This crochet chemo cap pattern serves two purposes.
It is both a comfortable head cover for someone going through chemotherapy, and way to use color and the awareness ribbon shape to show support.
This crochet pattern is designed, "to use 4 different colours to create a cool ombre-looking cowl but it can be made with any combination of colours."
This hat is not only full of color, but also has texture that adds an extra design aesthetic.
As a maker, it's always wonderful to come across a new approach, and in the case of this beautiful pattern, blogger Rebecca is thankful to an Instagram maker who showcased this stitch.
She details the whole, fun backstory in the post along with a detailed free crochet pattern.
This hat is worked simple double stitches and comes in 7 different sizes.
The horizontal striped pattern is perfect for people who need just a punch of color in their chemo cap.
This crochet pattern uses bulky yarn and can be completed in a few hours.
There are also instructions for sizing the hat in Adult small, medium, large, and extra large.
Having a variety of size options means providing options for all kinds of people in need of chemo caps.
This free crochet beanie pattern is inspired by Tonya's granddaughter's brain cancer diagnosis.
As Tonya explains, the pattern is, "worked flat side to side in turned rows to make a rectangle shape. You are crocheting your ribbed brim right along with the hat – not adding it later."
This is another pattern where you can use the color to represent the cancer type to which you want to bring awareness.
In Tonya's case, it is gray for brain cancer awareness.
Hannah describes this free crochet hat pattern as "top down, seamless, textured crochet."
The pattern allows you to play around with how deep you want the cuff, so it's a great option for people with various types of head shapes.
This beanie is a top-down pattern that uses a variety of stitches.
The three sizes offered are child, Adult regular, and Adult large.
Because of this pattern's texture, you could do it in a single color to represent the type of cancer awareness you're supporting.
It is always interesting to learn what inspires someone's creativity and how they express it.
This pattern, for example, is inspired by the coronation hairstyle that Princess Anna wore in the movie Frozen.
While I may be one of the few people who has never seen the movie, I can still appreciate what a stylish hat this pattern produces.
What color will you use when you make this hat?
This is another striped option, but this time it's vertical stripes.
Veronika classifies this as an easy beginner pattern that is super warm because it has an added layer of yarn stitches on the inside.
This free crochet hat pattern will add some whimsy to anyone's day.
Perfect for children who need chemo caps and for adults who still like to add some silly to their day.
This is another beautiful pattern from Tonya at Nana's Crafty Home. I included it because I really like the color work.
A crochet chemo cap in this pattern will literally and figuratively add color to someone's day.
This crochet hat pattern takes just over an hour to make.
And, Jess offers a video tutorial for the project if you like to watch video tutorials.
Brimless beanies are a great chemo cap option for people who have a sensitivity to too much pressure on their foreheads.
Plus, according to the pattern creator Nicky, this pattern looks great on both men and women.
If you're looking to try a new stitch, this free beanie pattern uses what Malena's calls the Dolphin stitch and is her signature stitch.
This crochet chemo cap uses simple stitches, and the texture is only on the outside making it soft and comfortable on the inside.
The texture of this free crochet beanie pattern is made up of a simple two-round stitch pattern repeat which creates a honeycomb effect.
It is a unisex adult-sized beanie.
Sonya created this free crochet chemo cap pattern with small butterflies as an alternative to the awareness ribbons.
Just use the appropriate cancer awareness ribbon colors for each of the stripes.
This hat pattern is great if you're looking to destash some of your yarn because it only needs one skein.
It is offered in two sizes: Adult Medium and Adult Large.
Ashley created the Louka pattern to honor her Nana who had liver cancer.
The emerald color is to support liver cancer awareness.
So this pattern, like some of the others is a great option if you are looking to map caps that bring awareness to a specific type of cancer.
This beanie pattern is, "long enough to cover your ears, and only has a bit of openwork detail for visual interest."
I am a fan of the open details, but this pattern is likely best for someone who hasn't lost all of their hair during chemotherapy.
The free Samantha's Hope beanie pattern is another design that was created to honor someone battling cancer. For this family, it was colon cancer.
The pattern is supposed to work up quickly, is unisex, and offered in three sizes (small, medium, and large).
Where Should I Donate Chemo Caps?
If you don’t already have a dedicated organization to which you donate your chemo caps, Crochet For Cancer welcomes your handmade chemo caps.
You might consider one of these five breast cancer-focused nonprofits as an option as well.
Share The Goods
What nonprofit or local organization do you usually support with your handmade goods?
Please leave a comment below and introduce me to some of your favorites!