F*ck Cancer Hat Pattern, In Tunisian Crochet

Success! I finished making the F*ck Cancer hat, a knit pattern, in Tunisian crochet! I've been asked to post the pattern, so it's included in this post. Are there things I wish I'd done differently? Sure. But I'm happy enough with how it turned out to not want to frog it again. (See note at beginning of pattern for the changes I'd make.)

One of these days, I may try to make this hat entirely differently, with a circular crochet hook (much like circular knitting needles), tunisian simple stitch (vs. the tunisian knit stitch featured in this pattern), and a reconfigured chart. If I ever get around to that, I'll be sure to post it.

Here's the original knit pattern.

I've heard from many of my crocheting friends that they aren't well versed in tunisian crochet. If you need a refresher, or if your hearing about it for the first time, here are some useful tutorials:

Tunisian Crochet in the Round  (great place to get started)
Tunisian in the Round, Spiral Technique (I used this technique to start off the hat)
Tunisian Knit Stitch

***When doing the colorwork section, you need to "lock" the yarn to avoid having large loops on the inside of your hat, or having to cut threads a million times & work them all in later. Here's how to lock your yarn: The color you're working with in the chart (forward pass) will be on your left hand side (for right handers. I'm not sure how tunisian is done left handed), and the unused color on your right. Work forward until you come to a color change. Cross the old color on the left over the new color on the right. This puts the new color on the left now, & the old color on the right. Pick up loops with new color. When you come to the next switch in colors, again cross the color on the left that you've been working with, overtop of the color on the right, before you start picking up loops with the next color. If you're working a section that is more than three (3) stitches of one color, lock your unused yarn every 2 or 3 stitches to carry it to the next section. To do that, cross the color you are working with over, then under the color you're not using.***

***Because this hat is done in Tunisian Knit Stitch, you DO NOT need to change colors for the return pass of the color work section. Tunisian Knit Stitch pushes the yarn used for the return pass to the back side of the piece, where it will remain relatively unseen from the front side. Rejoice in having less tails to work in later!***

F*ck Cancer Hat in Tunisian Crochet

Supplies needed

5.5mm double ended afghan hook

5mm standard crochet hook

Yarn needle

Stitch marker (to mark beginning of each round)

2 contrasting colors soft, worsted weight yarn

Abbreviations

MC                  Main Color

Ch(s)               Chain(s)

Rnd                 Round

Tss fp              Tunisian Simple Stitch, forward pass

St(s)                 Stitch(es)

Rp                   Tunisian return pass

Tks                  Tunisian knit stitch

Ea                    each

CC                   Contrasting Color

Fp                    forward pass

Prev                 previous

Tks dec            Tunisian knit stitch decrease

BL                   Back loop

SC                   single crochet

Sl st                 slip stitch

Fp hdc             front post half double crochet

Nxt                  next

Bp hdc             back post half double crochet

Hdc                 half double crochet

Notes

Keep your tension LOOSE to minimize the amount of curling the piece will do. Feel free to use a larger tunisian hook if necessary.

Body of hat may look better w/ 2 repeats of Rnd 13. If worked this way, do not do row 6 of hat band.

Hat body

5.5 mm double ended afghan hook. Worked in a spiral.

MC, Ch 84. Do not join to beginning of chain.

Rnd 1: Insert hook in spine of 2^nd ch from hook. Tss fp in all chs. (84 sts)

            Rp w/ 2^nd strand of MC, until 4 loops remain on hook.

Rnd 2: Tks in 1^st Tss of rnd 1, to form ring. Be sure ring is not twisted.

            Tks in ea Tss across, working Rp when piece prevents further forward working. (84 sts)

Rnd 3: Tks in ea Tks of rnd 2. (84 sts)

Now we will begin using the chart, starting at the bottom right corner.

Switch to CC, both Fp strand & Rp strand.

Rnd 4-6:          Tks in ea Tks of prev rnd. (84 sts per rnd)

Rnd 7-16:        Work chart in Tks, alternating colors on Fp only. Rp on all rows with CC only. Use separate strand of MC for each rnd; do not carry MC from end of chart to beginning of chart. (84 sts per round)

Rnd 17-19:      With CC only, Tks in ea Tks of prev rnd. (84 sts per rnd)

Switch to MC, both Fp strand & Rp strand.

Rnd 20:           Tks in ea Tks of prev rnd. (84 sts)

Rnd 21:           6 Tks, 1 Tks dec, *12 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 6 Tks. (78 sts)

Rnd 22:           6 Tks, 1 Tks dec, *11 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 5 Tks. (72 sts)

Rnd 23:           5 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *10 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 5 Tks. (66 sts)

Rnd 24:           5 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *9 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 4 Tks. (60 sts)

Rnd 25:           4 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *8 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 4 Tks. (54 sts)

Rnd 26:           4 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *7 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 3 Tks. (48 sts)

Rnd 27:           3 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *6 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 3 Tks. (42 sts)

Rnd 28:           3 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *5 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 2 Tks. (36 sts)

Rnd 29:           2 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *4 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 2 Tks. (30 sts)

Rnd 30:           2 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *3 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 1 Tks. (24 sts)

Rnd 31:           1 Tks, 1 Tks dec. *2 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 4 times. 1 Tks. (18 sts)

Rnd 32:           *1 Tks, 1 Tks dec. Rep from * 6 times. (12 sts)

Rnd 33:           6 Tks dec. (6 sts)

Rnd 34:           Bind off in Tks (6 sts)

Cut & work in tails.

Hat band

5mm standard crochet hook. Worked in Rows.

Insert hook into foundation chain, BL & spine only. Pull up loop of MC.

Row 1:                        Ch 1. SC in same stitch, BL & Spine only. SC in ea ch across, BL & spine only. Sl st to join to beginning sc. (84 sts).

Row 2:            Ch 3. Fp hdc in nxt sc. Alternate bp hdc & fp hdc in ea sc across. Sl st to join to 3^rd ch. (84 sts)

Row 3-6:         Ch 3. Fp hdc in nxt hdc. Alternate bp hdc & fp hdc in ea hdc across. Sl st to join to 3^rd ch. (84 sts per row)

Cut yarn, finish off, & work in tails.

Block if necessary. 

Progress Pictures

Hat body complete, no work yet done on the band. Tks is VERY curly!

Hat band, Row 1, front side. 

You can see the front & back loops of the foundation chain next to my thumb.

Hook is inserted under back loop & spine of foundation chain to work a sc.

This helps fight the curl of Tks.

Hat band, Row 1, back side.

My fingernail is agains the end of the back loop & spine of a foundation chain.

Hook is inserted under back loop & spine of a foundation chain.

After adding Row 1 of hat band. Curl already diminishing.

Halfway through Row 2 of hat band. Curling is pretty much gone already.

Fin!