How to Make Scarves for Cancer Patients

A head scarf can be made out of any fabric you'd like.

For cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments, hair loss is often a very difficult side effect. A head covering such as a scarf can be a practical solution for concealing baldness while still looking fashionable. A common type of head scarf is called a snood, which can be created in a variety of sizes and colors and it can be made at home with a sewing machine.

Things You'll Need

• Thread
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Iron

Instructions

1. Choose the fabric for your snood, keeping in mind the recipient's needs and personal style. The scarf can be made from any type of fabric you'd like, from a basic cotton to a higher-end silk or wool.

2. Find a pattern for a snood. There are several snood patterns offered for free online; once you've found one that you like, print the pattern and cut out the pieces. Most snoods consist of only four pattern pieces, two for the "bag" section and one for the band that goes around the head.

3. Pin the pattern pieces to the fabric and cut them out, being careful not to stretch or otherwise distort the fabric. If you're using a patterned fabric, make sure that the pattern goes in the same direction on all of the cut pieces; this is especially important when using stripes or plaids.

4. Place the two large pieces of the snood together with the right sides of the fabric facing each other and pin around the edges. Use your sewing machine on the straight stitch setting to sew the pieces together, leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Leave one side unsewn; this creates what is essentially a bag when you turn the fabric right-side out.

5. Create a long tube out of the headband fabric by folding it in half lengthwise. Sew the edges together, once again leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance, but do not sew together the short ends. Turn the tube right-side out and press it flat with an iron, then fold it in half with the two ends together to determine the halfway point.

6. Pin the headband to the bag portion of the snood with the midpoint of the headband matching up to one of the seams on the bag. Sew the headband and bag together; when you reach the place where the ends of the headband meet (which will be at the nape of the neck when the snood is worn), fold the ends together and stitch them to the bag. This completes your snood. If you choose, you can also sew some narrow ties out of matching or complementary fabric that the wearer can use with the snood to make sure that it will stay securely on her head.

Tips & Warnings

• The headband portion of the snood can be made from a different fabric than the rest if you choose; some people like to make the headband out of a more stretchy fabric such as a jersey knit so that it will fit more snugly on the head.

References

• Sew Modest Clothing: How to Sew a Snood