Oct 10, 2013

Free Patterns for Cancer Awareness: Quilts, Ribbons, Quilts, Caps, Pillows, Pouches, and other Projects







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In honor of 'Breast Cancer Awareness' and with support for anyone battling cancer of any kind, I have updated my free quilt, cancer ribbons and other patterns with the addition of links to free patterns for chemotherapy caps, pillows, and breast and arm comfort pouches patterns.

Please remember...it doesn't have to be 'pink' even if many of us use, or mention that color in reference to this cause.

There are many breast cancer survivors are tired of the focus on buying pink and not on helping those who battle this horrible disease or the havoc that it wrecks on their lives.

So, while I am offering links and projects that feature the color 'pink' in honor of the tradition of using the color pink as a symbolic show of support for this terrible disease and the many women, and a lot of men, who have faced its challenges, its ravages, and been heroic survivors,

I also want to honor those who do not feel that many of the 'for show' causes out there truly honor or support finding or funding, research for this disease.




Just because a product is pink..and we see pink everywhere now, not just in the month of October....it does not mean that any of the monies from the purchase of that product are going towards actually supporting this cause.

Please make sure that monies are going to breast cancer research funding or funding for woman who can not afford health care, screening, etc. and not just for pink products and the businesses that create them.

And no...I don't know about this pink garbage can, I am just making a point about pink. This product may actually support the cause and not their own money making cause. I borrowed the image from the blog link below to make a point.

This is a powerful, powerful article written by a breast cancer survivor. Please read it and understand that many, many breast cancer survivors are fed up with the color pink:

Nation Breast Cancer Awareness Month or Please Put That Pink Can of Soup Down and Put Your Bra Back On!

http://cancerinmythirties.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/national-no-bra-day-and-breast-cancer-awareness-month-or-please-put-that-pink-can-of-soup-down-put-your-bra-back-on/

And if you don't believe me, do read this article and the very first comment that was left on the blog where a survivor describes how her own insurances company refused to pay for breast cancer treatment.

There is a lot more work that needs to be done is advancing awareness, support, and understanding of what it is truly like to battle this disease. Until then, we do what we know how to do and we use what we are used to using..in my case it was sewing and quilting and the color pink.

When you know better...you do better. May we all learn, grow, and do...better and better.





My mother battled a challenging case of Inflammatory Breast Cancer in 2002 and 2003  that unfortunately was not caught by a mammogram just one month before. AND it was not caught, by her very good physician who did her breast exam.

My mother discovered it, and not because she thought she had cancer. IBC does not appear in the form of a lump that you can feel ..she was simply red and she was worried that the mammogram had 'injured' her somehow and that is the reasons she went back to the doctor.

That doctor, bless his heart, realized then what she had and immediately ordered her to head south to Seattle for immediate treatment.






In spite of all of the very negative odds against her, she beat this terrible disease in less than a year.  Fortunately even though it was diagnosed as stage 3b, IBC is usually caught by the redness and other characteristics of the skin. it starts as a surface level cancer then spreads deeper and onward into lymph nodes etc. And she had a daughter (me) often a great indicator of survival support for the elderly.  And she had 4 sons to help with care of their home, bills, and shipping down a motor home for easy transport of additional clothing etc and them of course for a potential year of treatment outside of trying to continue living in a hotel!

We had to move her down from Douglas (Island) Alaska to live with me, and my family in Salem, Oregon for her entire treatment of hard core chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and intense radiation.  Why?  Because the very good hospital and doctors and program in Seattle, did nothing to advance treatment in the two weeks she was there, living in a hotel. Nor in the next two weeks, while I lived in that hotel with them.

I brought them to Salem with me, when that new doctor took a three week vacation as scheduled and no new doctor was assigned to her to speed her process up. I think she saw this elderly diabetic lady with advanced Stage 3b ICF, and figured at that point what was the rush?

Even my brother (who is a doctor) said she wasn't going to make it and that there was no way in the world I'd be able to 'get her' to go through chemo, surgery, and radiation.

Well, she did all three of those and never, ever threw up, got sick, or went into any kind of horrific depression as my family expected. With her in the best place I could help her be in, with my dad by her side supporting her, and with me as her primary cheer leader..she did it all.








She beat this terrible disease, went onto many good years, long past her 5 year milestone, and made it until her 10th.  Unfortunately, she also battled diabetes, and an intense family history of Alzheimer's Disease and after 8 years of battling Alzheimer's. She passed away.  But she died from Alzheimers.

In 2019, my oldest daughter was blindsided by 3 young, happy, and fun-filled teens "t-boning" her car at an intersection where they failed to see the stop sign or her vehicle. After a month of you trying to find a primary physician who could o.k. a chiropractor for intractable pain was hard enough.  She eventually was processed for a family doctor and a physical exam. Not having had a mammogram at 44 which is younger than most insurances companies will pay for, this doctor suggested one.

They found a very large lump hiding behind fibrous tissues and she was suddenly facing a very aggressive and already very advance for of cancer, HER2 triple positive breast cancer also stage 3b but an extremely challenging and relentless cancer that mutates and replicates and returns . Sadly, it is not caught early as it is occurring in younger and younger women It still took an unbelievable amount of time for insurance approval etc. of each and every single scan and procedure often with weeks of wait time between them. The doctor would order an MRI. Insurance would deny the claim but OK 2 PET scans that would not show what was needed to know.

Eventually after diagnosing imaging etc. and battling every step of the way to pay for more tests over and over in she began her almost 2 year journey going through severely debilitating chemo treatments (4 kinds one by each session that took 7 hours each time in a day. Followed by surgery then daily radiation for 6 weeks. 

65 long sessions of chemo treatments later have left her with chronic pain, permanent neuropathy, brain fog and exhastion. She is so dearly loved and treasured and it is heartbreaking to know and to see how she has suffered. But worse to see how she herself had to fight for her own medical care, find many of her own treatments without there being a social system of overseeing patient care. This is how it is for those without expensive upper class levels of medical care. Our system is broken and now with Covid 19 in 2020 and 2021 other diseases struggle for researching and yes even access to clinics, hospitals or emergency care. Here in Oregon, the numbers of cancer patients who simply discontinued care during Covid-19 is staggering and heartbreaking.






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In honor and in support, I have just recently updated my huge list of " Free Cancer Awareness and Support" patterns, tutorials, and links.... and some really fun small projects that make wonderful gifts for those battling any illness.  Sometimes our sewing and quilting means so much more than you can possibly imagine. And when you know and have helped others with with better insurance or financial support and they somehow do not "do unto others" in return, the giving in you who do care, grows and light and love fo others does as well.

Even something small, like a tiny seat belt pillow, a heart shaped mastectomy  pillow or simply mailing $20 can help when no income or financial support is available.



The Mary Lou Weidman Healing Power of Love Cross Quilt



April 2015, my community quilting project given to Mary Lou Weidman as she healed from what luckily for her was an early stage , small tumor breast cancer. Made with blocks from quilters all over US and Canada and designed, then put together by  myself!! Michele Bilyeu of Salem Oregon (www.with-heart-and-hands.com)
Oh how I wish someone had helped and done such kindnesses for my mother and my daughter. When your loved one  deep in pain and suffering and grief it takes all they have to fight for life and you to help.  I know I am proud to have heped so many by gifts of love, time, support in making of quilts, blankets and other smaller items I share here. 



http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/2015/05/the-mary-lou-weidman-healing-power-of.html 



My Links for the making of my cross quilt:

 Cross or Plus Quilts: Free Patterns

 Designing a Liberated Cross Block and Quilt

Making Mary Lou Weidman's Cross Quilt

The Mary Lou Weidman Healing Power of Love Cross Quilt

 completed, photographed and mailed to Mary Lou
5-7-2015


The Mary Lou Weidman Healing Power of Love Cross Quilt


It was a huge project for me to mske a lot of many shapes and sized blocks fit. I added many of my own to make it work, backed, labeled with all our names and quilted it in under 2 weeks. I almost never slept but got it done.






String Pieced Prayer Pocket Pillow designed by Michele Bilyeu

Heartstrings and Prayers for any time they are needed. A little pocket in the back for a note of support and love.


Bigger Pillows:Making a Heart Shaped Pillow

   
💓With Heart and Hands Breast Cancer Heart Shaped Comfort Pillow 💓






My Own Heart Shaped Comfort  Pillow for Breast  cancer. Catho-Port Chemotherapy Seatbelt Protection and Aids in Comforting Pain of Coughing (clasp to chest as with heart surgery patients who are told to bend into a pillow as they coughl





1.Tape 2 sheets of 8 5" x 11" printing paper together.
2.Fold back into 1 sheet using taped seam to draw a half elongated heart shape, just like cutting school Valentines
3. Cut out both halves at once. Open and use as your pattern.
4. Using 2 pieces of fabric (front + back) sew together , leaving a 6" openibg fir filling with stuffing.
5. Turn right sides out. Stuff with polyester fiber fill, buying new in bag from a fabric stire or usibg recycled stuffing from any fluffy pillow.
Once fully stuffed. Pin opening edges together and hand stitch closed.
Really, really helps.
First chemo-port or post mastectomy patients,  place heart pillow below one breast angling center curve of heart underneath that area. Seat belt crosses iver tge body if the pillow when in use.







 Another option:
Make small tiny pillows to tuck under places seat belt rubs. Count mt squares by inches for approximate sizing. Anything in this range works.
































a free pdf pattern, click on – Port Softies for Chemotherapy Patients















Make Breast Cancer Comfort Pillows for anyone who needs a little love. 

These are also wonderful for those recuperating from chest surgery of any kind, as one does after Cardiac Surgery etc. See, my pieced pillows ormake your own from solid fabric or fleece using my link above.

From other sites online:

 Pillow Specifications

http://www.allfreesewing.com/master_images/FaveQuilts/Charity/Heart-pillow-hot-pink150.jpg













The Hands-On-Heart Pillow



Prayer Flags, Mini Art Quilts, Banners etc.





My Prayer Flags:  The simplest of prayer flags, made with raw edges of fabric and strings to flutter in the winds of time. Inkjet printing on my home computer...link to the right in my side bar of links.



Prayer flags are meant to be unfinished and imperfect..just like our own lives. And they are meant to be light so they can flutter and float as the winds carry our prayers to all corners of this world and beyond.




I've also made lits of 8 1t2" x 11" mini quikts with tranfer oaper/iron on printed poem or quotations. Lovejy kittke gifts fir many !




Other links and tutorials that I have created that can be useful for patients or as gifts or gift bags.
 


 

Japanese Knot Bag Tutorial


 

How to Make a Simple Petal Bag




Free Patterns for Cancer Ribbons, quilts etc.

Support Group Bra Quilt Block and Quilts:

  Diane Volk Harris writes about this quilt block on her  Quiltmaker's Quilty Pleasurees blog. It spurred some debate in the breast cancer community, as some women who have lost one or both breasts prefer no reminders but others see as a wonderful reminder of breast cancer prevention and many women like you simply see it as great fun and not a reminder of what they have lost but of the 'support' they have received.

 Diane Harris of Quiltmaker Magazine. http://www.quiltmaker.com/.../breast-cancer-healing-quilt/  or ...Breast Cancer Healing Quilt | Quilty Pleasures Blog
quiltmaker.com





Download the Cancer Ribbon Quilt Block  

The file contains templates for two ribbon block sizes, 6" x 7" and 3" x 4" (finished); instructions are for the larger block.

    Most bias edges are positioned on the interior of the block, where they're stabilized by other patches.

Cancer Awareness Ribbon Quilt Block Pattern


https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/awareness-ribbon-quilt-block
pattern-2821139

Cut only enough fabric for one ribbon block. Everyone foundation pieces a little differently (primarily due to more or less overlap when sewing seams); adjust patch size up or down after you've made a sample.




Paperpiecing example but all directions included at the Spruces Downoad hyperlink.





Pink or any color cancer ribbon string art

You tube video by CuquiLife to learn how to make it step by step.





Make Mine Pink Please Quilt










Pink Ribbons Quilt Blocks or Quilts for Breast Cancer Awareness:


Breast Cancer Pillow by Kaye Wood pdf

Cure Inspired Quilt

Heartstrings Quilt Project October_Project_Pink3.pdf

Make Mine Pink, Please (Scrappy Stars with Pieced Pink Ribbon Label)pdf

Pink Chalk Studio: Square fence block-2.pdf

Pink Ribbon Comfort Pillow

Pink Ribbon Block

In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Connecting Threads has available a free tutorial to make paper-pieced Pink Ribbon Pins.

Help
raise awareness by sewing this simple quilted ribbon for your family,
co-workers, and friends. Two sizes are available: large pin is 3″ x 4″and the small pin 2 1/4″ x 3″.



Ribbon Quilt Block

Pink Ribbon and Soaring Past Time

Pink Ribbons: A Contrary Wife Quilt Top

Quilt of Many Ribbons (rail fence w. appliqued pink ribbon in center)

Rosie's Pink Ribbon Quilt

String Pieced Prayer Pocket Pillow

Think Pink



Pink Ribbons Quilt Blocks or Quilts for Breast Cancer Awareness:Cancer Ribbon Quilt Block

This
Cancer Awareness Ribbon quilt block is a foundation pieced pattern.
The block isn't difficult to make, but it does contain long triangles
that can be a little tricky to align on the foundation the first couple
of times.Designed by Janet Wickell.


Patchwork Hearts Quilt Block and Quilt Patterns
About.com
Forum members designed this pretty 6" heart block for a 2008 swap,
and it's a natural for a Thinking Pink, for a loved one's Valentine's
Day wallhanging or baby quilt. The block is assembled with quick
piecing techniques.


Easy to make. instructions and yardage for a small heart wallhanging on the last page of the pattern.



Cotton Spice :download PDF pattern: Square in square/rail fence around pink ribbon.

Heartstrings Quilt Project October_Project_Pink3.pdf


Make Mine Pink, Please (Scrappy Stars with Pieced Pink Ribbon Label)pdf




Spring Ribbons Quilt



Pink Chalk Studio: Square fence block-2.pdf




Pink Ribbon Comfort Pillow...free with Connecting Threaders order or make yourself; Post surgery support





Chemo port comfort pillows for under seat belts by Cheryl Lynch





Making a Heart Shaped Pillow..


Anti-Ouch Pouch - American Sewing Guild...like a hanging purse under your arm, only its a pillow that eases pain as you move around ; free pdf just click on it's hyperlink to download


Pink Ribbon Block





Pink Warrior from Fat Cat Quilts and Patterns...check out her wonderful site!!





Ribbon Butterfly from Fat Cat...check her out!




Think Pink (ribbon and hearts)


Tudor Rose Garden






In the Pink by Sarah Wise from Popular Patchwork online:

http://www.popularpatchwork.com/news/article.asp?a=9352




Quilt Pink Squares Lap Quilt


Ribbon Quilt Block

by Dori Hawks




Paper-Pieced Pink Ribbon: designed by Carol Doak for
Mimi Dietrich's Pink Ribbon Quilts book back in 1999 and made
available by Carol for others to use as a free download.The block is
made in two halves to make a 6" finished block


Click to download the pdf









Heart With A Ribbon from Carol Doak:

The crossed ribbon has become the symbol for support of many causes. The
pink ribbon symbol supports breast cancer awareness.

This block shows
both love and support by having the ribbon placed inside the heart.
The pdf file is a 3" finished size paper-pieced block (two on a page)
and the second page contains the cutting list for one block. This
block is for personal use only.

Click to download the pdf





Ribbon Quilt Block

by Dori Hawks





Rays of Hope Carol Doak designed this wall quilt for a class on an Alaskan Cruise for a Cure (Breast Cancer) Click to download the pdf



Breast Cancer (and other Cancers) Awareness Ribbon Quilt Blocks



Cancer Awareness Patterns: free for personal use by Angie Padilla






In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Connecting Threads has available a free tutorial to make paper-pieced Pink Ribbon Pins.Help
raise awareness by sewing this simple quilted ribbon for your family,
co-workers, and friends. Two sizes are available: large pin is 3″ x 4″
and the small pin 2 1/4″ x 3″.




use together to make a quilt

Pink Ribbon and Soaring Past Time





Pink Ribbons: A Contrary Wife Quilt Top




Quilt of Many Ribbons from Humblebee





Rosie's Pink Ribbon of Concern Quilt



Think Pink (McCalls now requires a free sign up and then the search)

Patchwork Cancer Ribbon Quilt BlockCancer Ribbon ColorsShow Us Your Awareness Quilts


Cancer Awareness Ribbon Colors for Other Diseases:


During Breast Cancer Awareness month, we see pink ribbons everywhere, and most of us know that this color represents breast cancer awareness.But you might not be as familiar with the other ribbon colors that are used to promote awareness for the other cancers.


It's just as important to remember all of those we love, who face challenges from other forms of cancer, and to create not only increased awareness for those diseases...but to create comfort quilts or pillows for them,as well.

three ribbons


Free Cancer Awareness Click Pattern: Download the PDF similar to a bow tie or a signature pattern block made into a quilt with any colors.


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Cancer Ribbon Quilt Block Templates  

(list of colors for each cancer at bottom of these lists)

What the colors of ribbons signify support for:



Amber Ribbon: Appendix Cancer 
 
Black Ribbons: Melanoma, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, sleep disorder, Primary Billiary Cirrhosis,

Brown Ribbons: Anti-tobacco, colorectal cancer
 
Burgundy or Maroon multiple myeloma, cesarian sections, headaches and migraines,
     adhesions, thrombophilia and other coagulation or blood factor disorders, meningitis, polio         survivor, Post-Polio Syndrome, Hughes Syndrome, brain aneurysm, Hirschsprung's Disease   (Congenital Megacolon),children undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with rare disorders or diseases,   myloidosis, hemangioma.


(Dark) Blue Ribbons: Colon Cancers


 Blue Ribbons: Histiocytosis Awareness, Child Abuse Awareness.Child abuse prevention, arthritis, gout, colon cancer, Dysautonomia, hystiocytosis, histiocytosis, Erb's Palsy, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), ke, dystonia, interstitial cystitis, bracial plexus injury, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) , Alopecia, Reyes Syndrome, Steven Johnson Syndrome, short bowel syndrome, Myositis, Leukodystrophy, Huntington's Disease, Malaria, Syringomyelia, Neurofibromatosis, , Cri du Chat Syndrome, Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, polio awareness, Primary Immunodeficiency Disease, Sensory Processing Disorder (reflex blue shade), Angelman Syndrome, Von Hippel-Lindau

Denim and denim fabric: Rare Disease Awareness

(Light) Blue: Prostrate Cancer

Burgundy: Multiple Myeloma

Gold Ribbons: Childhood Cancer
 

 Gray Ribbons: Diabetes & Brain Cancer

(Silver) Gray Ribbons: Parkinson's Disease
 

 Green Ribbons:

Kidney, 
Liver, Gallbladder/Bile Duct Cancer, Lyme Disease, Lymphoma,Kidney Cancer,

Gallbladder/Bile Duct Cancer, Lyme Disease, Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Lyme Disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Ivemark Syndrome, Sandhoff Disease,

Forest Green: Liver Cancer. Hepatitis, Tissue and organ transplants, depression (both adults and children), bipolar disorder, mental health, mental illness, eye injuries, Tourette's Syndrome, Fanconi's Syndrome, Von Hippel Lindau, glaucoma, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans, neural tube defects, Mitochondrial Disease, Cerebral Palsy, Neurofibromatosis, Lissencephally, Cornelia de Lange
Syndrome,


Lt. Green: Pelvic Pain (chronic), Celiac Disease, STD Awareness, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

Cream (the color cream wouldn't show here so I'm showing them in this color) but these should be cream colored: Cervical Cancer,Liver Cancer & Hepatitis   Cream: Paralysis, spinal cord injuries, spinal diseases or disorders, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)


Teal green or teal green and white together: Cervical Cancer

Jade Or Emerald Ribbons: Liver Cancer & Hepatitis


 Green/Blue Ribbons: Mental Heath Awareness, interstitial cystitis (IC Network designation),, Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), green-blue or turquoise with a zipper 

Global Chiari Malformation Awareness

Gray Ribbons: Diabetes, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, brain cancer, glioblastoma, Parkinson's, asthma, allergies,

Jigsaw Puzzle Ribbons: Autism

Lace Ribbons: Osteoporosis

Lavender: General Cancer 

Lime Green Ribbons: Lyme Disease, Lymphoma

Maroon Ribbons: Mulitple Melanoma

Orange Ribbons: Leukemia, Multiple Sclerosis, Kidney Cancer, self
injury, reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), skin cancer (with a sun in
the center of the loop), Deep Vein Thrombosis, Agent Orange Exposure


Orchid Ribbons: Testicular Cancer

Periwinkle Ribbons: Hypertensionm Stomach Cancer, Esophageal Cancer,Eating disorders, pulmonary hypertension, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, GERD, IBS

Peach Ribbons: Uterine Cancer Endometrial Cancer, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency


Pearl Ribbons: Lung Cancer

Pink Ribbons: Breast Cancer, cleft palate disorder

PINK RIBBON: Breast Cancer

(Hot) Pink: Inflammatory breast cancer...rarer form

Pink,Purple and Teal Ribbons: Thyroid Cancer

Purple Ribbons: Pancreatic, Prostrate,Testicular,Leiomyosarcoma,Alzheimer's/Dementia, and Fibromyalgia, pancreatic cancer, Chron's Disease and colitis, cystic fibrosis, leimyosarcoma, macular
degeneration, Sjogren's Syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, sarcoidosis, the
homeless, Mucolipidoses, thyroid cancer, ADD,ADHD, Arnold Chiari Malformation, Mucopolysaccharidosis, Hurler Syndrome, childhood or pediatric stroke


Red Ribbons:AIDS/HIV,Heart Disease,Alcohol, tobacco, and drug prevention awareness, MADD, DARE, Epidermolysis Bullosa, Disaster relief,
Stroke, supraventicular tachycardia, Wolff-parkinson-White Syndrom
(WPW), Pro-life, hypertension, Evans Syndrome, Vasculitis, Wegeners 

Granulomatosis

Silver Ribbons: Parkinson's Disease

Sky Blue Ribbons: Prostate Cancer

Teal Green: Cervical Cancer, Ovarian Cancer (some cross over of these previous two colors) Liver Cancer. Hepatitis, Tissue and organ transplants, depression (both adults and children), bipolar
disorder, mental health, mental illness, eye injuries, Tourette's Syndrome, Fanconi's Syndrome, Von Hippel Lindau, glaucoma, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans, neural tube defects, Mitochondrial Disease, ,
Cerebral Palsy, Neurofibromatosis, Lissencephally, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome,
Ovarian, cervical,
uterine (all gynecological) Myasthenia Gravis, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, agoraphobia, panic or stress disorders (includes PTSD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Fragile X, Batten Disease, Tourette's Syndrome (TSA designation)


Teal green or teal and white together: Cervical Cancer


White Ribbons: Bone Cancer, diabetes,
hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, sexual assault of students, retinal
blastoma, blindness, carbon monoxide poisoning (CO poisoning), postpartum depression, survivors, Scoliosis, white ribbon with a knot tied
in the middle for marriage equality, Gay-teen suicide


Yellow Ribbons: Sarcoma..bone cancer, spina
biffida, endometriosis, sarcoma (with or without a sunflower), myxoid
liposarcoma, bladder cancer, liver disease, liver cancer,
cholangiocarcinomas, hydrocephalus or hydrocephaly, carbon monoxide
poisoning, Ewing's sarcoma, chondrosarcoma


Awareness Ribbon Colors
  • AIDS/HIV: Red
  • Alzheimers: Purple
  • Autism: Jigsaw Puzzle Print
  • Bladder Cancer: Yellow
  • Bone Cancer: White
  • Brain Cancer: Gray
  • Breast Cancer: Pink Ribbons
  • Childhood Cancers: Gold
  • Colon Cancers: Dark Blue Ribbons
  • Diabetes: Gray
  • Dystonia: Violet
  • Eating Disorders: Purple
  • Epilepsy: Purple
  • Heart Disease: Red Ribbons
  • Hypertension: Periwinkle
  • Kabuki Syndrome - Bright Green
  • Kidney Cancer: Green Ribbons
  • Leukemia: Orange
  • Liver Cancer and Hepatitis: Jade Ribbons
  • Lung Cancer: Pear
  • Lyme Disease: Lime Green Ribbons
  • Lymphoma: Lime Green Ribbons
  • Melanoma: Black Ribbons
  • Mental Health Awareness: Green/Blue Ribbons
  • Multiple Myeloma: Burgundy
  • Multiple Sclerosis: Orange
  • Osteoporosis: Lace Ribbons
  • Ovarian Cancer: Teal
  • Pancreatic Cancer: Purple
  • Parkinson's Disease: Silver Ribbons
  • Prostate Cancer: Sky Blue Ribbons
  • Stomach Cancer: Periwinkle
  • Testicular Cancer: Purple
  • Thyroid Cancer: Pink, Purple & Teal
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Red Dresses and Red Ribbons for Women's Heart Disease:




Extra: Red dresses for Heart Disease













Daydream Believers

This simple to sew cap is a cross between a headband and a scarf. The stretchy band helps prevent it from slipping off, but the rest of it ties and looks like a headscarf. You can make it out of soft cotton knit, which is perfect for a child or use a silky fabric for a more sophisticated look.







(image for making a chemo cap from google free images)


Red Heart Yarn Free Chemo Cap Pattern shown above: 
http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/chemo-cap

Red Heart Yarn Free Yarn and Shawl Patterns:

 http://www.redheart.com/finder/pattern?filters=tid:2802&retain-filters=1

Other Sites:

Chemo Scarves, hats, turbans:

Bandanna with Tails

Chemotherapy Turbans

Chemo Cap - Head Scarf - sewing tutorial

Comfort Caps - sewing pattern for adult and child sizes

Covering our Hair - links to different patterns

Fast and Easy Chemo Cap

 Reversible Chemo Hat - sewing pattern

Chemo Cap for Sewing - (pdf file)  From the Heart - more patterns here.

Creative Kindness Beret

Creative Kindness Easy Hat

Creative Kindness Easy Hat Variations

Creative Kindness Beret

Headhuggers - sewn, knitted and crocheted patterns


Snood

Reversible Chemo Hat

Reversible Fleece Cap

Polar Fleece Beanie

Quick and Easy Beanie

Reprinted with permission of
The Creative Machine Newsletter
PO Box 2634-R
Menlo Park, CA 94026-2634
(650)366-4440, fax (650)366-4455
Comfort Cap
Comfort Caps
Nancy's Notions Creative Kindness
Creative Kindness Easy Hat
Nancy's Notions provides a number of free patterns as part of the Creative Kindness program. One of the patterns is for this Easy Hat. You can download the pattern (pdf format) here.
HeadHuggers.org
HeadHuggers.org
This website provides a wealth of patterns. What started as a small effort by Sue W. Thompson has ballooned into a large volunteer project. Visit her website for sewn, knit and crochet hats and other creative ideas.



 
Drain holders which can be used whenever drains are necessary. Mastectomy pillows (scroll down to see them) are placed between the arm and the body to alleviate pain at the incision site by applying gentle pressure with the pillow.
Drain Holders - Download the pattern.
 
Drain Holders


Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares a quilting journey through her life in Salem, Oregon and Douglas, Alaska. Sewing, quilting, and wildcrafting, with small format art quilts, prayer flags, and comfort quilts for a variety of charitable programs. And best of all, sharing thousands of links to Free Quilt and Quilt Block Patterns and encouraging others to join her and make and donate quilts to charitable causes.   Help us change the world, one little quilt at a time!

9 comments:

Celia said...

Wow, that's quite a huge resource list, thanks so much for sharing. I haven't quilted in years or sewn for all of that but I'm going to try your string prayer pocket heart. So many in need of some comfort and a little prayer.

Sandra said...

Thank you for sharing all this wonderful information. I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer this past April. I am fine now. Early detection, and I have completed all my treatments. I feel blessed to have come through as well as I have. I will be trying some of these patterns you have shared with us. I had the love and support of my husband and family. I am sure that is what helped your mom do as well as she did too; the love and support of your family. Thanks again for sharing all this with us!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing all these resources. My mother died from colon cancer. My father died from Alzheimer's. My sister-in-law battled breast cancer a year and a half ago and recently was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. This lung cancer is very atypical and so far all they can do is radiation treatments. They did do surgery to remove as much of the two masses as they could and are continuing the radiation treatments. If she is strong enough after the radiation treatments, they will start her on a chemotherapy regimen.

I know so many who are battling cancer and other deadly diseases. I am going to commit to making some prayer pocket pillows and prayer flags. .

Again, thanks for your encouragement and all the free resources you provide.

Susan (senstrings) at (yahoo) dot (com)

Rita McCart said...

Is there any color that is neutral and can be associated with all? I'm making a quilt for a cancer walk for my local survivors.

Michele Bilyeu said...

Rita, there is no single color that stands for all cancers. The 'color' that is used is simply called multi-colored and the meaning of that is up to the individual. I have seen rainbow fabric used for quilts but that doesn't carry any special significance unless you say combine it with in a cancer ribbon shape and/or a ribbon shape(s) that could be placed with a colorful quilt with lots of the above colors..even scrappy quilts would work with this idea. More and more people are buying and using pink products and pink in quilts simply because it is the most well known symbol for cancer. When anyone wears a lot of pink or uses a lot of pink most people take it to signify that they have battled cancer and perhaps that's why they wear it..they want to share and want to educate. But in any case, multi-colored ribbons and/or any ribbon with a multi-colored quilt or perhaps a rainbow border..but I'd suggest a ribbon somewhere!

Rita McCart said...

Thank you for your help. I just need to decide on my design, I'm going to start at the head and work the colors down to the toes. :)

Unknown said...

Hello ,thank you for sharing .I spent all day putting together a patched ribbon square and had a terrible time getting triangles to match up .I will try the paper pieced square and hope for a better result.When I print out templates should I use special paper or is regular printing paper OK??

sandy said...

Hello Gisele Accords, went I print out patterns or templates I use just printer paper. Also I would like to thank Michele for taking the time to put all the information on the internet. I had lung cancer in the upper right lobe. I had surgery on February of this year 2016. I am happy to say I was lucky, I was a stage 1, the doctor tells me I'm cured. I will still have the scans every 6 months for 2 years. I pray I stay cured.

Michele Bilyeu said...

Sandy, thank you so very much for sharing. Three members of my extended family had lung cancer. Itbus a challenging battle. I am holding you in my thoughts and prayers. Cancer is a terrible disease. May we find a cure for all forms of cancer so jo one has to go through its ravages ever again. 💞