When Lois S. Young, a longtime and well-known knitting designer and author, underwent chemotherapy for breast cancer, she wanted to design a head covering that looked like hair, but wasn’t as uncomfortable to wear as a wig. According to Lois, the minute she saw the wonderful Fizz eyelash yarn from S.R. Kertzer, she knew she had found a fun and stylish solution to her problem. Thus, a different kind of hair—better known as the Wiggie—was born. Lois created three knitted Wiggies for her own wear— bleached blonde, mousy brown and in-your-face red. She had a lot of fun wearing them and received many compliments on her glitzy headwear. Lois’ knitted Wiggie pattern was featured in Knitting Digest, and we received such a huge response from readers expressing kudos for the design and its therapeutic benefit for cancer patients, we asked Lois to create a crocheted version for us. Says Lois, “The variegated yarn I used here looks like my natural hair color—a mix of ash blonde and gray. Many charity knitting groups have been making Wiggies by the score for cancer patients in treatment centers and hospitals. Recipients are thrilled to have these colorful, snazzy-looking head coverings and say they are a real morale booster. They add a fun touch to sometimes dismal circumstances, and the trendy eyelash yarn makes them fashionably chic. Lois graciously shares her Wiggie patterns freely, but asks anyone who makes a profit from them to make a donation to the American Cancer Society. As for Lois herself, it’s been a year and a half since she finished her treatment and she is fully recovered and doing well. We wish you the best, Lois! Crochet! May 2004 Wiggies WorkWonders Trendy eyelash yarn creates colorful, fun new “hair” for chemo patients. CROCHET WIGGIE DESIGNED BY LOIS S. YOUNG F I N I S H E D SIZE Instructions are given for size small; changes for medium and large are in []. FINISHED MEASUREMENT 21 [22½, 24] inches in circumference MATERIALS • 2 (50g) skeins Multi-Fizz 100 percent polyester eyelash yarn imported by S. R. Kertzer • K/7mm hook or hook size needed to obtain gauge From Crochet! magazine, May 2004, Vol. 17, No. 3. Pages 42-43. Copyrigt Crochet! magazine. All rights reserved GAUG E In dc, 10 sts and 7 rows = 4 inches. BASIC S T I T C H E S Ch, sl st, sc, dc WIGG I E Note: Mark first st of each rnd with safety pin or other small marker. Rnd 1: Ch 3, join with sl st to form ring, ch 3 (counts as ﬁrst dc throughout), 4 dc in ring, join with sl st in top of beg ch-3. (5 dc) Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same st as joining, 2 dc in each remaining dc around, join with sl st in top of beg ch-3. (10 dc) Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in same st as joining, 2 dc in each remaining dc around, join with sl st in top of beg ch-3. (20 dc) Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in each remaining dc around, join with sl st in top of beg ch-3. Rnd 5: Ch 3, dc in same st as joining, 2 dc in each remaining dc around, join with sl st in top of beg ch-3. (40 dc) Rnds 6 & 7: Repeat rnd 4. Rnd 8: Ch 3, dc in each dc around, increasing 5 [5, 10] dc evenly spaced, join with sl st in top of beg ch-3. (45 dc) [45, 50 dc] Rnds 9 & 10: Repeat rnd 4. Rnd 11: Ch 3, dc in each dc around, increasing 5 [7, 5] dc evenly spaced, join with sl st in top of beg ch-3. (50 dc ) [52, 55 dc] Repeat rnd 4 until Wiggie measures 5½ [6, 6½] inches from center to outer edge; at end of last rnd, join with sl st in top of beg ch-3, do not fasten oﬀ. Next rnd: Ch 1, sc in same st as joining, sc in each remaining dc around, join with sl st in first sc. Fasten oﬀ. CARE When wearing Wiggie, smooth yarn down so it lies like hair. Wash Wiggie by shampooing in sink and hanging over showerhead to dry.•• From Crochet! magazine, May 2004, Vol. 17, No. 3. Pages 42-43. Copyrigt Crochet! magazine. All rights reserved