Chemotherapy quilt?
 

A close friend has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. I've seen many posts mentioning chemotherapy quilts given in similar situations, but I can't find thru searching the forum a description of what makes a great cancer patient quilt, so I'm reaching out here for opinions and insights on the key ingredients. Size, batting weight, fabric type, intended use for the recipient.

Thank you in advance!

A friend had breast cancer and she DID NOT want it to be pink. She wanted to use it after surgery/chemo/radiation without being reminded of the cancer.

In addition to the quilt, make a tote bag so she can bring it to treatments. An alternative would be to make it a quillow and put handles on the pocket portion that can be tucked in when not needed.
Warm, but light weight (wool or poly batting) and a flannel backing so it won't slide.

many breast cancers don't require chemo, check her needs first

I'm with you and your friend GramaJo ....

If/when my time comes for such, I do NOT want pink. Nor do I want the breast cancer ribbon/symbol .... or one for whatever affliction I have. Rather, I would appreciate one in the colours that I enjoy ... and of fabric that I adore relating to things important to me, whether it be one, or many different things.

Depending on the person ... that may be cat fabric? or horses? or flowers? or done as an adult I Spy with all sorts of different fabrics and stories within.

Kwiltr ... you know your friend and what s/he may appreciate. Some want one that they can take with them for their treatments. If so, the agreement seems to be that it be light in weight, not bulky, yet large enough to cover the patient well. A carrying bag made to go with it is a good idea. Some would prefer to have one that is a keep-at-home .... again, you likely want it to be warm yet light in weight for them and big enough to cover well, and curl up with. Of course, some of this depends on the climate they are in ... maybe warm is not an issue!

For all, you want to make sure it is durable and washable, as it may need laundering more often than regular quilts. For medical situations ... hot water and dryer is often advisable in order to be sure any bacteria or contaminants can be removed. That may be a big part in helping you decide which fabrics to choose.

Good Luck .... the important part ... make your quilt with LOVE!

Yes, I agree, my sister had breast cancer and never liked all the pink cancer ribbons designs.

When I made throws for my sister as she had chemo treatments I just made regular throws in colors I thought she would like. I made her one when she was to have another round of chemo. It turned out she didn't have to have them so I told her it was a "I don't have to have chemo throw" She like that.

Despite what I said ..... what we all need to remember is that some people really do want to see pink, the ribbon and all sorts of symbolic representations.

At such a difficult time, the important part to remember is to be sensitive to what is important to the individual, and not what we believe or like.

My only addition to all the great suggestions here - sizewise I would recommend would be about 50 x 66-70. Depending on the size of the person, I like enough to cover the feet and pull up to the shoulders if needed.

I think someone posted before about a chemo quilt with a kind of "pocket" for the feet to fit into. Sounded cozy. I'm sure someone here can lock for that. I'm not good on searches. Whatever you decide to make, I'm sure your friend will love it because it is from you.

I was always cold while receiving chemo. Something to cover the shoulders and down to feet. To me would not matter on colors. Just to be wrapped in love from the person who took the time to make it.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer it was less than 30 days from mammogram to chemo - so if you don't have time to make a quilt, a nice soft fleece throw is good too. One will fit in a bag easily and some snacks or room for a sandwich and drink is nice too. My chemo lasted 4-5 hours. The IV does not make you sick - that comes 2 days later - so you do get hungry waiting for it to end. (No one told me about it before so my first IV besides being scary I was hungry and couldn't wait to get home for something to eat.)

When my friend had chemo, she like the blankets with the minky fabric on the back - she loved the feel and the warmth it gave her.
Positive thoughts to your friend!

I would make a cheap and warm fleece throw to use during treatments and work on a beautiful healing/survivor quilt for afterward to celebrate the end of her treatments. That way, your quilt will be associated with your confidence in her getting stronger and not with being sick. And if she doesn't want to see the throw again, she can chop it into dust rags with satisfaction and without feeling guilty.

hugs,
Charlotte

I've not been in this situation myself of close to anyone who has (thankfully) but I really like this idea. Gives you time to make a quilt she would like and not have any negative connotations. And thank you for doing this. I'm sure your friend will be truly grateful and appreciative.

The first one I made was for my friend Renee'. It was a surprise and I went with the colors in her home decor . Warm Wishes pattern, Warm and Natural batting, golden flannel backing. She LOVES it and said it was perfect to cover her up from over the shoulders to below her feet. She liked how it fit her hospital bed. She did NOT want pink (that much I knew ahead of time).

However, the one I'm working on now is for a friend, Donna. I decided to outright ask her color choice, since I don't know her as well. She said, "For ME? You want to make a quilt for ME? I'm crying I'm so happy to think you'd do that for me!" So the THOUGHT was obviously most touching to her. I had to ask again about color. She said, "Well, since it's for breast cancer, how about various shades of pink?" (And her daughter informed me that her favorite shade is fuschia.)

Donna is taller than Renee', so I adjusted accordingly. But I've used W&N batting, and am using flannel because Renee' said it was perfect when she was cold.

Thank you all for your great advice and insight!

My dad died of cancer. He couldn't tolerate a heavy quilt weighing on his legs and feet, so I used a wool batting, which is both warm and lightweight.

I have had two different cancers and made myself cheerful quilts. I DO NOT want any in pink. I love pink but since my breast cancer I just cannot stand the pink for cancer. Just my feeling but that is one others share

NO pink or ribbons for me either! A nice size lap quilt with a carrying tote is great!

My " nutcase" ,quilting daughter made one for me. She made a multicolor nine patch top,sandwiched it, and gave it to me. She told me to hand quilt it during my treatments,doc visits....it would give me something to do while " just sitting around". Do not put light weight polyester batting in it! The batting just disintegrated over 10 years of washing and drying. Three guesses what she gave me for Christmas!( a duplicate with wool batting,to hand quilt)

FrancieYuhas ... there is good news with that deteriorated batting story.....you are able to tell us that it took ten years for it to fall apart!! Congratulations on being a SURVIVOR!!!

Personally, (and I've had chemo) I would just prefer a nice quilt that was done by "you". It's such a nice gesture. Everyone is different and I don't want to look at quilt with reminder all over it and it's been three years. Now my husband is going through radiation. Just my opinion. I'll tell you what I had: I love the Texas Rangers and I made me a Texas Rangers fleece blanket; it was so cuddly and warm and it gets really cold in the chemo room. Maybe, you could put minky or something really cuddly on the back if you want to do a quilt, and that would be nice. And, I still use it. Anything you make will be appreciated.

Many great ideas. I agree with most of them. I know the pink ribbon is a definite NOT when it comes to the actual diagnosis. (I know I wouldn't have wanted yellow ribbons around me when I had bladder cancer!) I chose for my sister her favorite color and then made it a little narrower than a usual throw. She used it on her treatment lounge/chair which was a little wider than a dentist's chair.

I think this is such a unique idea. I'm puzzled by the deteriorating batting. I have used traditional poly batting which is very thin for as long as I've been quilting. My quilts are over 20 years old and are still going through the washer and dryer. Some are tied and some are hand stitched. A few are machine quilted.

I am currently working my way through breast cancer and I would want no pink ribbons in my quilt. I second the idea of a fleece (2 layers with the back larger so you bring it around for a binding) for travel and a pretty quilt for home. The color pink is okay as long as there's a reason for it in the color scheme, but not the predominant color. I love pink, but October (BC awareness month) about spoiled it for me.

I made one for a lady in my Bible Study group -- We were studying the book of Jeremiah -- I did hers in purples and blues and in the center had a square embroidered with my life verse ... "I know of the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
I wish I'd taken a picture of it, as it turned out beautifully, but by the time I started it, I was in a big hurry to get it
to her for her 1st chemo, so I forgot to take a picture. She loved it and said it was such an encouragement. She shared that was a verse that was so meaningful to her when she went through a difficult time earlier in life. I think it's what I call a God Thing! Bless your friend, I pray she has a full recovery.

No pink for me either, just want to get this over with and move on. I made a really nice rag quilt in flannel. Nice and warm and washes like a dream.

My friend is undergoing chemo now. I made a quilt for her last year when she had chemo. She mentioned that when she receives chemo they have heated blankets so she doesn't take one. However, she mentions often that she loves laying under it when she takes a nap. I made a throw size with flannel backing.

I worked in chemo therapy for 17 years and I can tell you those ladies and men LOVED there quilts. Some of them were not pleasing to me, but they did not care. Someone made them a quilt and it was warm and they loved it just the way it was. It does need to be big enough to cover the feet and the shoulders.

I am a twice breast cancer survivor. I am proud of the pink ribbon, etc. I beat the disease. As a cancer volunteer, I find that some women do not want others to know about their disease. A bright colorful quilt would cheer them. I made several and put fleece on the back with a low loft poly batting because chemo rooms are sometimes very cold.
Most of all bring your friend a meal and just be there, laugh with her, cry with her, do errands if needed.

I make quilts for the Cancer patients monthly. Do not use wool batting because it cannot be washed in hot water due to shrinkage. I use two layers of warm and natural batting only 100% cotton fabric. I do not use flannel for the purpose of after it is washed a few times it will be scratchy.

I couldn't find where I commented on a foot pocket, so I'll just comment again. I made a chemotherapy quilt for my sister who was undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. It had to be done quickly, so it was not very elaborate. I used fleece for the batting/backing. Cut it longer than quilt top and folded it up to form the pockets. I sewed a seam down the middle of the pocket to help the pockets keep their shape. I also installed a zippered pocket on the front of the quilt to hold her cell phone (the zipper kept it within reach and didn't permit it to slide off onto the floor). Also added a pocket on the front to hold a paperback book, as she liked to read. She liked it so well that she used it at home and wherever she traveled. It suited her needs. A quilt can be tailored to fit the hobbies and desired of each person.

Good advice to use flannel as a backing; it won't slide around or slide off the patient.

I made my SIL a quilt out of batiks in browns and beiges, which are colors that she likes. They blended in with her home furnishings, so that she could use it to keep warm in the house also, after treatments.

I could be completely wrong but when I hear "chemo quilt" I envision some using the quilt while receiving chemotherapy. I recently took a family member to a local oncology practice for infusion (not chemo but nearly everyone else there was receiving chemo). It was on the Tuesday after Christmas. The center was closed on Monday so there were a lot of patients on this particular Tuesday. I assume this treatment facility is arranged like most others. One side of the area was tinted window so it is bright and the area, though large, wasn't crowded. I didn't count, but there are at least 50 "stations" with one recliner for the patient and one side chair for a friend or family member. Because of the holiday this place was packed! My niece said she had never seen it so crowded. Now to the point of my comment: At least 90% of the patients were women. Not that a man wouldn't appreciate a quilt. I saw no "chemo quilts". On one end of the room there is a coffee station, and a table where jigsaw puzzles are worked. To one side of the table there are two warmers. They hold the cotton blankets that are warming and waiting for use by the patients. During our time there my niece asked twice for a warm blanket as it was particularly chilly in the therapy room that day. Looks like I'm in the same boat with Kwiltr. I don't know what a "chemo" quilt is. From my recent experience I don't think it's to be taken litterally as I did! I will be interested to hear your replies to Kwiltr,too.

My cancer blanket/throw was a pattern called Hearts Come Home from a (I think) Buggy Barn patterns. Friends signed it and now I can use it on the back of the sofa. I, also, could not "handle" the pink and the ribbon so was glad to have the houses on mine in prints from the 30's. It came in a matching pillow case. We were given warm blankets at chemo so I did not carry mine to treatment. It was such a thoughtful gift that I still enjoy.

I have no first hand experience in visiting a chemotherapy room/ward. I only have a sense from ready other posts that a blanket or quilt is welcome in these situations for warmth while receiving treatment, but never thought beyond that, so now with it being a little closer to home, wanted to get a better idea of what people do and what might be needed or appreciated before I go off on the wrong path. It appears in this situation, it'll be surgery and radiation, so I'm thinking a quilt to cuddle under at home while recovering will be what I aim for right now. Thank you all for your input.

A pretty quilt made with love to provide physical warmth and the emotional support is what I would make.

Here is the quilt I made for my friend with here 2nd treatment for breast cancer. She was so happy I didn't make it pink. Her favorite colors are blue and yellow.

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