Courage Rising Beanie: Crochet Cancer Challenge 2022

It’s my pleasure to take part in the 2022 Crochet Cancer Challenge with Sweet Potato 3 for the 3rd year in a row. I have never thought of myself as a “beanie designer” but I do think of myself as a staunch supporter of the cause, and, every year, inspiration strikes. I am so glad to be able to donate this newest crochet beanie pattern to the cause of supporting those battling cancer.

I do have to be honest though, this is a hard blog post to write. Here’s why. In August, we lost my beautiful, courageous, amazing sister-in-law, Magui, to cancer. I know those of you who have been following along for the last couple of years have had her on your hearts, in your prayers, and maybe you even helped out with our fundraiser for her in 2020. Thank you for that. Our family appreciates it even in the midst of this heartbreak. Please keep Magui’s 2 young daughters and her husband in your prayers as they navigate life without her presence. You can read more HERE.

Well, as you can imagine, that means that this challenge is very DEAR to my heart and PERSONAL each year. Not only do I have many family members and friends who have been significantly impacted by cancer, but I mourn for the earthly loss of my sister-in-law. This beanie is dedicated to Magui’s memory.

This year’s beanie is called Courage Rising. It is my prayer that the hats you make will give courage to the recipients to continue in the battle whether they be battling cancer themselves, standing alongside those battling, working with those battling cancer, researching in the battle, and every other way in which we hold one another up against cancer.

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Crochet Cancer Challenge

I encourage you to read Christine’s post that explains the cancer challenge and why she hosts it each year. It’s an amazing gift of her time and effort to bring the battle against cancer to the forefront of the crochet community. I admire Christine and thank her for this opportunity to rise up with her and make a difference in the ways that we can!

Here’s how Christine explains the challenge:

The Cancer Challenge is a crochet charity event that lasts the entire month of October. Almost every day of the month (Monday – Saturday) a new crochet pattern will be featured. In this feature the designer will release a new hat pattern. The pattern has been designed in honor of someone they know who has battled cancer or to help bring awareness to a specific type of cancer. Their hat design will be FREE for 24 hours in EXCHANGE for a pledge. By downloading the pattern for free you are taking a pledge to make a minimum of one hat from that pattern to donate. The donation can be given to someone you know who is battling cancer, or to a cancer center.
–Christine of Sweet Potato 3

Courage Rising Beanie

Here’s what you’ll need to create your Courage Rising Beanie:

Worsted Weight (4) Yarn (I used hand dyed yarn from Aquarius Make), approximately 125 (145, 170, 190, 215) yards
- Other yarns that would work well with this pattern are:
J/6 mm hook or hook needed to meet gauge

The pattern comes in 5 sizes to fit heads from 16″ to 24″ circumference. There are instructions to help you adjust the pattern for both width and length if needed. It’s a simple repeat with decreases at the top of the beanie to give it a fitted look.

This video might be helpful in making the half double crochet slip stitch (HDCSLST) which is also known as a yarn over slip stitch. I used this stitch in the Uplift Bulky Beanie which is free here on the blog.

To get the Courage Rising Beanie pattern for free (between October 1 and 3, 2022), simply grab the coupon code from the Sweet Potato 3 Crochet Cancer Challenge post, and click the link below to head to Ravelry. In Ravelry, put the coupon code into the “use a coupon code” box, download that pattern, and start hooking!