Children and Cancer

Reversible Sun Protective Cap.    

     Due to requests for comfortable head wear for young girls, I have focused my attention this year on designing headwear for children dealing with hair loss.     After doing some research, I was shocked at the numbers.   It is estimated that over 10,000 children between ages 0-14 will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year.    Chemo is a common treatment for cancer, and the result of chemo for children and adults is loss of hair.

     Child reversible sun protective chemo head wear cap is my latest creation.  This hat is great for the beach because it keeps the sun from burning a little one’s tender scalp and back.  

     This design is a variation of the adult ponytail scrub cap.   The difference is that the gathering of fabric for a ponytail is left lose to fan out to cover the child’s back.    This cap has a printer design on one side and solid gauze on the other.    I selected gauze because it is such a lightweight breathable fabric -   perfect for a tender scalp.

      Since all seams are enclosed, it can be worn with either fabric on the outside.   The ribbons can be either tied close to the neck, which allows for more covering on the neck, or wrapped around the extension.

       I like the design because it will stay in place and protect the back of her neck from the hot sun.    The cap fits a small child or toddler with a 17-19" head circumference (ages 2-6) .     Each model pictured is wearing the same size cap.

       There is only a limited number of each turban made.   In fact, this is my first design attempt.   It's like going to a designer shop and purchasing samples - something I love doing!    Once I get feedback, I'll make more or change the design.

QUESTIONS & SUGGESTIONS   ARE WELCOMED!!!

 

New 2018 Design

“Gauze Ponytail Cap” for Girls

I’m excited to introduce my newest design!   For years I have made gauze scarf-turbans for adults.   Cotton gauze is one of the most breathable fabrics on the market.    It is so easy to clean and comfortable to wear.   It washes like a rag, although I always wash my gauze on gentle cycle.  

I remember one of my clients dealing with brain cancer.  Her treatment required her to wear some sort of helmet.  If it got too hot, the helmet would kick off.    It seemed that other turbans/scarves would not let the heat being given off from her head and the helmet to escape.    Since the thought of wearing a helmet in public was something that she wasn’t looking forward to, she contacted me.    The gauze scarf-turban worked!   Since adults have loved the softness of MySCap's scarf-turban headwear, I thought I would create a gauze cap for my younger gals.

Unlike adult women, a child will not wear anything that doesn’t feel comfortable.    Comfort must come before vanity!     Because gauze is such a loosely woven fabric, I felt the need to line it.   Another must for the design was that it had to stay in place.  Little girl might be “sugar and spice”, but they are active in their pursuit of happiness.

 I combined ideas from my ponytail scrub cap, reversible scrub cap, and the softness of gauze.  I like the design because it will stay in place and she'll feel like she has hair on the back of her neck.    This small cancer patient hat is also great for the beach to keep the sun from burning little one’s tender scalp.  

Love to hear what you think, about this addition.  Check it out at

https://www.etsy.com/listing/572342610/child-reversible-gauze-ponytail-cap?ref=shop_home_active_1

 

I was greeted this morning with a Facebook question wondering what the “S” in My-S-Cap stood for???    

I started to tell her and then thought…..this would be an excellent topic for my first 2018 blog entry!  So here it is!!!!

 

I found out that choosing a name for my company was just as involved as deciding on the names of my two sons.    Like with my children’s names, I had many possibilities.   

 

 My first choice for my little company was “Patrician”.  I remember being in grade school thinking it would be a neat name for a clothing line because Patricians were the upper class in the Roman Empire.   When I shared this with my husband, his response was………….”no one but a history teacher would know that’!

 

My next choice was “Voila”!  I spent some time in France, and obscured that  any time something was exciting or needed attention called to it, people would say “Voila”.    I was excited and thought……this is a perfect name!   I showed it to my rural Kentucky husband and he said, “Who is Viola?”      I definitely didn’t want people to think my name was Viola!

 

It was my dear hubby who actually came up with My-S-Cap.   At the time, I was only making surgical caps.    His reasoning was….it was simple, people could read it and not get confused, and I was making surgical caps.    So the “S” originally started out standing for Surgical.

 

If I knew then that my company would end up being an international company with over 550 listings, I probably would have selected a different name. LOL    So now, when I’m asked, I usually say the “S” stands for special because all of my clients are “special”!

 

myscap.etsy.com

 

Lupus and Hair Loss

               Since opening My-S-Cap.com in 2010, I have become aware that hair loss just isn’t the result of going through chemotherapy.    Cancer is what usually comes to one’s mind when someone purchases a turban.  The reality is that there are a number of illnesses that result in hair loss.    One of these diseases is Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) SLE , a serious auto-immune disease that can affect any organ in the body.   Although anyone can develop Lupus, it is most common in women of childbearing age up to around 45 with African, Asian and Native American ancestry

      .        At the onset, a woman might not even realize that something is wrong.    Symptoms such as fatigue, joint and muscle pain, painless mouth sores, and slight fever might be attributed to being a mom.   What mom doesn’t feel tired and have aching muscles?     Concern usually doesn’t occur until she notices an unusual amount of hair loss, skin sores, and rashes that often take on a butterfly pattern.   

      The hair loss can be caused by both the Lupus disease and the treatments prescribed.    Sometimes the hair is shed all over the head; other times the hair loss is patchy.  The shedding of hair usually stops once the disease is under control; but the patchy hair loss associated with damaged hair follicles is permanent.

      The Mayo Clinic recommends: using sunscreen, getting plenty of rest, exercising 30 minutes daily, and eating a diet rich in whole grain, fruits, and vegetables.      Sounds like good recommendations for all of us!

      This blog was inspired after reading the review that Cheryl wrote recently:  

 “I love all My-S-Cap items and have been buying from Pat off and on for years. Now that my Lupus is getting to the severe stage, I’ve lost my hair and these snood caps and the different types she makes are perfect. You're awesome Pat and I'm so glad I found you years ago. You own one of my favorite shops and will keep coming back for more!” - Cheryl

        Below is a email Cheryl sent after she read the blog.     I thought it was important enough to share.  Like cancer, Lupus not only plays havoc on the body, it also tries to rip apart one’s self esteem

“The looking good part is something I try to do every day, freshen up, put some make up on and decent clothes but it's all an act during flare up times. During a flare up, I can barely move because my joints are so red and very swollen. My back is in pain all the time because the Lupus has already damaged my kidneys. There's 3 types of Lupus.  I believe I have is SLE which is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and it's the type the damages your organs, mostly you kidneys, your joints, and even as fatal as you brain and heart. My kidneys are already close to failing. During a flare up I sleep 2 days straight. Joe has to wake me up, carry me to the potty, get me back to bed and make sure I drink or I'll get extremely dehydrated.  I've been to the hospital for that. Anyway, let me know if you want pictures of me bald- thank you Lupus, because I can take whatever pictures you need or help yourself to my album on my facebook page.”

Cheryl, along with the many other women I've come to know, are my heroes and keep me humble.

Helpful links: Facebook: Cheryl Remington Kearney      www.lupus.org      www.my-s-cap.com

 

 

 

 

MY-S-Cap Snoods

     In 2012 I created a new turban design for MySCap.     Making it was the easy part.  Giving it an appropriate name was much more of a challenge.   As with naming my two sons, I tried out many different names….. taking months to finally have the perfect name pop up.

      This design needed a name that would convey a bandana look in the front, yet a closed-in look in the back.    I thought of using the term “bustle” like ones seen in French impressionist painting.   The design puffed out in the back and was flat in the front, and so was a “bustle”.  The more I thought about it, the more I didn’t think the image of having a “bustle” on your head would be very appealing.  “Bouffant” was my next choice, which I did use for a while.   The problem was that a “bouffant” reminded me more of a shower cap, but it was the best word I could find at the time.

     Out of desperation, I expressed my dilemma to my dear etsy penpal/fellow artist at SoftShelterHats      She suggested “Snood”.    I had never heard of the term before, so I decided to look it up.   To my shock and delight the image that I pulled up was my design!    I found the correct name at last!

     Historically a snood is a type of headwear that looks like a bandana in the front, yet is closed in the back to contain the hair of a young unmarried Scotland or Northern England peasant girl while she went around doing her daily work.    Snoods were and are made today using cloth and yarn.     It is a very practical design.  Put it on and forget it!

      You will see snoods made out of beautiful macramé designs.  Since every turban/headwear item listed on MySCap is made first with a cancer patient in mind, they are made out of soft usually jersey rayon blend knit.    The ladies that purchase the snoods on MySCap, share the same needs as the young peasant girls, plus they are dealing with other issues such as chemo therapy, alopecia, other hair issues, a full time job, raising a family etc.    They need a design that they can “put on and forget it” and still feel pretty!   The last thing they want to deal with is adjusting their headwear.

     Every snood that is listed on MySCap has to past my “feel good” test.   I literally close my eyes and feel the fabric’s softness and weight.   Each snood weighs less than 2oz or 1/8^th of a pound.   I believe a feather might weigh more.   Once the fabric makes it into my home it must pass the second test, which is the washing machine and dryer.     All of MySCap’s fabric is prewashed, to remove any chemicals, dyes etc., and to eliminate shrinkage.

     With over 500 snoods sold, I feel that it is a design that works!   Presently over 150 different snoods are listed at www.myscap.etsy.com.    I only make a small number of each offering.    I do this because for one thing I would go crazy stitching up the same fabric over and over, plus I love working with different fabrics.

2015 Fall Fashion colors

 

   

 

       After I finished purchasing all the fabric I could possibly fit into my carry-on luggage from the NY Garment District, I decided to scout out what was being shown in the stores and on the streets.    What better place to look than Macy’s, where I could easily spend all day!   It definitely is the largest department store in the States and maybe the world.

        While looking, I struck up a conversation with a buyer.   Not being shy - I asked her what the 2015 Fall Fashion Colors were.    I explained that I was from Kentucky and that I made turbans for ladies dealing with cancer, alopecia etc.    She was so nice!  She whipped out her phone and showed me Macy’s 2015 fall color palate!      Although she couldn’t give the app, what she did show me was enough for me to do some net surfing and find the colors.    

      Every color in the color wheel is present, but they are all muted/darkened or softened.    No bright true colors.  Below is  just a sample of MySCap headwear using these colors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Seams: https://www.etsy.com/shop/myscap?section_id=11262095&ref=shopsection_leftnav_6

 

Snood: https://www.etsy.com/shop/myscap?section_id=14584562&ref=shopsection_leftnav_4

 

Scarf-Turbans:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/myscap?section_id=11267230&ref=shopsection_leftnav_3

 

At  www.myscap.etsy.com.  you’ll see the complete listing of over 450 headwear items.

2015 Fall NY Fashion Visit

 

 

    While in New York City, I not only visit the “garment district” to find unique fabric for MySCap, but I also try to get a feel of upcoming fashion trends.    This visit was no exception.

       The garment district is located between 7^th & 8^th Avenue starting around 34^th Street and ending at 38^th Street.   It seemed like every 3^rd shop window had “over the top” colorful sequins fabric displayed.  I could imagine the beautiful gowns they would be made into for the holidays.    I feel safe to say that “bling” will still be making a fashion statement for a while.

        Along with the flashy sequins, I also noticed velvets and    velours.     What was interesting about the velvets and velours was that the fabric was stretchy, soft, did not crush, and “washable”!     The “old velvet”- although beautiful - had no stretch, would definitely crush if sat upon, was saved for formal wear or winter weddings, and had to be “dry cleaned”.  This velvet was being worn for everyday wear on the streets of New York.   I saw it in casual long straight skirts, and jackets.   As soon as I felt the new velvet, I knew it would make awesome looking snoods!     I ended up purchasing a Tumbleweed Camel and Plush Rich Vanilla.  

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/237985838/stretchy-velvet-hair-snoodplush-rich?ref=shop_home_active_18

       

 

 

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/251131374/velour-hair-snood-turban-tumbleweed?ref=shop_home_active_13

https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/myscap/tools/listings/section:11262095/251132296 

     Since most of my headwear ends up on a sensitive scalp of a lady dealing with chemo, I always wash every piece of fabric.     I also do it because I hate hand washing or dry cleaning anything!  I was amazed at how beautiful both pieces of fabric looked when I took them out of the dryer!

     Another fashion fabric design that I noticed popping up on the racks was what I would describe as “Aztec”.   I actually fell in love with the fabric first and then started seeing it in the stores.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/250293273/hair-snood-turban-black-bone-aztec?ref=shop_home_feat_1

     Because I buy my fabrics from many different sources and, if left unchecked I would buy the whole store, l limit my New York City  fabric purchases to what will fit in my carry-on luggage.    It is a challenge that I love!    I am usually able to return to Kentucky with about 8-10 treasured fabrics.    I went on this trip purposely to bring back rayon or cotton jersey knits for my snoods and scarf-turbans.   Thankfully that fabric is so lightweight that it took up little room in my carry-on.   

https://www.etsy.com/listing/229409795/butterfly-hair-snood-turban-with-cap?ref=shop_home_active_6

   The jersey knit that I just had to buy was 100% cotton with small butterflies.     About once a month I get a cap request for a small child dealing with cancer.    These requests always tear at my heart.    Being a mother and grandmother I can feel their pain.    I purchased this fabric for those little girls.   The sales lady was so sweet.    When I told her what I was going to use the fabric for, she gave me a special deal.   I think she was a mother and grandmother too.