Compassionate Knitting Project - Please Read

[tab]

I just finished a hat, a simple rolled brim thing maybe 2 inches high. It's so tiny it breaks my heart. I hope someone finds it at least a small comfort.
I plan on making a few more items (more hats, maybe a small blanket or two) and sending them all together.

[kimmie]

I just finished a hat, a simple rolled brim thing maybe 2 inches high. It's so tiny it breaks my heart. I hope someone finds it at least a small comfort.
I plan on making a few more items (more hats, maybe a small blanket or two) and sending them all together.

Thank you Tab! If you don't have a digital camera, I'll take pictures of what you send and post them.

I do believe that as tiny as these baby hats and other things are, they bring a lot of comfort. I think it takes away part of that awful "alone" feeling to know that others cared enough that they took the time to do something special for their little one.

kimmie

[raederle]

Normally, I just read boards anonymously, but when I found this thread, I HAD to register.

My daughter Aeryn was stillborn April 5th, 2004, a week before her due date. My son Owen just turned four months old today. I cried so hard when they gave me a little box with not handknit, but just ordinary baby hospital clothes for her- hat, gown and receiving blanket. That box, a lock of her hair, her footprints, and pictures are all I have of my first baby, but they mean so much. Because we're military, we didn't want to leave her behind next time we move, so we had her cremated so we could inter her someday when we stay in one place. But I know many people bury their babies in the beautiful clothes they get from donations, which is why if possible sets of two are often requested, one for a keepsake for the parents and one for the baby to wear. I decided to get serious and make something for my son about May of last year, and finished my first big project before he was born, a large crib-size basketweave pattern blanket (from Debbie Macomber's Shop on blossom street, if anyone is interested in the pattern) and I was so proud!

I succeeded in making his blanket, but failed to get a knit layette done for him. Not from lack of trying! I made a pair of socks, two pairs of mittens and a hat, but they were all too small. I still have many projects in various stages of not-doneness. I actually have the finished hat and mittens in a plastic baggie that I was planning to donate to the blanket group here in town that makes blankets for newborns (I'm keeping my very first pair of socks.) But they keep moving the meeting, and I don't have the time to chase them down all over town! I'm a distance education masters student as well as a full-time mommy, and I don't like to spend my free time waiting to see if anyone shows up at the library. Mind you, I like the library, but I do all my coursework on the computer on the internet. And I'm supposed to be writing papers, not browsing for new books to read!

Anyway, I found a pattern for a ventilator bonnet, which is my most recent cast on project, at the following website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/my_pages/...ar/index.shtml
by following the links here on the free patterns page:
http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting...ns/preemie.php

I'm trying to find out if the hospital here has use for these kinds of hats,

"Whilst caring for fragile infants in the neonatal intensive care unit, they have ultrasound cranial scans via the anterior fontanelle, which has in the past meant moving the bonnet manually and causing disturbance to the infant We have also found that parents like to keep the hats for posterity which is why we use up these hats so quickly.quote
Ann Bearpark (Sister)
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Leighton Hospital
Crewe , Cheshire"

--------quote from http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/my_pages/...iny_baby.shtml

but the volunteer coordinator is on maternity leave. Argh!

So let me send you, kimmie, my hat that couldn't have ever fit my 8 lb 4oz daughter when she was born still, and I will still try to find the Ronald McDonald house here in town for the comradeship, if not to drop off my completed project. The need for preemie hats, burial buntings, angel pockets is great, and unfortunately babies leave this world too soon in all sizes, from less than a pound to full-term. Bless you, for being moved to start this thread and inspire others to do so much good.

Now, this is my first-ever post on this site, so please PM your address, but maybe also direct me to the thread where instructions for new users are kept? So that I can actually receive your PM?

thank you!

[flecker]

I saw this thread the other day and had a chance to work on a hat yesterday. I got one hat finished and am working on a blanket. I too, am so surprised at the small size of the hat, and should be able to make a few to send, since it really took no time at all.
Please PM me the address so i can send them out. Thanks you.

What a 'compassionate' project. Best word to describe it.
Kim

[kimmie]

Thank you, Kim!! I will pm you with my address right now.

kimmie

[horve1]

Everyone's FOs are so great!
Just finished a little hat. I'm pretty sure I went small enough this time. I'm going to keep making as many different items as I can, and send a bunch in a few weeks. (I'm going to send the "giant booties" too. They are cute, and someone will be able to use them.) Wish I could post pics. Oh well.

Hugs,
Amy

[Ingrid]

I have the 3 hats and will likely make more, and an almost done blanket.

I had a wonderful idea, too. When my grandson was born on Christmas--not too small at 9+, they put him and the other babies born that day in a big stocking instead of wrapping them up in blankets. It would be adorable to provide teeny red and white hats for the NICU for the season. My local hospital has a pretty advanced NICU, so I think I will make that my Christmas gift to them. It'll be a great project to knit the the summer since they're so small.

It never would have occurred to me without this project, so thanks!

[kimmie]

Everyone's FOs are so great!
Just finished a little hat. I'm pretty sure I went small enough this time. I'm going to keep making as many different items as I can, and send a bunch in a few weeks. (I'm going to send the "giant booties" too. They are cute, and someone will be able to use them.) Wish I could post pics.

Amy, I will definitely take pictures of everything you send and post the pictures for you! Thank you so, so much for all you are doing. I know those "giant booties" are going to be absolutely cherished.

kimmie

[kimmie]

I had a wonderful idea, too. When my grandson was born on Christmas--not too small at 9+, they put him and the other babies born that day in a big stocking instead of wrapping them up in blankets. It would be adorable to provide teeny red and white hats for the NICU for the season. My local hospital has a pretty advanced NICU, so I think I will make that my Christmas gift to them. It'll be a great project to knit the the summer since they're so small.

My daughter was born just before Christmas and went home on Christmas Eve. They gave her one of those huge stockings too. She was just a peanut at 5 1/2 pounds, so she looked so itty bitty in it. We put her under the tree in the stocking on Christmas morning and my then 5 year old son was thrilled by that.

I love your idea about making the teeny red and white hats to give to the NICU babies at the holidays. What a CUTE idea. The parents will love that and the children will marvel over them when they are older. Every year on my kids' birthdays I pull out their first little outfits and they are amazed at how tiny they were.

Thanks for everything you are knitting for this!

kimmie

[BinkyKat]

In case this hasn't been posted yet...
How about little thumbless mittens? my newest nephew was only 3 weeks late but he was also a tiny 5 lbs. the jersey knit mittens my sil got at tarket were way to big and his fingers just to hard to trim the nails on. i made some premie sized mittens in cream alpaca. can't remember the weight, not fingering, but i can't remember which is thinner, dk or worsted...or is it the same?
anyhow, they worked out perfectly! i got the pattern on kpcentral