Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knit Little Red Hats for Preemies

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knit red hats for nicu babiesYou may not know this, but my little girl was a preemie, born six weeks early. We were lucky and she didn’t have any major health problems, and only spent a week in the NICU.

But a lot of families have babies who are in the hospital much longer, and it can be difficult to feel like celebrating holidays when your little one isn’t home.

One awesome photographer in the Kansas City area has rallied a bunch of people to help make Christmas a little more special for families with babies in the hospital, by providing them with little red hats and a visit from Santa. (Just thinking about this makes me cry a little, so if you’re a sap like me do not watch the video. You’ve been warned.)

Jessica Storm of Believe in Preemies is collecting hats for local hospitals again this year, and they’re needed by December 7. You can email believeinpreemies @ gmail.com to get the pattern and shipping address. It’s asked that all hats be knit in red with white trim so the babies match Santa, and hats of various sizes, from teeny to full-term are needed.

We’re pretty close to Kansas City and a local yarn store is collecting hats to send, so I’m definitely going to have to stitch some up. (While Santa can only visit a couple of hospitals, all the hats are distributed to local NICUs, so all the hats will be used to spread holiday cheer.)

Let’s overwhelm them with tiny red hats, why don’t we?

[Photo via Believe in Preemies.]

Have you read?

Free Knitted Crown Pattern for Kids and Adults: A Sweet Handmade Dress-Up Idea

There’s something wonderfully charming about a knitted crown. It’s playful, useful for the dress-up basket, and just the sort of small project that gives a leftover ball of yarn a proper purpose. Much better than letting it roll around the cupboard for another three years.

This free knitted crown pattern for kids and adults combines a simple garter-stitch band with shaped triangular points. The mustard-gold colour gives it that storybook crown look, although pink, purple or woodland green would be equally lovely.

A Manageable Next Step for Beginner Knitters

The construction is the appealing part of this design. Everything is knitted flat, so you won’t need double-pointed needles or experience joining stitches in the round.

You knit the band first, then work each crown point separately over a group of 12 stitches. Paired decreases gradually narrow each triangle, giving you a small, repeatable section to concentrate on.

I’d describe this as a confident beginner knitting project. You’ll need to know how to knit, work two types of decreases, hold unused stitches and sew a simple seam. There are several yarn tails to weave in, so a little patience with finishing will help.

Three Sizes With Room to Personalise

The pattern includes three sizes, with seven, eight or nine crown points. Choose by the wearer’s head measurement rather than age, and check your gauge carefully. Yarn stretch will make a noticeable difference to the fit.

For birthdays, an embroidered initial would be a sweet finishing touch. Contrasting yarn diamonds could suggest little jewels without adding hard embellishments.

What to Know Before Casting On

This is a soft knitted crown, so expect gentle points rather than a rigid costume accessory. A springy wool or wool-blend yarn should give the shaping more support than a very drapey yarn.

The stitch calculations have been checked, but the design has not yet been sample-knitted. The accompanying image is an illustrative mockup, so the finished texture and proportions may vary with your yarn and tension.

For a small handmade birthday accessory or a cheerful addition to the dress-up box, this is an appealing idea. And if an adult needs a matching crown for supervising the royal household, the larger size has that covered too.