A premature baby has very delicate skin so make sure you use baby soft yarn. Sometimes premature babies are allergic to wool, so it's best to steer clear of using wool mix. You can use cotton and acrylic yarn. 100% Egyptian cotton is very soft, a fantastic soft yarn for delicate skin, warm when it is cold and cool when it is warm.
Don't put too much emphasis on trying to perfect the size of a preemie garment. There is a great variation between premature baby sizes that an item of any size should be suitable for at least one baby. As a general guide premature babies head circumference is approximately the same as their chest circumference. The average prem baby's chest measurements are 8"-14". However clothes of all sizes are required for preemies, so no matter how big or small your item is it will most likely fit at least one baby.
Knitting items for premature babies can be very rewarding and is definitely appreciated by the charities and the families who receive them.
'LILY' Love In the Language of Yarn has teamed up with several non profit organisations in Turkey helping to raise awareness of premature births, and have been asked to help provide knitted garments for several neonatal intensive care units in Aydin, Izmir and Bodrum. If you would like to help out here are some knitting patterns to get you started.
You will need:
1 skein
of Any kind of Baby DK Yarn
Size 4mm
needles
Stitch
Holders (or large safety pins)
3
buttons for hoodie
Abbreviations:
K Knit
P Purl
St stitc
K2tog
Knit 2 stitches together
YO Yarn
over
HOODIE
BACK
With 4mm
needles cast on 40 sts.
Work 3
rows in garter st. ( K each row).
Work in
stockinette st ( K 1 row, P 1 row) until work is 4inches, ending on
purl row.
SLEEVES
Cast on
18 sts at beginning of next 2 rows.
Next
row: K across.
Next
row: K 2, P across to last 2 sts, K 2.
Repeat
these 2 rows until sleeve measures 2.5 inches,
ending
on purl row.
Cast off
18 sts at the beginning of next 2 rows.
Next
row: K 2tog across to end of row.
Cast off
4 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. Put remaining 12 sts
on
stitch holder.
LEFT
FRONT
Cast on
20 sts.
Work 3
rows in garter stitch.
Next
row: K across.
Next
row: P across to last 3 sts, K3
Continue
last 2 rows until work measures 1".
Next
row: K1, YO, K 2tog, (buttonhole), K across.
Continue
in stockinette stitch until work is 4" ending on prl row
**after
you have 9 ridges from 1st buttonhole, make another buttonhole.
SLEEVE
Cast on
18 sts beginning of next row.
Next
row:K 2, P across to last 3 sts, K3. (continue front edge)
K until
sleeve measures 2.5 inches.
Add
another buttonhole when you have 9 ridges from last buttonhole.
Make
sure front measures the same as the back.
Cast off
18sts, P across.
Next
row: K2tog across to end of row. (10 sts)
Next
row: Cast off 4 sts, P 4, K2 (6 sts) Place on stitch holder.
RIGHT
FRONT
Cast on
20 sts.
Work 3
rows in garter stitch.
Next
row: K across.
Next
row: K 3 sts, P across.
Continue
these 2 rows until work measures 4" ending on purl row.
SLEEVE
Cast on
18 sts beginning next row.
Next
row: K across.
Next
row: K 3, P across to last 2 sts, K2.
Continue
these 2 rows until piece measures 2.5 inches.
(make
sure measures same as the left front)
Cast
off 18sts, K across.
Next
row: K3, P across.
Next
row: K2tog across to end of row (10 sts)
Next
row: K2, P across.
Next
row: Cast off 4sts, work to end. (6 sts) Place these sts on stitch
holder.
HOOD
With
right sides facing you, place right front, back, left front
(24 sts)
on needle. Right side facing you, K across.
Next
row: P across.
Next
row: Increase knit front and back in each stitch. (48 sts)
Keeping
1st and last 3 sts in garter stitch, work in stockinette stitch until
hood measures 4". Cast off all 48 sts.
Fold
hood in half at cast off sts.
Sew seam
for hood.
Sew
sleeves and side seams.
Add
buttons to match the buttonholes.
HAT
With 3.75mm needles cast on 64 (72) sts.
Work 6
rows K1 P1 rib.
CHANGE
to 4mm needles and continue in stocking stitch
(1 row
K, 1 row P) until work measures 3.5 inches.
DECREASE:
Row 1:
K6 (7) K2 tog, repeat to end row.
Row 2
and alternate rows: purl.
Row 3:
K5 (6) K2 tog, repeat to end of row.
Row 5:
K4 (5) K2 tog, repeat to end of row.
Row 7:
K3 (4) K2 tog, repeat to end of row.
Row 9:
K2 (3) K2 tog, repeat to end of row.
Continue
decreasing thus until K2 tog across row.
work 1
row.
BREAK
off yarn and thread through remaining sts.
SEW up
carefully with a seam as flat as possible.
BOOTIES
WITH 4mm
needles, cast on 23 (25) sts, fairly loosely.
WORK K1
P1 rib for 8 rows.
DIVIDE
INSTEP (RS)
Next
row: Knit 16 (17) turn
Next
row: Purl 9, turn
WORK 12
rows in stocking st.
BREAK
off yarn.
REJOIN
yarn at point of needle and pick up and knit:
9 sts
from side of instep,
9 sts
from needle
9 sts
from side of instep
sts of
left needle. 41 (43) sts
WORK 9
rows in garter st.
NEXT
row: work 2 tog, patt 17 (18), work 3 tog, patt 17 (18) work 2 tog
NEXT
row: Knit.
NEXT
row: Work 2 tog, patt 15(16), work 3 tog, patt 15 (16) work 2 tog.
KNIT 1
row. 33 (35) sts
Cast
off.
Sew up
the seam. There is no need for ties or ribbon for these booties.
