Knitting For Premature Babies

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.

Plain flat half-inch buttons are best to use for fastening. Avoid nylon and metal fastenings, as they get very hot under the incubator heaters. Do not use Velcro as a fastening, it is very scratchy on the hook side and also damages knitted garments when they are laundered. Ease of dressing is vital for preemies and as a general rule it is best not to use ribbon as a fastening as ribbon can often be fussy to tie on a garment so small.
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.

'Thoughful Thursday' LILY - Love In the Language of Yarn

The charity featured today on Thoughful Thursday is very close to my heart. I have set up 'Lily'-Love In the Language of Yarn in memory of my grand-daughter Lily Iris Gibson born sleeping 18th July 2010.

Our Mission is To bring love and a smile to all children in need around the world. We provide hand knit and crocheted items for children, mainly orphans but any child in need. We are a new organisation and our first assignment is to provide blankets for Syrian refugees in Turkey. For our second assignment with have teamed up with Premature Bebek a non profit organisation in Turkey helping to raise awareness of premature births. We have been asked to help provide knitted garments for several neonatal intensive care units in Aydin, Izmir and Bodrum. 

A premature baby, or preemie, is born before the 37th week of pregnancy. Premature birth occurs in between 8 percent to 10 percent of all pregnancies. Because they are born too early, preemies weigh much less than full-term babies. They may have health problems because their organs did not have enough time to develop. Preemies need special medical care in a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU. They stay there until their organ systems can work on their own. Premature babies are amazing – they can grow and thrive despite huge obstacles, and catch up to full-term babies in both size and development.

 Calling All Knitters!

Please Help us to knit for premature babies.


Here is a free booklet containing some helpful information a basic knitting patterns for premature baby hat, booties, cardigan and hoodie + pant set.


Knitting for Premature Babies

Can you spare a little of you time to knit for premature babies?




Email dbjones5559@hotmail.co.uk for the postal address.
You can also find us at:  https://www.facebook.com/LilyLoveInTheLanguageOfYarn where I will be adding more knitting and crochet patterns, links to patterns and information updated daily.


I hope this has inspired you to get your knitting needles out and knit for premature babies! You don't have to be a brilliant knitter, and it's very rewarding!

Please Help If You Can!

'Lily' is supported by businesses and individuals in Turkey, whether it be donations of yarn, Knitting and Crocheting or transportation of completed blankets and garments to receiving agencies.

'Lily' has no paid employees.  All the good work is done on a strictly volunteer basis.

'Lily' wishes to thank all those private individuals and businesses which support us.  Without you, there would be no 'Lily' - Love In the Language of Yarn.  We work hard for the day when we are no longer needed to help keep Children warm.

Dianne Jones - Founder of  'Lily'- Love In the Language of Yarn.

Knitting For A Premature Baby

A premature baby, or preemie, is born before the 37th week of pregnancy. Premature birth occurs in between 8 percent to 10 percent of all pregnancies. Because they are born too early, preemies weigh much less than full-term babies. They may have health problems because their organs did not have enough time to develop. Preemies need special medical care in a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU. They stay there until their organ systems can work on their own. Premature babies are amazing – they can grow and thrive despite huge obstacles, and catch up to full-term babies in both size and development.

When I get question from people who are looking for premature baby knitting patterns to knit for an early baby, often they don't know what they are looking for. Usually they want to know whether the clothes  for a Baby doll are suitable to knit as garments for the tiny premature child. To help i have put a selection of preemie baby clothes together in an e booklet you can download it here:http://dianne-jones.blogspot.com/2012/05/thoughful-thursday-lily-love-in.html .or please leave you email address and i will be happy to send you a free copy.

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.

Plain flat half-inch buttons are best to use for fastening. Avoid nylon and metal fastenings, as they get very hot under the incubator heaters. Do not use Velcro as a fastening, it is very scratchy on the hook side and also damages knitted garments when they are laundered. Ease of dressing is vital for preemies and as a general rule it is best not to use ribbon as a fastening as ribbon can often be fussy to tie on a garment so small.

Knitting items for premature babies can be very rewarding and is definitely appreciated by the charities and the families who receive them. If you are excited by the prospect of getting your knitting needles working for charity please see 'Knit for Lisa's Stars' and 'Knitting with Loving Hands' earlier posts on this blog.





For Free E Booklet 'Knitting For Premmies' please leave your email address in the comment box at the base of this blog. I promise to respect your privacy and will not pass your details on to anyone else.