HELLO KITTY MICRO PREEMIE THRU NEWBORN HAT
Copyright 2015 by Glenna Anderson Muse
Great for NICU knitters, this quick knit Hello Kitty hat is adorable anytime of year but is particularly popular in my NICU for Halloween. Knitted in any soft, white, washable, non-animal fiber yarn on size 8 (US) needles in the round. Finished with fabric paint facial details. Sized for Micro-Preemie (< 2lbs), Medium Preemie (2.5-4 lbs), Large Preemie (4.5-5.5 lbs), and Newborn (6-7.5 lbs)
Finished Hat Circumference Measurements
(8", 10", 11", 12")
Abbreviations
BO = bind off
CO = cast on
Materials
Size 8 (US) double pointed needles or size needed to meet gauge
Optional: Size 10 (US) double pointed needles
Less than 1/2 skein of any soft, white, non-animal fiber, #4 Worsted Weight Yarn that meets gauge requirements.
Yarn needle
Fabric paint in pink and black
Commercially made pink bow or pink flower (children's hair bows/flowers work great for these)
Pattern Notes
Casting on with the larger sized needles creates a stretchier, more comfortable hat opening for babies, especially premature babies whose skin and heads are even more tender than term babies.
Sizes written as (Micro-Preemie, Medium Preemie, Large Preemie, Newborn)
Directions
With larger needles and white yarn, CO (34, 42, 46, 54)
Change to smaller needles.
Row 1: Knit all stitches. Connect to knit in the round, placing marker between last stitch of first row and first stitch of second row.
Row 2: Purl around row.
Row 3: Knit around row.
Row 4: Purl around row.
Row 5: Knit around row.
Row 6: Purl around row.
Knit all from this point on until total length measures (3.5", 4.5", 5", 5.5").
BO.
Finishing:
Sew top seam together, flat.
Measure 1" down from the top point each of side and measure in 1" from top point of each side. Mark with stitch holders or other. Seam across from measured point to measured point in straight diagonal line to form ears. (Makes a triangle shape for ears).
Weave in all loose ends.
With fabric paint, draw two black oval dot eyes, one pink oval dot mouth, and 2-3 black whisker lines on each side of mouth as show in photo. The key to the Hello Kitty look is that the eyes and mouth are only dots with the eyes and whiskers spaced quite far apart but they have to be close enough together when the hat is worn to still be recognizable.
Attach bow/flower to left ear.
Say "Hello, Kitty!"
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Thank you for using this pattern. If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected]. If you would like to be featured on my blog, please send pics of your hat or your little person wearing his or her new knitting.
