Knitting for the NICU

Basic Knitted Diaper Cover Pattern

Diaper Covers make for great photos! They're so cute, especially when they're coordinated with adorable holiday or themed hats.  This is a very quick and simple preemie diaper cover pattern on two needles with minimal shaping.  It will work up quickly and easily using your favorite worsted weight yarn and size 8 straight needles.

 

Preemie  Basic Knitted Diaper Cover

Pattern by Glenna Anderson Muse

Pattern copyrighted 2013 by Glenna Anderson Muse. Please do not place pattern on the web or make any use of pattern other than for personal use or knitting for charity.

Materials:

1 oz Worested Weight yarn

Size 8 straight needles

yarn needle

Preemie:  Small--Medium--Large  (Medium Preemie is approx 3-4lbs)

Directions:

CO: (16, 20, 24) stitches, loosely

Ribbing (K2, P2...repeat) x 6 rows (4 rows for small preemie)

Change to stockinette (Knit row alternating Purl row) x (1", 1 1/2", 2"), ending by working wrong side row (purl)

Ribbing (K1, P1...repeat) x (1", 1 1/2", 2"), ending by working wrong side. 

Work in stockinette (knit row alternating purl row) until measures (1",  1  1/2", 2"), ending by working purl row.

Change to Ribbing (K2, P2..repeat)x 6 rows. (4 rows for small preemie)

BO all. Cut tail and pull through last stitch and secure. Weave in all loose threads.

Sew up sides from top (waist) to half way between waist and beginning of crotch ribbing (to form leg holes) using mattress stitch.

 For a slightly more complex version of this pattern, still on 2 needles, but with more shaping (increases and decreases), see Easy Pumpkin Hat with Coordinating Diaper Cover Pattern.

Santa Hat pattern available in Warm Hats for Wee Noggins by Glenna Anderson Muse 

 

 

 

Easy Pumpkin Hat & Diaper Cover Free Kntited Preemie Pattern

Though admittedly not overly practical in the NICU on a daily basis, diaper covers coordinated with cute hats (which are very practical) are super cute as heck on Preemies for photo ops!  This little pumpkin hat and soaker are perfect for a great photo shoot for the little LIttles.

Both are easy knitting designs for those who can wield double pointed needles (sort of the chopsticks skill of knitting) in the round and some basic shaping, increases and decreases.  The hat is knitted on dpns, changing colors at the top to form the pumpkin's stem and the diaper cover is knitted on two needles in one piece with the sides sewn together at the end.  Both are quick and fairly easy to turn out.

 

 

Preemie  Basic Knitted Diaper Cover

Pattern by Glenna Anderson Muse

Pattern copyrighted 2013 by Glenna Anderson Muse. Please do not place pattern on the web or make any use of pattern other than for personal use or knitting for charity.

Materials:

1 oz Worsted Weight yarn

Size 8 straight needles

yarn needle

Preemie:  Small--Medium--Large  (Medium Preemie is approx 3-4lbs)

Directions:

CO: (16, 20, 24) stitches, loosely

Ribbing (K2, P2...repeat) x 6 rows (4 rows for small preemie)

Change to stockinette (Knit row alternating Purl row) x (1", 1 1/2", 2"), ending by working wrong side row (purl)

Continue in stockinette, binding off 2 stitches at the beginning of each of the next (2, 4, 6) rows. (12 stitches)

Ribbing (K1, P1...repeat) x (1", 1 1/2", 2"), ending by working wrong side.  CO 2 stitches

Stockinette stitch (Knit row alternating Purl row), CO 2 stitches to the end of the next (1, 3, 5) rows (16, 20, 24 stitches total)

Continue working in stockinette until measures (1",  1  1/2", 2"), ending by working purl row.

Change to Ribbing (K2, P2..repeat)x 6 rows. (4 rows for small preemie)

BO all, cut tail and pull through last stitch and secure.  Sew up sides from waist to leg hole.  Weave in all loose threads.

Sew up sides using mattress stitch.

 

For an even faster version of this diaper cover with less shaping, see Basic Preemie Diaper Cover pattern.

Preemie Knitted Pumpkin Hat 

 Pattern by Glenna Anderson Muse

Pattern copyrighted 2013 by Glenna Anderson Muse. Please do not place pattern on the web or make any use of pattern other than for personal use or knitting for charity.

Materials:

1 oz Worsted Weight yarn in orange

1/2 oz Worsted Weight yarn in green

Size 8 double pointed needles

yarn needle

Preemie:  Small--Medium--Large  (Medium Preemie is approx 3-4lbs)

Directions:

With Orange yarn, CO (34, 38, 42) stitches, loosely over 3 or 4 needles and join together, placing marker after last stitch and before first stitch of next row.

Knit continuously in the round for (2.5", 3", 3.5").

Change to green yarn. Knit 2 rows.

Decrease:

K2tog across.  (17, 19, 21) stitches remaining.

K2tog across, working last stitch singly.  (9, 10, 11) sts.

K2tog across, working last stitch singly on small and large preemie sizes.  (5, 5,6)

Knit 4 rows for stem.

BO all stitches, cut tail and pull through last stitch and secure.  Weave in all loose threads.