My continuing adventures in knitting for our local NICU, creating special holiday hats (and more!) for our little Littles in celebration of the major holidays and for their parents to take home as souvenirs.
What have I been up to the last several weeks? Knitting up this adorable Easter dress for Niece Myia.
I really love this pattern: Shades of Summer Dress designed by Elena Nodel, a free download on Ravelry for sizes 3 months to 6 years and worked in sport weight yarn. It's an adorably light little spring or summer dress. However, since we live in southwest Missouri where Mother Nature is Bipolar....we added a little turtle neck top underneath for some warmth on this very cool spring day.
I'm pretty sure Myia likes it too, from this face which tickles me pink (or aqua):
Simple Christmas red and green stripes overlaid on a red, green, and white tweed hat, and topped with a puffy pom-pom.
Sizes: (Micro-Preemie, Med-Preemie, Large Preemie, Newborn)
Finished hat circumference measurements:
(8, 10, 11, 12) inches
Abbreviations:
CO = cast on
K2tog = knit two stitches together as one, to decrease
Materials:
Size# 8 double-pointed needles or needles needed to make gauge
Optional: Size #10 double pointed needles or 2 sizes larger than needles used to accomplish gauge. Note: Casting on using larger needles creates a stretchier, more comfortable hat opening.
50-100 yards Hobby Lobby "I Love This Yarn" in "White Tweed"
50 yards Hobby Lobby "I Love This Yarn" in "Jelly Bean"
50 yards Hobby Lobby "I Love This Yarn" in "Fire Red"
Yarn needle
2-3 inch Pom-Pom maker
Gauge: 16 stitches x 22 rows = 4 inches
Directions:
With Green yarn and larger set of needles, CO (36, 42, 48, 54).
Change to smaller needles.
Row 1: *K1, P1*, repeat from * to * across row. Join to knit in the round, placing a marker between last stitch of first row and first stitch of second row.
Rows 2 and 3: *K1, P1*, repeat from * to * across row.
Change to White Tweed yarn.
Rows 4: Knit all stitches
Row 5: Purl all stitches
Rows 6-9: Knit all stitches
Change to Green yarn.
Row 10: Knit all stitches
Change to "Fire Red" yarn.
Row 11 and 12 Knit all stitches.
Change to Green yarn.
Row 13 Knit all stitches.
Change to White Tweed yarn.
Knit all stitches until piece measures (2.5, 3, 3.5, 4) inches from CO edge.
Decrease: 6, 7, 8, 9).
Row A: *K4, K2tog*. Repeat * to * around row. (30, 35, 40, 45 stitches remain)
Row B: *K3, K2tog*. Repeat * to * around row. ( 24, 28, 32, 36 stitches remain)
Row C: *K2, K2tog*. Repeat * to * around row. ( 18, 21, 24, 27 stitches remain)
Row D: *K1, K2tog*. Repeat * to * around row. ( 12, 14, 16, 18 stitches remain)
Thank you for using this pattern. If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected]. If you would like to be featured on my blog, Knitting for the NICU, please send pics of your little Little to the same email address.
Soft, light weight, American Flag hat sized for micro through large preemie, plus newborn. It's knitted in pink, light blue, and white in DK weight Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton yarn on size 5 straight needles, seamed up each side using mattress stitch. Decorated with pink and blue tassels. "Easy", techniques include casting on, binding off, knit and purl stitches, and easy colorwork with stripes. Also, the directions are spelled out row by row to aid beginning knitters in color changes.
Casting on and binding off using needles 2 sizes larger than those used to work the body of the hat will create a stretchier, more comfortable opening for baby's head. Also, the directions are spelled out row by row to aid beginning knitters in color changes.
DIRECTIONS:
With White yarn and larger needles, CO (22, 28, 30, 34) stitches
Change to smaller (size 5) needles
Rows 1 - 4: *K1, P1*, Repeat * to * across row.
Change to Pink yarn. (Do not cut white yarn. Always carry unused color up side of work.)
Row 5: Knit all stitches.
Row 6: Purl all stitches.
Row 7: Knit all stitches.
Row 8: Purl all stitches.
Micro Preemie size skip ahead to Row 17
Change to White yarn.
Row 9: Knit all stitches.
Row 10: Purl all stitches.
Row 11: Knit all stitches.
Row 12: Purl all stitches.
Change to Pink yarn.
Row 13: Knit all stitches.
Row 14: Purl all stitches.
Row 15: Knit all stitches.
Row 16: Purl all stitches.
Change to White and Blue yarn. (Do not cut pink yarn. Carry unused yarns up side of work.)
Row 17: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Remember to cross yarn colors at each color change to keep work snuggly joined together.
Row 18: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 19: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 20: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Change to Pink and Blue yarn.
Row 21: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 22: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 23: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 24: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Change to White and Blue yarn.
Row 25: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 26: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 27: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 28: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches
Micro Preemie size only, skip ahead to Row 61
Change to Pink and Blue yarn.
Row 29: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 30: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 31: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 32: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Change to White and Blue yarn.
Row 33: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 34: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 35: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 36: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches
Change to Pink and Blue yarn.
Row 37: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 38: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 39: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 40: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Change to White and Blue yarn.
Row 41: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 42: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 43: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 44: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches
Medium Preemie size only, skip ahead to Row 61
Change to Pink and Blue yarn.
Row 45: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 46: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 47: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 48: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Change to White and Blue yarn.
Row 49: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 50: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 51: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 52: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches
Large Preemie size only, skip ahead to Row 61
Change to Pink and Blue yarn.
Row 53: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 54: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 55: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 56: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Change to White and Blue yarn.
Row 57: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 58: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches.
Row 59: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17).
Row 60: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches
(All Sizes)
Change to Pink yarn
Row 61: Knit all stitches
Row 62: Purl all stitches.
Row 63: Knit all stitches
Row 64: Purl all stitches.
Change to White Yarn
Row 65: Knit all stitches
Row 66: *P1, K1*, Repeat * to * across row.
Repeat Row 66 two times more.
BO all stitches in pattern.
Finishing:
Using mattress stitch, sew up side seams. If unfamiliar, do an general internet, Pinterest, or YouTube search for "knitting mattress stitch" for instructions. This seam becomes invisible, allowing the stripes to flow beautifully together. Make and attach two tassels. Weave in all loose ends.
TO MAKE TASSELS:
Cut 2 pieces of yarn, approximately 8 inches each. Set aside.
Wrap yarn around all four of your fingers 20 times.
Draw one of the cut threads through the top of the loops and knot.
Cut through bottom loops, smooth threads, and lay tassel over second cut thread, approximately 1/4 inch from the top of the tassel.
Tie securely into a knot. Trim ends. Attach to top corners of hat using the two threads at top of tassel.
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.
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.
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.
ELF ON THE SHELF STYLE CHRISTMAS HAT FOR MICRO-PREEMIE
Copyright 2015 by Glenna Anderson Muse
Since micro preemies are the same sizes as the Elf on the Shelf dolls, I always knit a couple of these tiny hats for our NICU at Christmastime so our micro preemies can be our own personal cutie patootie Elves on the Shelves. Except we would never wedge them up on the family room curtain rods, of course.
Finished Measurements: 8 inch circumference hat opening by 5 inches tall.
Abbreviations:
CO = cast on
K = knit
K2tog = knit two stitches together as if one, to decrease
P = purl
Materials
Less than half skein of Lion Brand Vanna White yarn in Scarlet or other worsted weight yarn that accommodates gauge
Less than half skein of Lion Brand Vanna White yarn in White or other worsted weight yarn that accommodates gauge
Size 10 (US) double pointed needles
Size 8 (US) double pointed needles
Yarn needle
Gauge: 16 stitches x 22 rows = 4 inches
Pattern notes: With all baby hats, I routinely use a long tail cast on and cast on with needles two sizes larger than those used to knit the rest of the hat for the stretchiest, most comfortable fit The heads and vasculature of preemies, particularly micro-preemies, are so delicate and fragile that with this hat I insist on it.
Directions:
With white yarn and larger needles, CO 33 stitches.
Change to smaller needles.
Row 1: Knit all stitches. Connect to knit in the round, placing a marker between last stitch of first row and first stitch of last row.
Row 2: Purl all stitches.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 one more time.
Change to red yarn.
Knit all stitches until piece measures 1.5 inches from CO edge.
Decrease:
Row 1: *K9, K2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (30 sts remain)
Row 2 (and all even rows): Knit all stitches.
Row 3: *K8, K2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (27 sts remain)
Row 5: *K7, K2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (24 sts remain)
Row 7: *K6, K2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (21 sts remain)
Row 9: *K5, K2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (18 sts remain)
Row 11: *K4, K2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (15 sts remain)
Row 13: *K3, k2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (12 sts remain)
Row 15: *K2, K2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (9 sts remain)
Row 17: *K1, K2tog*...repeat * to * two times more. (6 sts remain)
Row 19: K2tog around row. (3 sts remain)
Cut 10" tail, thread onto yarn needle, draw thread through remaining 3 stitches, pull tight, secure, and weave into underneath side, keeping top point nice and pointy.
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.
Based on the colors of the Irish national flag, a green, white, and orange hat with a little strand work and a commercially made shamrock girls' hair clip for fun, and topped with a puffy pom-pom.
Sizes: (Micro-Preemie, Med-Preemie, Large Preemie, Newborn)
Finished hat circumference measurements:
(8, 10, 11, 12) inches
Abbreviations:
CO = cast on
K2tog = knit two stitches together as one, to decrease
Materials:
Size# 8 double-pointed needles or needles needed to make gauge
Optional: Size #10 double pointed needles or 2 sizes larger than needles used to accomplish gauge. Note: Casting on using larger needles creates a stretchier, more comfortable hat opening.
Less than 1 skein of any "soft" worsted weight kelly green yarn that meets gauge
Less than 1 skein of any "soft" worsted weight bright orange yarn that meets gauge
Less than 1 skein of any "soft" worsted weight white yarn that meets gauge
Yarn needle
Optional: shamrock pin or girls' shamrock hair clip
Gauge: 16 stitches x 20 rows = 4 inches
Directions:
With green yarn and larger set of needles, CO (32, 40, 44, 48).
Change to smaller needles.
Row 1: *K1, P1*, repeat from * to * across row. Join to knit in the round, placing a marker between last stitch of first row and first stitch of second row. Rows 2-4: *K1, P1*, repeat from * to * across row.
Change to white yarn.
Rows 5-6: Knit all stitches
Change to orange yarn.
Row 7: Knit all sttiches
Row 8: *K2(orange), K2(green)*. Repeat * to * around row.
Note: Be sure to cross yarns at each color change throughout the row and keep your tension loose so the fabric will lay smoothly.
Row 9: *K2(green), K2(orange)*. Repeat * to * around row.
Change to green yarn
Row 10: Knit all stitches.
Change to white yarn
Knit all stitches until piece measures (2, 3, 3.5, 4) inches from CO edge.
Change to orange yarn.
Knit all stitches x 3 rows.
Decrease:
Row A: *K2, K2tog*. Repeat * to * around row. (24, 30, 33, 36 stitches remain)
Row B: *K1, K2tog*. Repeat * to * around row. (16, 20, 22, 24 stitches remain)
Thank you for using this pattern. If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected]. If you would like to be featured on my blog, Knitting for the NICU, please send pics of your little Little to the same email address.
