Knitting for the NICU

Happy Thanksgiving 2012

 

Thanksgiving in the NICU

As Thanksgiving comes tomorrow and we all enjoy the company of our family and friends while celebrating with thankfulness all the blessings in our lives, please remember to say a little prayer for the families with babies in the NICU.

Our little Littles have several choices for wardrobe this Thanksgiving, sort of like the cast of a Grammar School Thanksgiving play. The players:

Pilgrims

Indians

From the table:

Turkeys

This turkey pattern with its multi-colored feathers is from my book:

 

More Turkeys

Turkey Butts and Turkey Legs

Pumpkins

From the great outdoors:

Acorns

And camo.

 

The Great Pumpkin Patch, Charlie Brown

 

Little Maddox, who is almost a year old now, modeling his first punkin' hat I knitted him. 

It's my favorite time of year--fall!  I love the days as they get cooler (we have our front door open), and the sent of leaves and smoke in the air that is all so uniquely this season.  This also begins the knitting frenzy of fall through Superbowl in the NICU. This year I hope I get to participate.  I'm having gall bladder surgery next week so I haven't been feeling like knitting much. Well, actually, the spirit is willing but the body is weak right now. 

I'm trying to pump myself up by going through pictures of pumpkin hats past.  Using different yarns and slightly different colors, each of these are made from the same pattern, the one found in my book Warm Hats for Wee Noggins.  I love this pattern, so easy to dress up or down and the perfect fit for now through Thanksgiving.

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving from Knitting for the NICU!

We drove 12 hours to help a good friend celebrate her birthday at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado but our NICU is never far from my thoughts.  Gene drove, I knitted.  So even on Thanksgiving holiday I was thinking of my little Littles.  Completed one Santa hat on the way and have another one almost finished still on the needles....

Two Needle Pumpkin Pattern--Great for Halloween and Thanksgiving

Two Needle Pumpkin Hat

Pattern by Glenna Anderson Muse

Please do not repost to web without permission. Pattern for personal or charity use only.

Size 8 needles

Approx 1 oz worsted weight soft yarn in orange (Caron Simply Soft Persimmon)

Approx ½ oz worsted weight soft yarn in green

(SP, MP, LP) (NB, 3-6mos, 12 mos)

 

Co (35,40,45)(50,55,60)

 

Knit steady until reaches (2.5,3,3.5)(4.5,5,5.5)inches

 

Begin decreases:

K2tog, k3...rpt (3o,35,40)(45,50,55)sts

Knit all

Change to green

K2tog, k2....rpt (25,30,35)(40,45,50)

Knit all

K2tog k1...rpt (20,25,30)(35,40,45)

Knit all

K2tog ...rpt (10,13,15)(18, 20,23) MP NB 12 will have a single st at end to work alone

K2tog rpt (5,7, 8))(9,10,12) MP LP 12 will have a single st at end to work alone

 

Knit continuously until stem measures 2-2 ½ inches. BO

(Make sure you don't short the stem or, learn from my personal experience, a shortie stem makes the hat finish looking like a big orange boob with a green nipple. Funny, but not the look we're going for!) 

With yarn needle and tail, curl stem and secure to top of hat. Weave loose ends in.

 

Leaf:

CO 6

Knit 12 rows or until square.

BO.

 

Fold over one corner and sew onto hat near stem. Weave in all ends.