Who are my favorite authors? My favorite books? I’m asked this by nearly every group with which I talk, and the answer is that when I’m writing my own book, I can’t read at all. I do knit, which explains the yarn in books like Not My Daughter and Family Tree.
Once monthly, I attend Stitch Night at Iron Horse, a local yarn store owned by Debbie Smith, and she has just introduced something new to her knitters. The project is called Stitching for Babies, and it entails making preemie and newborn hats, booties, and blankets for local Neo-Natal Intensive Care Units. As Debbie puts it, “There is a real need for all those infants to be seen as babies, not just connected to tubes and monitor leads.”
When I broached this idea to my Facebook fans a few days ago, their response was overwhelming. So I broach it to you now, and I’ll make it simple. Let’s start with preemie blankets, the size of a nice hand towel, roughly 14” x 18”, just enough to lay over the infant, not to wrap. This is a quick and easy project, even for beginners. You can knit or crochet or quilt. Hey, quilters, you’re on your own for patterns, but knitters and crocheters will find a pattern for each below.
Yarn should be machine washable and dryable. I recommend worsted weight, since it works up quickly but isn’t ultra-heavy. Pick a color of your choice. Here’s the Shell Preemie Blanket I just finished. Clearly, I have the fuchsia heart of Not My Daughter’s Susan Tate. I used Berroco Vintage, which is 50% acrylic, 40% wool, and 10% nylon, and I added the navy border when my skein of fuchsia ran out.
Send your finished blanket to me at PO Box 812894, Wellesley, MA 02482. No need to block; Debbie will do that. Each donated blanket will have the first name of the donor affixed.
Here are the patterns:
Crochet: Shell Preemie Blanket (approx 14 x 18)
Chain 47 loosely with size H or I crochet hook.
Row 1: In 5th chain from hook, work 1 sc + ch 2 + 2 dc. * Skip 2 ch, work 1 sc + ch 2 + 2 dc in next chain.* Repeat between *s to last 3 ch. You should have 13 clusters. Skip 2 ch, work 1 dc in last ch. Ch 3. Turn.
Row 2: Work 1 sc + ch 2 + 2 dc in each ch 2 loop (13 clusters) until 3 ch loop at end of row. Work 1 dc in this loop. Ch 3. Turn.
Repeat Row 2 until piece measures roughly 17.5”. At end of row, turn corner with 3 dc + 2 ch + 3 dc in 3 ch loop. Continue with 1 sc + ch 2 + 2 dc down side to give 17 clusters. Repeat corner pattern. Work 13 clusters along bottom and 17 along final side. If desired, repeat entire border once more. Cut off yarn, weave in ends.
Knit: Checkerboard Preemie Blanket (approx 14 x 18)
Cast on 59 sts with #7 or #8 needles (gauge is not crucial). Knit the first two rows.
Row 1: K2,*K5, P5* repeat across to the last 7 sts, K7.
Row 2: K2, *P5, K5* repeat across to the last 7 sts, P5, K2
Repeat row 1 and 2 one more time
Repeat row 1 one time for a total of 5 row pattern then reverse pattern.
Row 3: K2, *P5, K5* repeat across to the last 7 sts, P5, K2
Row 4: K2,*K5, P5* repeat across to the last 7 sts, K7.
Repeat row 3 and 4 one more time
Repeat row 3 one time for a total of 5 row pattern then reverse pattern again.
Repeat this pattern sequence 10 times, then repeat Row1/2 squence once more. Knit 2 rows, bind off. Weave in ends.
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Posted the link in my FB status. I have lots of ‘crafty’ friends. I hope this is a very successful project. I am checking to see if there is a nned for these locally as well.
Love your books and love this idea. Thanks for starting it!
Thanks for helping spread the word, Mary. You’re fabulous!
Barbara, I love your heart!! This is fabulous. Since I have horrendous knitting skills (I can make a scarf that only I’d dare wear), I volunteer as a Photographer with “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”, where many of the knitted hats & blankets are treasured by the parents we serve.
Don’t forget some smaller hats for the micro-preemies!
Thank you Barbara and your readers. Sometimes we forget how just a little effort and a huge amount of kindness goes far.
Dear Barbara,
I bought Not My Daughter two weeks ago, and I have been saving it for this weekend when I plan to sit down and read your book all the way through. There is something so wonderfully delicious about having a book of yours to look forward to.
I read While My Sister Sleeps and could not put it down.
I know this book will be just as absorbing.
Thank you in advance,
Stella MacLean
Hi Barbara,
I have more yarn than I’ll be able to use for a long time. I’m going to try and do the crochet version. Had a brain wave for a quilt. Discussed it with my Mom who makes quilts for Project Linus. Let me see how easily doable my idea is. I’ll write again if it works.
Just finished Not My Daughter. Beautifully written. You do a great job of weaving the relationships around the plot line. These characters are still alive in my head—which is, in my opinion, the most important part of fiction. You also did a great job of not glorifying teen pregnancy, but also not vilify. I have been a fan for years, and will continue to be. Maybe you could publish several a year?? Wishful thinking!!
Thanks for all of your hard work–and good luck with the knitting project.
I got a friend who knows Crochet. And she loves doing bags and other items… It’s very beautiful.
I love your books, and just finished While My Sister Sleeps.
Thanks for calling attention to charity knitting. There is always a need for items – for preemies, children, homeless people, seniors, veterans, those in cancer treatment, etc. I have been knitting for over 40 years (I started as a young girl) and knitting for charity for 15 or 20 years. Right now I am making chemo shawls and baby hats for a local hospital in Virginia.
I’m originally from the Boston area, and my mom and I knit for the Knitting Connection (http://www.theknittingconnection.org/). They distribute hats, scarves, slippers, mittens, blankets, etc to children from ages newborn through eighteen. I’ve always been impressed by this organization and its director Sue Manning.
CareWear (http://www.carewear.org) also has a great database of hospitals around the country that can use items, if people want to donate locally.
I have quiet a few newborn hats that I have made and haven’t donated before so I’m not sure where to send them. Any ideas??
Debbie, if you’d like, you can send them to me at PO Box 812894, Wellesley MA 02482, and I’ll get them to my local NICU. They would be SO grateful for newborn hats! Thanks a million!
Thank you for the idea! I love to crochet and this is a wonderful project. I am mailing 6 blankets to you today!
Hi Barbara, I tried to print the instructions for the knitted blanket. Is the pattern copywrited, or is my printer just having a tantrum? I was going to copy the pattern so I could get some help making it as I can’t knit as well as I can crochet.