A Quiet Week

I can't believe it's almost February already!  Time goes by so quickly.  I've had a quiet knitting week.  I've just started updating my baby hoodie pattern.  I knitted it in blue merino yarn a few years ago and  added a zip fastening to the front.  This was for my little nephew.  I was happy with the results but never quite got round to typing up the pattern for it.

Top Tips when Knitting for Preemies

If you are looking to knit for premature babies, here are some of my top tips.

1.    When babies are born too soon it can leave parents unprepared and finding baby clothes that fit well can be a challenge.  Select a good premature baby knitting pattern that will create a little knit that fits snuggly and will help keep the little one cosy and warm.  Keep away from designs that are for dolls – the proportions on the sleeves are not correct for babies, and parents don’t want their new baby to feel like a toy!

2.    Choose your yarn carefully.  It should be a good quality machine washable acrylic - avoid pure new wool as some babies can be allergic to it.  Feel the yarn to ensure it is soft enough for a tiny baby.

3.    When buying yarn choose a 4ply or similar thickness.  Double knitting stitches look lovely on a full term baby but can look and feel bulky on a little one.

4.    Colour is very important when creating a tiny knit.  Go for pastels or white/cream.  If you want to use darker colours, keep them to a small amount and use as stripes or a motif.

5.    If knitting for your local NICU contact them first to see what knits are most needed – it can vary a lot from hospital to hospital.  Where possible include the yarn label so that staff can see washing directions.

6.    Don’t be afraid to design a knit yourself if can’t find what you are looking for. Look at full term babywear in shops or online for inspiration.  Some shops such as George, Asda offer a small range of preemie babywear.  You could pick up a bodysuit and design a cardi or hat that ties in with the colour scheme and style.

7.    Try to make clothes that are easy to put on delicate babies.  Sleeves should be wide (or stretchy so they can be widened) and seams kept to a minimum for the comfort of babies.  Stocking stitch makes the flattest – and therefore most comfortable – fabric for babies to lie on.  Other stitches can be used for the front of garments.  Be wary of designs that are lacy as tiny fingers can accidentally get caught in the holes!

8.    Buttons or plastic fasteners tend to be the best for closing garments.  Metal fasteners can heat up in an incubator and ribbons can irritate the skin.  Some premature baby clothes use a very fine Velcro fastening but this is difficult to source.

9.    Go online and look at charities for premature babies to get a sense of what is available. Sites like Ravelry.com have groups devoted to knitting premature baby clothes, and you can keep in touch with what is going on via social media, eg. @apreemiething, @PreemieProject or @EmilysStar. Some groups offer free knitting pattern downloads, and even if they are not exactly what you are looking for, they will give you a feel for premature baby knits in terms of size and special features. 

10.  If tiny clothing seems daunting start off with small blankets (about 18 inches x 18 inches  upwards) or bonding squares.  This should give you the confidence to go on to try hats or mittens, then cardis and bodywarmers if you wish.  Whatever you decide to make remember that putting the time and love into knitting for premature babies will be much appreciated by the parents, the hospital staff and the babies themselves!

I'm back!

Hello again,
I've had some technical problems but I'm glad to say that I seem to be up and running again.  I've been very busy lately with commissions for Love Knitting for Baby.  Tonight I finished the samples for the Spring issue.  It's always a good feeling when you finish a project you have been working on for a long time, and always a relief when the commissioning editor says she loves it! 

If I have enough time before the next commission I'll try to upload one or two of my newest patterns.  It takes quite a long time to format the pattern for posting online, some places like Ravelry use pdfs and others like Amazon work better with MS Word.  But it is worth the effort. 

My next post will focus on some of the storage solutions I have employed recently.

See you soon,
Angela