2 questions on knitting for preemie babies in the neo-natal unit . . .

[GreebosWhiskers]

Question 1 -

I need supersoft but inexpensive baby dk that can withstand washing at higher temps - can anyone recommend any?

Questions 2 -

Does anyone want to join me in knitting a few wee cardis, hats etc from the pattern here? Once we're done we could send them to our local neo-natal units.

Bumpety bump for you.

I could probably do a hat or two (I have a couple of things on the go atm though)

hi
knittingpatterncentral.com has loads of preemie patterns.

i used sirdar snuggly DK for the preemie stuff i knitted for ray of hope, that can be washed at 40 and tumble dried

No answers, but what a great idea! I end up giving most of my knitted stuff away anyway - I just like to occupy myself while watching TV. Have bookmarked for when I finish current project, thank you

sorry to hijack a beautiful and thoughtful thread but it seems like a good place to ask my idiotic and embarrasing question. Is there a website (or good book) to teach me how to knit?

I have made and donated stuff to this site before. They distribute it to hospitals and have links to patterns. I did a load of fleece blankets.
Bonnie Babies

I could make some fleece blankets if someone lets me know what size they need to be

mistypeaks, the Ladybird book of how to knit is still the best I reckon. It's for kids obviously but is therefore really straight forward and teaches you everything you need for a basic pattern. A great start.

thanks. I'll be looking on amazon v shortly.

Thanks folks

The yarn shop where my mum lives sells mainly sirdar so will stock up on the snuggly when I visit next week.

lailasmum thanks so much for that link - I'd never heard of that charity before..

sirdar snuggly is really nice and comes in lots of thicknesses and nice colours that aren't those dort of illuminous 70s colours that lots of knitters seem to love for babies. I have a sirdar early baby knitting book that has lots of patterns from really tiny.

My DTs were in NNU ITU and thir hats had holes in

At the front for the CPAP oxygen tubes also on each side for the straps

Their hats were very very thin fine wool cos they were in incubators

There is an article, with relevant patterns (v. preemie heads need egg-shaped bonnets not round ones apparently) in this month's Simply Knitting.
They recommend Sirdar Snuggly too.
The author said though, that usually the items allocated to each baby stay with them and go home with them to circumvent concerns about high-temp washing etc
This is why NICU and SCBU need regular stocks of these little clothes
Greebo, if you haven't seen that article, CAT me and I'll send you a copy. It could be very helpful maybe

Hats, mittens and socks are the best......I know from experience twice.

They are lovely if decorated with some little ribbon. They don't take knitted blankets in our local one fro some sort of health reasons but do like fleecy ones and cotton ones.

They recommended me to buy dolls outfits for mine when they were in

I think the size that bonnie babies wanted for fleece blankets was 14inches square but it might be worth double checking that as it was a while ago and I might have remembered wrong.

Marina - I just got my copy of SK thanks. That was rather strange timing

(Off subject but it took me a week past the issue date to track down a copy of SK - did anyone else have probs this month?)

Greebo I was also looking for SK in the shops last week and couldn't find it

Tatties - I was on hols last week & was moaning to dh about the cr@ppy little village newsagents that couldn't even get magazines on the issue date then got home & the heeyooge WHSmith up town didn't have it either

I'd be happy to rattle off a few cardis etc. I don't need an excuse to buy any more y arn {smile]

Just wanted to bump this thread as I think it's a wonderful thing to do. Have just finished knitting a set (hat,mittens,cardigan)
Thanks for the link GW hope to knit more and sent to the local neo-natal unit.

Thank you for that GB, I am going to buy some snuggly and have a go.

That's brilliant lexcat - well done

I'm getting there (very) slowly but surely.

Having spent a week in hospital with dd when she was a week old I know it's the little thing that helped me though it.
I'm not a fast knitter and give up if things are to big so prem baby clothes are great. I do find knitting relaxing, so do it in front of the telly of an evening.
Any other knitter out their have a go it such I nice thing to do.