preemie baby caps: free pattern

roughly 80 yards of worsted weight yarn (I used Malabrigo in a blue colorway).
size 4 double pointed needles

Cast on 60 stitches, divided between three double pointed needles, twenty on each needle. Join in round without twisting the stitches.
Knit two, purl two across row for four inches. 

Decreases:
Knit two together, purl two across row.
Knit one, purl two across row.
Knit one, purl two together across row.
Knit one, purl one across row. 
Knit two together across row.

Cut yarn, leaving a 8 inch tail. Using a tapestry needle, thread through the remaining stitches, pulling the circle closed. Weave in ends. 

Because it takes very little yarn, it doesn't take long or very much yarn to knit two, the perfect gift for preemie twins. The edge can be folded up or left down.  If it is knit longer, it will work for a full-term babe as well. Because it is knit in rib the entire time, it is very stretchy, which works well for babies who grow really fast.

If you have any questions about this pattern, or want to leave a link to your baby cap, please leave a comment below!

Happy Knitting!

Baby Hats for Donation

You all are probably wondering where I disappeared to for the past month. I apologize for the long silence. I’ve been busy with college interviews and preparing for them. Now that the first series finished, I’ll have a little time to blog again.

I have been crocheting baby hats for Rex Hospital in the past month and a half. I have gotten such joy by crocheting something, not just for someone else, but for someone I’ve probably never met. I hope these hats are part of wonderful new baby experiences for everyone involved, baby, mom, dad, and extended families. 

I still remember as a volunteer having eager grandparents pressed to the glass of the nursery trying to figure out which blanketed baby was their’s. The “big” brothers and sisters were always so eager to come help dad pick up the baby and push the crib confidently down the hall. 

Rex Hospital needs to receive more hand-knit and -crocheted baby caps in order to give each new baby a hand-made hat. It means so much to the mothers. If you knit or crochet, and would be willing to make a cap for a baby and need more information or patterns, please just send me an email. My email can be accessed through my profile as a blogger.

My favorite hats are the pink and yellow caps with tiny flowers. Plain baby caps just didn’t cut it for me. Besides, I hope some mothers treasure these on her little lady or gentlemen.

If you have received a baby cap after the birth of your baby, please leave a comment and let me know about it.