HOOT!

We showed the “owl” baby hat to the NICU PA and she loved it…she said they were perfect for the babies and a special “touch” for worried parents (who will be reminded that they are not alone in their goal for a healthy baby). We are in production mode and we hope to initially donate (at least) four hats.

As promised, we post a picture of a hat that is just about done that the Knitter Formerly Known as Timid knitted. This was one of her first cabling projects, so we thought that seeing the result would encourage otherwise hesitant knitters to try the pattern. This is adapted from a pattern we found on Ravelry.com:

Find any simple baby hat pattern. As you know from an earlier post, we used the 12” No. 5 circular needles and casted on 56 stitches (remember, these are premmie babies, so the hats have to be small). Knit for one inch then start the owl cable pattern:
Rounds 1-3: P3, K8, P3
Round 4: P3, C4B, C4F, P3 (translation – purl 3, pick 2 stitches off the round needles with a cabling needle and hold them to the back, knit the next two stitches off the round needles, then knit the two stitches off the cabling needle, then pick 2 stitches off the round needles with a cabling needle and hold them to the front, knit the next two stitches off the round, then knit the two stitches off the cabling needle).
Rounds 5 – 11: Follow Round 1
Round 12: Follow Round 4
Round 13: Follow Round 1
Rounds 14 and 15: P3, K1, P2, K2, P2, K1, P3
Rounds 16 -17: Follow Round 1
Round 18: Follow Round 4
Round 19: Follow Round 1
Round 20 -21: Knit a regular round
Follow your pattern to begin to decrease and finish the hat.

We will eagerly accept any knitted donations and happily pass them along for the babies.