This is my first year participating in the 12 Days of Christmas NICU Hat Challenge, and I am so honored to be a part of such an awesome and inspiring project! The challenge for the designers was to come up with a preemie hat pattern that relied on texture or color change for originality. (NICU babies, and hospital babies in general, are not allowed to have any kind of embellishment on their hats due to the potential for choking).
(By the way, if you want to join this awesome challenge starting November 20, 2014, either follow me on Facebook or sign up for my email list (under the main menu). When the challenge begins, you’ll know about it!)
As I started thinking about how to make my hat, I did quite a bit of reading on NICU hats. I learned that NICU wards go through hats like crazy. In an environment where even the mildest germs can make a tiny newborn take a turn for the worse, any hat that falls off a baby’s head and onto the floor cannot be put back on. So one little baby can go through multiple hats in a day. Doesn’t that put it in perspective for you? It does for me! NICU wards need these donations.
Another thing to keep in mind as you get ready to make preemie hats is that your yarn needs to be super soft. This isn’t the time to use Super Saver yarn. I made my hats with Bernat Satin, which is comparable in weight and feel to Caron Simply Soft. (Actually, the coral hat in the photos is Simply Soft.) I prefer Bernat Satin, but they both worked well for this project.
I found a chart online that showed the different hat sizes needed for the various weights of premature babies. I was only going to choose one to make a pattern for, but it went so quick that I decided to go ahead and make up all 4 sizes. So, below you’ll find patterns for 1-2 lbs, 2-3.5 lbs, 3.5-5 lbs, and 5-6 lbs.
I named my pattern after my niece, Olivia, who spent a few days in the NICU herself due to water on her lungs, low oxygen levels, anemia, and a few other issues. (That’s her in the photo, modeling a big-girl version of this pattern.) I remember visiting the day after she was born and seeing the exhaustion and fear in my sister’s eyes. Olivia wasn’t in a life-threatening situation, but even that (relatively) short stay in NICU was enough to completely overwhelm that new mommy, who had a husband in the middle of nursing school finals and a toddler son who needed her at home. It made me realize that every single family in the NICU has a story; from the babies who only stay a few days, to the tiniest newborns who fight for their lives for months or more, each new mommy and daddy goes through an emotional struggle that I know cannot even be imagined by those of us who have not experienced it.
I hope that every single hat that is made during this challenge will be a small blessing to the family whose little one wears it. (Even if it’s only for 5 minutes before it falls on the floor!)
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Quick note: One of my wonderful readers mentioned that her local hospital does not use homemade hats on the smallest babies. It’s probably a good idea to contact the hospital you’re going to donate to, and find out if they have any special policies as well!
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OLIVIA’S PREEMIE HAT
Skill Level: Easy
Finished Sizes: Listed on individual patterns
Gauge: The first 3 rounds of the sizes worked with an H hook should measure 2.5” across. The first 3 rounds of the sizes worked with an I hook should measure 2.75” across.
Stitches Used: Magic Circle, SC, HDC, DC, Sl St
Yarn: <1oz (per hat) of your favorite soft worsted weight yarn. (I used Bernat Satin and Caron Simply Soft.)
Hooks: Sizes H (5.0mm) or I (5.50mm) depending on which size you are making.
Notions: Yarn needle and stitch marker
Notes:
Pattern is written in American standard terms.
Pattern is worked in a seamless round. Use a stitch marker to mark the beginning of each row.
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SIZE 1-2 LBS
(4” width when laid flat)
Hook Size: H (5.0mm)
Begin with a Magic Circle.
Row 1: Ch1. 10 HDC in Magic Circle. (10)
Row 2: 2 HDC in each St around. (20)
Row 3: (2 HDC in next St, HDC in next) around. (30)
Row 4: Sk 1st St. (SC+DC) in next. Place your stitch marker in the SC to mark beginning of the row. (Sk next St; SC+DC in next) around, 13 times. Leave the last St empty.
Row 5: (SC+DC in next St, Sk next St) around.
Rows 6-8: Repeat Row 5.
Rows 9-11: SC around.
Slip stitch into the first stitch of the previous row, fasten off and weave in ends.
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SIZE 2-3.5 LBS
(4.5” width when laid flat)
Hook Size: I (5.5mm)
**Follow instructions for Size 1-2 lbs pattern, using an I hook instead of an H hook.**
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SIZE 3.5-5 LBS
(5” width when laid flat)
Hook Size: H (5.0mm)
Begin with a Magic Circle.
Row 1: Ch1. 10 HDC in Magic Circle. (10)
Row 2: 2 HDC in each St around. (20)
Row 3: (2 HDC in next St, HDC in next) around. (30)
Row 4: (2 HDC in next St, HDC in next 5 Sts) around. (35)
Row 5: Sk 1st St. (SC+DC in next St, Sk next St) around.
Row 6: (SC+DC in next St, Sk next St) around.
Rows 7-9: Repeat Row 6.
Rows 10-12: SC around.
Slip stitch into the first stitch of the previous row, fasten off and weave in ends.
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SIZE 5-6 LBS
(5.5” width when laid flat)
Hook Size: I (5.5mm)
Begin with a Magic Circle.
Row 1: Ch1. 10 HDC in Magic Circle. (10)
Row 2: 2 HDC in each St around. (20)
Row 3: (2 HDC in next St, HDC in next) around. (30)
Row 4: (2 HDC in next St, HDC in next 2 Sts) around. (40)
Row 5: Sk 1st St. (SC+DC) in next. Place your stitch marker in the SC to mark beginning of the row. (Sk next St; SC+DC in next) around, 19 times. Leave the last St empty.
Row 6: (SC+DC in next St; Sk next St) around.
Rows 7-9: Repeat Row 6.
Rows 10-13: SC around.
Slip stitch into the first stitch of the previous row, fasten off and weave in ends.
Thank you so much for the pattern, I have had 3 NICU babies 2 spent 4 weeks and 1 spent 2 weeks. I have been wanting to give back and this is the perfect way!
How many single crochet stitches go in the magic circle? I’ve only used a 6 sc magic circle for an elephant I made, and I’m new to hats. Thanks for the help.
This pattern uses HDCs in the magic circle, and the pattern tells you in Round 1 how many to make. So for instance in the 1-2 lb pattern it says:
Row 1: Ch1. 10 HDC in Magic Circle. (10)
That “10 HDC in Magic Circle” is how many you need to make.
Thank you so much for this pattern! I am hoping to make some of these for the children’s hospital. I just have one question: what is the approximate length of the finished hat for all 4 sizes? or should I be okay as long as the hats come out the right width? Thank you =)
Good question, I don’t know why I didn’t include that! This is the chart I used, so use the “hat height” column to help you. http://knitsycrochet.com/hat-sizing-chart/
Hi- I knit hats for newborns mostly but can make them smaller if needed or in a specific color as well. I would love to help w/my hats. Please let me know where to bring/send them too.
Hi Jennifer, this hat was part of the 12 Days of Christmas NICU Hat Challenge, which is just a challenge to make preemie hats for your nearest NICU hospital. So you’d just need to call whichever one is closest to you to get their guidelines. Thanks! 🙂
I am having trouble following the Row 4 instructions in the 1-2 lb. pattern. Aren’t there more than 13 (SC+DC) spaces to crochet in? I must be doing something wrong but can’t figure out what it is. Thank you for your help!
Shirley
So sorry for the delayed reply! Round 4 tells you to Skip, SC+DC, then gives you the repeat instructions and tells you to do it 13 times, so that is 14 times total (covering 28 of 30 stitches). It then instructs you to leave the last stitch unworked (whereas if you followed the sequence you would have put another SC+DC in it). Sorry, I probably could have worded that better. 🙂
Thank you so much for this pattern, my daughter is expected to be preemie size as she is IUGR and this pattern is beautiful and easy to work up! Now I know she will have something that fits and keeps her head warm when she’s born!!
Thanks for your patterns. I knit and crochet for preemies and donate to local hospitals so am always looking for new, easy and fun patterns.
I love the idea of using our crocheting skulls to pay it forward. Thank you for this pattern, I will be making some for our local hospital.
This pattern has inspired me to join the challenge next year!
Thank you for the pattern! I just made a ton of these for the Little Hats Big Hearts drive! We had 117 blessed at our school chapel service last friday before sending them off.
Hi Rebecca,
These are wonderful ! I was just wondering do you slip stich at the end or each row or continue around ?
Thanks!
How many preemie hats should I try to make, for my first attempt at crocheting preemie hats to donate to the local hospital?
I think they’ll be grateful for any amount 🙂
Thank you all so much for these donations. My twins spent months in a NICU as they were born 12 weeks early. They just turned 4 now and I work with their volunteer group to make hats for all of the preemies there. I still cherish the hats that were made for my babies.
Thank you so much for providing these patterns. My NICU baby came home with her little home made knit hat and I was so grateful. She started at 3.6lbs a month later she was home at 4.5lbs. I washed and used that one little hat for a few weeks after that. Even the store preemie hats were too large as her head was very small for quite some time. I had just learned crochet while on bed rest with my baby. I know my our NICU takes these and very tiny soft baby blankets too. I cannot wait to work some up to donate. Our hospital asks that we wash them in allergen free detergent and bring in zipped bags. They then send them through the NICU laundry then stock the closet.
Will you give instructions for the magic circle please?
http://littlemonkeyscrochet.com/how-to-crochet-a-magic-circle/