Hat update

Greetings-
I made another hat this week. I was worried the first was too small, now I'm worried the second is too big (are you starting to figure me out?). But I'll send 'em both to Choc tomorrow and hope that there is some baby in Ketchikan with a cold and appropriately sized head.

I left a message with the Cancer Wellness folks in Juneau. My husband took a return call from a woman who's name he didn't catch and who was headed out of town, but she was enthusiastic and positive about receiving hats from us. So I think you can safely start knitting assured that I will find a good home for any chemo caps you might knit. Do we want to extend the deadline for these, or is everyone up for getting them done in May??

Thanks to you all for your lovely and supportive sweater comments.

Take care-
k.

Preemie Hat Project

Hey Team AK-
I finally finished my sweater (I hope you don't mind indulging me, I had to show someone) and began a preemie hat last night. I finished it this morning. What a fun quick project. I've never knit a hat specifically for a preemie before (and my babies had such BIG heads) does this look on target to you? Choc, will you publish the address to which we should mail our hats?

I hope to have info to post soon about a chemo hat project. Also wanted to mention that the Dulaan Project (http://www.fireprojects.org/) is only accepting donations until July 1. There is also Afghans for Afghans (http://www.afghansforafghans.org/) if everyone is interested in an international project. Let me know what you're all thinking - and knitting. I'd love to see photos of other projects.

Hope everyone is well-
kathy

Charity Knitting: Hat patterns for babies

Hi Team Alaska,
Sorry not to have posted this earlier, but I've been under the weather for the past week.

Here is an "enormous list of baby hats that can be made for charity knitting" that Jennifer of the Boulder Hand Knitters Guild compiled from the internet (thank you Jennifer!). Not all of them are for preemies, but can be adjusted. I find that, with a pattern for sport or worsted weight yarn, if I use lighter weight yarn and smaller needles, I can easily turn a 0-3 month size hat into a preemie hat. If the hat is for fingering weight, already, then an adjustment of number of stitches and rows would be in order.

The Basic Knit Hat Pattern from "Touching Little Lives" is a good one to start with, and gives an idea of how big to make them. It has small and medium preemie sizes, and newborn. "Baby's First Hat" is a nice lacey one, "Baby Tart" is darling, but has bobbles, so is probably not good for a preemie, Also, "About.com" has free patterns, some of which are specifically for preemies. Check out this blog: http://larissmix.typepad.com/stitch_marker/knitting_hats/index.html/. She has lots of cute baby hats. I made "Lilly's Hat" and used size 3 needles and Jamie baby yarn, and it came out perfectly for a preemie. Another that I made during the Knitting Olympics is the spiral hat listed at the bottom (using 54 sts, size 3 needles, Jamie Baby yarn).

Regarding sizes - I didn't measure the finished sizes of the ones that I made for the KOs, but you can visually compare the size of the four preemie hats with the one 6-9 month hat in the photo that I took and posted.
Happy Knitting!

The List:
http://people.delphiforums.com/knit_chat/knitchat/patterns/babybonnet.htm Garter Lace Baby Bonnet -- uses worsted weight
http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/freeKnittingPatternAnnaHat.asp Anna's Angel Hat Pattern (from Jimmy Bean)-- uses worsted weight
http://www.knitlist.com/96gift/giftapplehat.htm Apple Hat (from Knitlist) -- uses worsted weight
http://www.magknits.com/Jan06/patterns/bee.htm Baby Bee Hat and Bootees (from Magknits) -- uses worsted weight
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kbs-babyHat.html Baby Hat (from Lion) -- uses DK weight
http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/baby_pixiehat.html Baby Pixie Hat (from Crystal Palace) -- uses sportweight ??
http://www.knitlist.com/00gift/leaf-edge-baby-hat.htm Baby Hat with Leaf Edging (from Knitlist) -- uses fingering weight
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kvs-babyHat.html Bulky Velvetspun Hat (from Lion) -- uses super bulky
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/PATTbabytart.html Baby Tart (from Knitty) -- uses light worsted
http://www.geocities.com/crotiques/babyfirsthat.htm Baby's First Hat (newborn) -- uses worsted
http://www.touchinglittlelives.org/knithatpat.html Basic Preemie Hat -- uses sportweight/ DK/ worsted weight
http://www.thegarterbelt.com/em_beatrixhat.html Beginner's Fair Isle Hat -- uses fingering weight (PDF)
http://freddyknits.blogspot.com/2005/03/beginners-fair-isle-baby-hat-free.html (Another) Beginner's Fair Isle Hat -- uses DK/worsted weight
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/1445260.html Bunny Beanie -- uses heavy worsted/ or lighter
http://www.sweetstitch.com/projects/cablehatpattern.html Cabled Hat Pattern -- uses dk weight (optional fur trim)
http://sarahpeasley.com/freepatterns/cameronscap.pdf Cameron's Cap (from Sarah Peasley) -- uses worsted, with earflaps (PDF)
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/patterns/holbabyeasterhat.htm Easter Egg Hat (from Barbara Breiter) -- uses worsted, zig-zag pattern
http://www.crafts-beautiful.com/projects/?view=view&ID=223 Debbie Bliss Hat (from Crafts Magazine) -- uses sportweight, straight needles
http://www.kerriesplace.co.uk/newbornhats.html Four Newborn Hats (from Kerrie's Place) -- ranges from heavy worsted to DK
http://www.p2designs.com/pdfs/ptn-froggyHat.pdf Froggy Hat/Bottees (from p2designs) -- dk weight (PDF) -- Preemies to older -- (super cute!)
http://www.p2designs.com/pdfs/ptn-duckyHat.pdf Just Ducky (from p2designs) -- dk weight (PDF ) Preemies to older -- (super cute!)
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/lace-beanie.html Lace Baby Beanie (from Bev's Country Cottage) -- baby yarn -- preemie/newborn
http://larissmix.typepad.com/stitch_marker/2005/09/a_little_hat.html Little Ruffled Edge Hat -- worsted SUPER CUTE!!
http://www.3gcs.com/adcock/free%20patterns/Shell%20Lace%20Baby%20Bonnets.htm Little Shell Lace Baby Bonnet -- worsted to sportweight (preemies)
http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTmissdashwood.html Miss Dashwood Baby Hat with Ties (from Knitty) -- worsted weight
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/patterns/babynewhat.htm Newborn Baby Hat -- worsted weight
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/patterns/babypetalhat.htm Petal Baby Hat -- worsted weight
http://www.p2designs.com/pdfs/ptn-HatPoppy.pdf Pretty as a Poppy Hat (from p2designs) -- sockweight to dk weight (small preemie to older) (PDF)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/my_pages/babywear/hkp/012.shtml Pull-on Baby Hat -- worsted weight, straight needles (easy!)
http://www.minidata.co.nz/major/freepatt/patt03.htm Spiral Rib Hat -- dk weight
http://www.geocities.com/blossomknitwear/superquickbabybonnet Super Quick Baby Bonnet -- worsted weight
http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/iceland_babyhat.html Tri-Corner Baby Hat -- chunky weight