Intro
Crocheting for charity offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact, especially when creating beanies for preemie babies. These tiny hats not only provide warmth and protection but also symbolize hope and solidarity for families navigating the challenges of prematurity. In this blog post, we’ll explore the art of crocheting beanies for preemies, highlighting the significance of each stitch in spreading love and comfort. As a former preemie baby myself, I hope to provide kindness and love to other families in the same position as mine was.
What is a Preemie?
“Preemie” is just a contraction for premature, which happens when a baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation. Since they are born weeks before term, they often face a set of unique health challenges that require extra medical attention to make sure they grow up into healthy, strong humans. For this reason, they are often admitted into the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) which provides some extra help and attention to the baby. Crocheting caps for these babies (and even babies born on time) can provide warmth and comfort to families navigating the challenges of incorporating another being into their daily lives!
Special Materials/Considerations
- Yarn/Materials: Hypoallergenic baby yarns are key to successful NICU baby caps! Make sure that any yarn you purchase is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. For your convenience, I’ve linked a handy list of yarns approved for NICU babies and chemo caps.
- Size and Fit: Make sure that the diameter and circumference of your finished hat align with the head circumference/diameter of babies! Here’s a link to common head circumferences for preemie babies.
- Ease of Use: Consider all the medical equipment surrounding it, and make sure that your hat is easy to put on and take off.
Basic NICU Preemie Hat Pattern
The written pattern is below. Check out my TikTok or Instagram @loopsofkindness for video tutorials + bear ear accessory tutorial!
Materials
- Yarn: #3 DK Yarn (I used Lion Baby Soft Yarn)
- Hook: E/3.5 mm for a smaller cap with a tighter knit, H/5.0 mm for a slightly larger cap with a loose knit.
- Scissors
Pattern
Round 1: 12 double crochets into a magic ring. Slip stitch into the first double crochet of the round to join. (12 stitches)
Round 2: Chain 2. Make 2 double crochets in each stitch of the previous round. Slip stitch into the first double crochet of the round to join. (24 stitches)
Round 3: Chain 2. [2 double crochets in one stitch, 1 dc in the next stitch]. Repeat within [] until the end of the round. Slip stitch into the first double crochet of the round to join.(36 stitches)
Round 4: Chain 2. [2 double crochets in one stitch, 1 dc in each of the next 3 stitches]. Repeat within [] until the end of the round. Slip stitch into the first double crochet of the round to join. (48 stitches)
Round 5: Chain 2. [2 double crochets in one stitch, 1 dc in each of the next 5 stitches]. Repeat within [] until the end of the round. Slip stitch into the first double crochet of the round to join. (54 stitches)
Round 6-8: Chain 2. Make 1 dc in each stitch until the end of the round. Slip stitch into the first double crochet of the round to join. (54 stitches)
Round 9: Chain 1. [1 sc, 1 front post double crochet (double crochet through the previous row’s double crochet instead of the top of the stitch)]. Repeat within [] until the end of the round. Slip stitch into the first single crochet of the round to join. (54 stitches)
Round 10: Chain 1. [1 sc, 1 front post double crochet into the previous round’s front post double crochet to create a ribbed effect]. Repeat within [] until the end of the round. Slip stitch into the first singlee crochet of the round to join (54 stitches)
Cut the yarn and pull on the loop using your crochet hook fully until you are left with one strand. Use your crochet hook/yarn needle to weave in the end.
Where do I Donate Beanies for Preemies?
Local Hospitals/Orgs
Asking your local hospitals/organizations about donating hats for preemies is often the easiest way to donate these adorable hats to even more adorable babies. Most hospitals have a page where procedures for volunteers or in-kind (physical item) donations are posted. If the website doesn’t explicitly mention handmade goods, make sure to reach out to a volunteer coordinator or staff member at the hospital/organization since they might not accept them or require some extra steps to make sure the caps are 100% safe for the delicate babies. Make sure to reach out to various hospitals or local organizations, one is bound to have a need for hats for preemies in the NICU.
Nationwide Organizations
- Warm Up America! Is one of the leading fiber-arts based foundations dedicated to providing comfort to people from all walks of life, including premature babies! Click here to access the currents needs page. Make sure to include the donation form and check off “preemie hats” in any shipment of preemie hats! You could mail the items to one of the leading NICU wards nationwide through their partnership with the Parkland Memorial Hospital (address found by scrolling down on their current needs page).
- The Tiny Miracles Foundation: This organization accepts handmade knit or crochet newborn-size blankets, hats, sweaters, and booties. To donate, simply mail the items to them and they’ll be distributed to hospitals throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties in Connecticut helping families with premature babies.
- Carewear is a valuable source of information to see which hospitals near you accept crochet donations! Originally founded to provide apparel for low birthweight infants in NICUs nationwide, it now serves more as a directory of hospitals that accept handmade donations. Use their hospital search tool to find hospitals across the US, Canada, and Italy that accept our cute crochet beanies!
How Do I Donate the Caps for Preemies?
- Local Organizations: If you are donating to a local organization, you might find it most convenient to drop the items off yourself. Make sure to check out the organization’s page first to determine if crochet donations are accepted, if they have maker guidelines, and where to drop the items off.
- Nationwide/Non-Local Organizations: I usually prefer to mail items to an organization’s address as listed on their website through USPS. If you don’t have any mailing supplies, I suggest going to your nearest USPS and have them package the hats for you with any form you might need to include along with the items. If you already have shipping items, then you might benefit from USPS’s online service. I usually use their online service and my eco-friendly shipping materials to package the items up and then drop them off at the post office at one of the big blue bins.
Conclusion
Crochet for preemies and babies in the NICU is a beautiful way to give back to our community and provide strength and hope for families experiencing the challenges of a pre-term baby. I hope you enjoyed this crochet tutorial, and, as always, let me know if you have any questions (loopsofkindness@gmail.com)! Happy crocheting 🙂
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Written by Diana Moya Lapeira
As a Costa Rican teen living in Miami, I am passionate about helping others and giving back to my community through fundraising and volunteer work. I love helping other people understand math, especially Calculus and PreCalc!