Knitting for Charity: Baby Hats

I (maybe not so) secretly stalk this blog titled josh + kati. I mentioned before that we shared due date club memberships during my most pregnancy and loss. I periodically check in on her blog for updates and to admire her gorgeous knitting.

I wish I could knit. I tried once, but I made this really long red cord of nothingness, and out of frustration, threw all my yarn in the trash. I'm so mature.

Enough about me, more about her -- this girl can knit. She makes creative caps and really cute socks, and uses her dogs for models. I wish I knew her personally because I would absolutely have her make something for me, and I would absolutely appreciate it and love it forever. But I don't, so I'm out of luck. (Unless she drops in here and feels compelled, and then to her I would say, "Socks, just like your Mom's.")

Tonight, while reading her blog, I noticed that for the New Year she resolved to knit for charity, and it made me think of something I wanted to tell her and the entire knitting world. If you knit, listen up.

When Zachary was born at 22 weeks, the hospital where I had him -- Baylor Grapevine, here in Texas -- had a selection of little handmade baby gowns, knit baby hats and miniature baby blankets, all of them made by volunteers. Though Zachary was born only to die, the nurse was able to dress him for me. This served a couple of purposes:

The clothes and hat protected his very thin, very fragile skin, and kept it from sloughing off when he was touched or held. Skin coming off your baby can be very disturbing.

By him wearing the baby gown and baby hat, I had something to bring home that belonged to him, something that he wore, something I could hold. Eight months later, I still like to have it out and around all the time.

Our Baby in His Hat

This little hat is so small. Fully extended, it's shorter than a dollar bill. On Zachary's tiny little head, the edge had to be rolled three times, so it could have been made even smaller.

Fully Extended

The Size on Baby's Head

To an experienced and skilled knitter, I imagine this would be an afternoon project -- something to do while watching T.V.

To a mom whose baby has died or will die, it's an irreplacable treasure.

Not Just a Hat -- A Treasure

If making gowns, blankets, and hats for dead/dying babies seems too morbid, I know the volunteer staff at Baylor Grapevine also makes baby hats for full-term newborns (see here). (In my understanding, they just do hats for the full-term babies -- only preemies, or maybe only dead/dying babies, have access to the gowns and knit blankets.) It's all the same department, so I'm sure contact info for either option would be the same.

If you're like me and can't knit for the life of you, they accept donations of baby-colored yarn. In addition to privately contributing, a yarn or material collection could be a service project for a Sunday School class or community group. These are very unconventional (and yet, extraordinary) ways to serve in the community. Something to think about, and to pass along...