Knitting Guide

This guide has been put together to help give our knitters a better understanding on the donations needed by hospitals across the UK. All donations are gratefully received; please arrange delivery to your nearest rep. This helps us keep postage costs to a minimum, our reps are there to contact hospitals and deliver items, giving a personal service from Lisa's Stars. Rep enquiries to secretary@lisasstars.org.uk

An Introduction

A baby is classed as premature if they are born at less than 37 weeks gestation. 8% of births in the UK occur before 37 weeks gestation. Although NICU care has improved in the last 40 years, any baby born at 24 weeks or less is sadly not seen as viable and many do not survive, leaving some hospitals to struggle to provide clothes small enough. This where you can help Lisas Stars, not only to provide suitable clothing and blankets for these tiny, sleeping angels but to also allow them to rest peacefully with the dignity they deserve and to also give their parents and families comfort in knowing their child is wrapped in love. Lisa's Stars was set up in the Autumn of 2010 to make a difference to those who are unfortunate enough to lose a child prematurely. Our Founder is a lady who has sadly experienced this and felt something was massively missing from the aftercare of those babies and their parents. Lisa's Stars initially started out as a way to support her local hospital, and her aim was to supply them with tiny blankets, hats and angel wraps so that any baby born too early would be kept warm and wrapped in love. Within 3 days of starting the group on Facebook, Lisa's Stars had a website, a forum to give support to families and nearly a thousand members (now currently having over 5000 members on Facebook alone), not to mention an army of ladies loving knitting and sewing a mountain of angel clothes. We came to realise that the support for her vision and the need for an organisation like hers extended far beyond the need for blankets and hats, and needed to reach more than just the local hospital. Our aim is to not only supply her local hospital with our knitwear but to spread them to as many hospitals as we can. Our dream is to create memory boxes for those babies and their families so they have their treasured babys keepsakes to keep for all time. The information given in this guide has been researched by the Lisas Stars team and its members.

In this guide you will find:

General tips and hints for knitting and crocheting for angel babies Conversion chart of UK/US/Modern knitting needle sizes Conversion chart for UK/US/Modern crochet hook sizes Knitting and Crochet abbreviations and explanations A gestational size chart Patterns which can be used for Lisas Stars Links to websites which have patterns suitable for use (permission has been given by website owners and credit and many thanks is given to them) Pictures of creations Useful links and contacts Other groups and charities we are proud to support

General tips and hints to keep in mind when knitting/crocheting for angels..... Babies skin is very delicate so a soft wool is ideal. Soft Baby Yarn or Soft Sport Weight Yarn is good. Preemies in NICU have large heads for their bodies therefore lose a lot of heat through their head, this is why providing hats is so important as it gives them the chance to use their energy to develop their most important organs. Some babies can go through 10 hats a day, this is due to the hats falling on the floor when having cuddles with their parents, once theyve fallen on the floor they will not be re-used to prevent the risk and spread of infection. Most preemies are jaundiced so block yellow items can make babies look worse to parents and staff. Yellow combined with other colours is fine. Items should have a lot of stretch to them, this helps with ease of putting them on. Head size: Hats which fit a large egg and are very stretchy (2x2 ribbing) are perfect. Booties: the sole should be no bigger than 1 inch. We prefer to keep the tiny items in neutral colours as it is difficult to determine the gender of angels before 18weeks gestation, however, we do still provide coloured items for angels born before this time, as it is personal choice of the parent. Blankets in white are perfect, as this enhances the appearance of the baby. For when babies heartbreakingly pass away, we provide burial gowns, layettes and sleepy sacks for them to be laid to rest peacefully in. Sets are lovely to have and we hope to provide them in clear Lisas Stars bags, giving credit and thanks to whoever knit/crocheted the set and who donated the wool. Please make sure that if there are any holes in the items that they are small, this prevents tiny fingers and toes getting caught in them. Some hospitals may not accept crochet items, some prefer to have them lined so please check with the groups admins or your nearest regional star.

Knitting
Needle Sizes:
The chart below gives the modern needle size (now measured in mm), the traditional UK size and the traditional US size. For preemie patterns the most common needle sizes have been highlighted in blue. Size in mm 2mm 2.25mm 2.75mm 3.0mm 3.25mm 3.5mm 3.75mm UK Size 14 13 12 11 10 9 US size 0 1 2 3 4 5

Types of needles: Straight normally measuring 10-16 inches long with a stopper on the end to prevent stitches from slipping off. Double-pointed (or DPN) tapered at both ends allowing the knitter to knit in the round continuously. Sold in sets of 4 or 5 and measuring around 20cm long. A cable needle is a type of DPN which allows the knitter to hold stitches whilst they form a cable pattern; these are shorter versions of DPNs and are often U-shaped to prevent stitches slipping off. Circular needle these can be used for both flat and circular knitting. The needles themselves are short with a wire attaching them, measuring between 9inches and 40inches long.

Knitting Gauge
Most patterns say check your gauge before knitting but what is gauge? Gauge is a way for knitters to know how many stitches and rows there are per inch of knitting. The gauge of the pattern will usually be stated at the beginning of a pattern which tells you the number of rows and stitches the average knitter makes when using the sized needle stated for the pattern.

Doing a gauge swatch is important to allow you to understand how your knitting compares to the gauge of the pattern. But how do you do a gauge swatch? Most swatches measure 4inches square but you can also do 6inches square. Once this is knitted, lay it down flat and measure the amount of stitches in an inch of your swatch, does it match your pattern? If not then the stitches are probably being knitted too big (tight) or too loose (big). If this happens use a bigger or smaller sized needle and try again until you find it matches. For some items such as baby blankets, scarves or shawls, gauge is not important but for hats and booties which may be more fitted it is usually recommended that a gauge swatch is made. **Please be aware though that this is for general information on gauges. If you are wanting to knit for a specific size then it would be recommended that you do a gauge swatch, if not, then whatever size you knit your donations, the chances are the item(s) will fit a baby born sleeping as all babies are different. Sizes in our measurement chart are only approximate and average so not all babies will fit these measurements at the same gestation**

Knitting Abbreviations:
There are many different knitting terminology and abbreviations in patterns. Below is a list which we hope you find useful. Measurement in inches (i.e knit for 3 means knit for 3 inches) Work these instructions in the brackets as directed Work these instructions as directed the number of times in the brackets Repeat instructions from this point as directed Repeate instructions between these asterisks as directed Alternate Approxiamately Begin or Beginning Between Bind off (cast off)

()

[]

* **

alt approx beg bet BO

CA CB CC

Colour A (when using more than one colour) Colour B (when using more than one colour) Contrasting colour (when knitting with 2 colours, this is your secondary colour) Centred double decrease, slip 2 stitches together, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over knitted stitch) Cable needle (or short knitting needle, used to make a cable knit) Cast on Continue Decrease Double Knitting yarn Double pointed needle (used for items with no seams) Garter stitch (knit all rows) Increase Including Knit Knit through back of loop Knit 1 stitch in the front and then back of the loop used in increasing Knit 2 stitches together Make 1 stitch (use whichever increase stitch you prefer) Main colour (your primary colour when knitting with 2 colours)

cdd

cn

CO cont dec(s) DK dpn

G st inc(s) incl k K tbl Kfb (or K1 f&b)

K2tog M1

mc

p p tbl p1fb (or p1 f&b)

Purl Purl through back loop Same as knit in front and back but with a purl stitch Purl 2 together Place marker safety pins or left over wool preferably a different colour to what you are knitting in Pass slipped stitch over Ribbing technique K2, P2 is ideal for preemie knitting Slip 2 stitches then knit them together (a decrease method) Stocking stitch Knit 1 row, Purl the next row and repeat Yarn over needle (increase method) Yarn forward

P2tog pm

psso rib

ssk

St st

yo yfwd

Sizing
We ask that all of our Lisas Stars knitters work to the basic instruction of knitting A4-A3 paper sized blankets with hats or bonnets to cover a Golf Ball all the way up to a Tennis Ball. Below you will find a size chart detailing the average size of a baby at each weekly gestation. Please be aware that these sizes are a guide only, please dont feel you must create a garment to fit the exact size given as your item will fit an angel, they are all unique and special. *Measurements are used only as a guide as all babies are different and special Micro-preemies: >1lb Small preemies: 1-3lbs Large preemies: 3-5lbs

Blankets: Micro-preemies 6 15 square Small preemies - 18 20 square Medium preemies - 20 22 square Large preemies - 22- 30 square

Gestation (weeks) 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Weight

Length (inches) 4.5 5 5.6 6 10 10.5 11 11.4 12

Chest Circ. 3.6 4.2 5 5.5 6 7 8 8.5 9

Abdomen Circ. 3.9 4.4 5.1 5.7 6.1 6.7 7.1 7.5 8

3.5oz 5oz >7oz 8.5oz 10.5oz >12.5oz >15oz 1.1lb 1.3lb

Neck to Feet 6 7 7.5 8 8.35 8.55 8.75 9 9.4

Neck to Crotch 3.5 4 4.25 4.5 4.75 4.85 5 5.25 5.5

Length of Legs 2.5 3 3.25 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.75 3.8 3.9

Length of Feet 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8

Length of Arms 2.25 2.5 3 3.1 3.25 3.35 3.5 3.6 3.75

*NOTE: On these charts, babies are measured from crown to rump until 19 weeks. From 20 weeks on, babies are measured from head to toe. The jump in length from 19 to 20 weeks is NOT a growth spurt.

Knitting Patterns:
The following patterns are owned by Lisas Stars, unless otherwise stated. Permission is given to use them for charity and non-profit use only, however, we would like the credit for the pattern to be given for us, so please link to our website or facebook page (addresses can be found further on in this booklet), they may not be re-produced in any way without prior, written consent by the author. Permission to be found by emailing gemma@lisasstars.org.uk
The following patterns have been written by Lisas Stars, unless otherwise stated, we have tried out many patterns to make sure we are providing the most perfect items for angels. If you cannot find what you are looking for then please email us and we shall do our best. They are on individual pages to make it easier to read.

Sleepy Sack

Gauge: 7 stitches per Inch 13 rows per Inch. Size needles: UK11/3mm Abbreviations: CO Cast On K Knit K2tog Knit 2 stitches together YO Yarn Over BO Bind Off ****This pattern has been done to have 3 buttons; however, I have found that it looks nicer with just 1 in the middle (as shown in the picture above). To have just one button, change rows 12 and 54 to knit rows. **** CO28 stitches Row 1: Knit Row 2: K1 *K2tog, YO* repeat between ** Knit last stitch Row 3 11: Knit Row 12: K1, K2tog, YO, Knit across

Rows 13 37: Knit Row 38: K1, K2tog, YO, Knit across Rows 39 53: Knit Row 54: K1, K2tog, YO, Knit across Row 55 67: Knit Row 68: K1 *K2tog, YO* repeat between ** Knit last stitch Row 69: Knit Bind Off Thread ribbon through eyelets at the top and bottom of the garment. Add the preferred amount of buttons. Matching Hat Gauge: 7 stitches per Inch 13 rows per Inch. Size needles: UK11/3mm Abbreviations: CO Cast On K Knit P - Purl K2tog Knit 2 stitches together YO Yarn Over BO Bind Off CO 28 stitches Rows 1 & 2: K2, P2 across rows Rows 3 14: Knit Rows 15 & 16: K2tog across rows Cut wool at 20cm, thread through needle, slip the remaining stitches off your knitting needle and pass your sewing needle through the stitches. Pull to tighten and sew up the seam. Turn hat inside-out once sewn up. You can add matching embellishments to your hat to make the set match!

Angel Wrap

16 Weeks Gestation Gauge: 7 stitches per inch : 13 rows per inch Needles: 3mm Measurements when finished: 6 wide 5 long Pattern: Cast on 42 stitches Knit every row until piece measures 5. **To make button holes, on rows 16 and 32: Knit 1, Yarn Over, Knit 2 together, knit to the end of row.** Cast off. Fold the left side over leaving approximately 2 free on the right hand side as demonstrated in picture:

Sew along the bottom seam (this creates a little open pocket inside the wrap). Sew on 2 buttons and attach 2 button loops or alternatively make 2 button holes as explained in the pattern above.

Basic Hat Pattern

16, 18, 20 weeks gestation Gauge: 7 stitches per inch : 13 rows per inch Needles: 3mm Abbreviations: CO Cast On K Knit P Purl K2tog Knit 2 together 16 Weeks Gestation: CO24 Rows 1 & 2: K2, P2 across rows Row 3 14: Knit Row 15: K2tog across row (12 stitches) Row 16: K2tog across row (6 stitches) Cut wool at roughly 10cm and thread with a darning needle. Carefully thread your darning needle through the remaining stitches on your needle. Pull to tighten and sew up the seam. 18 weeks Gestation: CO26 Rows 1: K2, P2 across row Row 2: P2, K2 across row Row 3 16: Knit

Rows 17: K2tog across row (13 stitches) Row 18: K2tog across row, knit last stitch (7 stitches) Cut wool at roughly 10cm and thread with a darning needle. Carefully thread your darning needle through the remaining stitches on your needle. Pull to tighten and sew up the seam. 20 Weeks Gestation: CO28 Rows 1-3: K2, P2 across rows Row 4 20: Knit Rows 21: K2tog across row (14 stitches) Row 22: K2tog across row (7 stitches) Cut wool at roughly 10-15cm and thread with a darning needle. Carefully thread your darning needle through the remaining stitches on your needle. Pull to tighten and sew up the seam. You can always decorate with a button or other embellishment to give it an extra special touch!

Trinity Stitch Hat

4PLY WOOL 3MM NEEDLES Abbreviations: CO Cast on K Knit P- Purl P3tog (P2tog) Purl 3 (2) stitches together K2tog Knit 2 stitches together NB: This pattern requires you to K1, P1, K1 all in the same stitch which some beginners may find difficult. Pattern: CO32 stitches Rows 1 & 2: K2, P2 across both rows. Row 3: Purl Row 4: *(K1, P1, K1) all in same stitch, P3tog. Repeat from *across. Row 5: Purl Row 6: *P3tog, (K1,P1,K1) all in same stitch. Repeat from * across. Row 7: Purl Row 8: Repeat Row 4 Row 9: Purl Row 10: Repeat Row 6. Row 11: Purl. Row 12: Repeat Row 4.

Row 13: Purl Row 14: Knit Row 15: P2tog across row .Row 16: K2tog across row. To sew up thread needle through remaining stitches on needle and pull, sew up the seam.