We have worked closely with the Royal and Khoula Hospitals to assess their needs for their NICU's. After making samples and seeing them on a variety of sized babies at The Royal Hospital we have settled on an initial pattern. As this is a new program the nursing staff will assess the beanies as works in progress and give us any feedback to consider.
So let's get started!
EQUIPMENT YOU WILL NEED
YARN - The two yarns that have been approved are Nako Sateen and Alize Baby which are both readily available in Muscat. The shop we work mostly with is Ghafoor in Al Khuwair (check Google Maps for location). These yarns are super-soft and wash up well. Premature babies have very delicate sensitive skin. There are no restrictions on colours however we find brighter colours more appealing to parents that are surrounded by uncertainty and are looking for brightness and hope. In both cases we are working with two strands of yarn due to the large gauge of the looms.
A 24 peg loom (available in a Loom kit set from Ghafoor), hook, scissors, measure tape, darning needle, counter, bulldog clip or peg (to hold the yarn in place around the starter hook), a sturdy thin straw that can guide the yarn (optional).
We will have three sizes S / M / L to fit a range of babies in the weight range of 1.5kg - 5kg.
Below is a video tutorial on how to loom a beanie by Denise from LoomaHat.com who has a huge video library and let me warn you once you get started on Loom Knitting it is highly likely you will become addicted !
Denise's videos are very easy to follow and informative. As you gain experience you may alter some techniques for casting off etc. but for now follow her lead and you will get a successful lovely beanie.
Our Medium YKAM NICU beanie will consist of 10 ROWS in the BRIM. Then 15 ROWS in the HAT. We are using a basic "E Wrap" as described in the video above.
The first two full rounds of E wraps once "knit" (taking one strand over the other) counts as row #1, then continue to 10 (this is where the handy counter will help you).
The row where you knit the top and bottom of brim together is also not counted as an additional row, once you knit them together then start the beginning of the 15 count on the next row.
The final measurement of the beanie should be between 4" - 5" / 10cm - 12.5cm from the crown to the base of the brim.
The circumference of the beanie should be 10.5"-11.5" / 27cm - 29cm.
We have a range because although we are looming on a 24 peg loom our tension can be different which will result in variances.
We hope that this has been a simple explanation of our medium size brimmed NICU beanie.
Beanies should meet the above criteria and should be submitted to YKAM UNWASHED.
Thank you for your interest and happy looming.
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