Microprem/angel baby wraps and teddy bears for SANDS NZ

Trigger warning - misscarriage, baby loss, infant death.

I thought I would share the microprem/angel baby wraps and teddy bears I have been knitting for SANDS NZ. This charity is close to my heart I've lost babies myself it's so heartbreaking and I can imagine how hard it is when your baby is so small and you can't find anything to put the baby in.  No parent thinks of loosing their baby so early, so I decided to make these to help those parents.

 [Start of image description for image above: A photo of two lemon, a lime and a lime and white micro prem/ angel baby wraps . On top of the photo at the top is a white rectangle with the words "knitting journal". Underneath is a sage green rectangle with two white stripes and the words "Knitting for micro prem/angel babies" and at the bottom the words "Cozy Woodland Cottage Knits. blogspot.com. End of image description.]

I am not an affiliate of Donna Dighton-Crookes or Lisa's Stars or the warehouse or love crafts nor is this a sponsored post. I just love Donna Dighton-Crookes and Lisa's Stars knitting patterns.  Patterns used are by Donna Dighton-Crookes and Lisa's Stars. Yarns bought from the warehouse and love crafts are recommended in case you'd like to buy some yourself.

Project details

Project: Knitted microprem and angel baby wraps and teddy bears for SANDS NZ

Start date:  20th April 2018 

Finish date: 30th May 2018 

Patterns used and the designers: 

• Angel baby wrap by Lisa's Stars
• Teddy bear by Lisa's Stats .
• Hooded angel baby wrap by Donna Dighton-Crookes(on ravelry - sorry I haven't been able to find it anywhere else)
  

Pattern skills needed

• Cast on and cast off
• Knit
• Purl
• How to do button holes 
• How to Knit 2 stitches together (K2tog)
• How to do a yarn over (YO)

[Start of image description for image above: a photo of a wooden table with a two micro prem/ angel babies one is purple with 2 buttons and a ribbon where the hood is, the other one is blue with 2 buttons and a ribbon where the hood is.  Underneath is a piece of white ripped grid paper and a sage green rectangle with a white rectangle at the top with the words "Knitting journal" underneath is the words "Microprem/angel baby wraps and teddy beards for SANDS NZ" and at the bottom the words "Cozy Woodland Cottage Knits. blogspot.com". End of image description.]

Materials 

Yarn weight: 4ply, DK/8Ply 

Yarn used: 

• Lemon 4ply yarn
• Lime 4ply
• Light blue DK/8Ply yarn 
• Black DK/8Ply yarn 
• Blue and white DK/8Ply yarn 
• PurpleDK/8/Ply yarn 
• Peach DK/8Ply

Place yarn bought from: 

• Lemon 4ply yarn - Love crafts 
• Lime 4ply - Gifted
• Light blue DK/8Ply yarn - The warehouse 
• Black DK/8Ply yarn - $2 shop
• Blue and white DK/8Ply yarn - $2 shop
• PurpleDK/8/Ply yarn - The warehouse 
• Peach DK/8Ply - Gifted

Needle sizes used: 

• 3mm Double pointed needles for the teddy bear (with Double pointed needles used instead of straight needles)
• 3mm Double Pointed Needles for the wraps (with Dpuble pointed needles used instead of straight needles)
• 4mm straight needles for the hooded wraps

Other tools used:

• Scissors
• Yarn needle/ tapestry needle 
• Buttons
• Ribbon
• Tape measure 

[Start of image description for image above: a photo of a wooden table with a two micro prem/ angel babies one is purple with 2 buttons and a ribbon where the hood is, the other one is blue with 2 buttons and a ribbon where the hood is.  Underneath is 4 angel baby/ micro prem wraps with two buttons on them there is 2 lemon ones, a lime green one and one knitted in a varigated yarn which is white, lime and lemon. End of image description.]

About the completed project 

Microprem babies are those born before or at 26 weeks of pregnancy.  Microprem babies spend a long time in NICU since they are born so early.  Microprem babies that sadly don't make it are called angel babies. There are a lot of reasons why I choose to knit for microprem/angel babies but mainly so parents had something to wrap their little babies in since they are so tiny and can't really be held or held for long afterwards either. 

[Start of image description: A wooden table with two lemon and a lime angel and micro prem wraps with two buttons on them. End of image descriptions.]

[Start of image description: A wooden table with a lemon angel and microprem baby wrap with two snowflake buttons. End of image description.]

The yarn helps absorb the fluid from the baby after they have passed allowing parents to hold their precious baby and take photos with the baby if they wish too so they have something to remember their baby by. It just helps make this tough time for the parents and families a bit easier.

When knitting teddy bears two are often knitted in the same colour, one teddy bear to go to the babywith the angel baby be buried/cremated with it too. Then the other teddy bear goes to the parents to keep in a keep sake box or as a keepsake of something that was their babies. Hope that make sense.  

[Start of image description: A wooden table with a close up of the knitted teddy bear with embroidered on eyes, nose and mouth.  The teddy bear has a white ribbon. End of image description.]

[Start of image description: A wooden table with 6 knitted teddy bears folded in half that have strands of yarn hanging off them as they need to be stitched up. At the top is a lemon and two pink teddy bears.  Underneath is two dark purple teddy bears and a blue teddy bear. End of image description.]

Support

If your reading this and you've lost a baby, your not alone and my thoughts are with you and your family.  I've added these here for anyone who'd like to donate or needs some support. 

• Support from SANDS NZ
• Tiny Tears Organisation

Happy knitting friends, What charities do you love to knit for?