newborn hats

what makes a good baby hat?

Starting at the beginning, baby hats should be easy to care for (no new parent needs to be handwashing knits!), and soft.  If you are donating to a hospital, it is important to make sure that the material you use is also allergen free:  while we absolutely adore wool as a fibre at Wabi Sabi, it is something that can trigger allergies in hospitals, and that is the last thing a new family needs to go through!  If you're looking for a great yarn for this, we brought in Sarasota as a yarn specifically for this project:  it is a cotton and acrylic blend that is super soft, and just about the perfect balance between quick to knit, and delicate enough for baby wear.

In terms of construction, the ideal hat has a fair amount of stretch to it.  Babies grow quickly, and while their first hat probably won't fit them for very long, building in some stretch will make it useful for a lot longer than a stiff, inflexible pattern.  I absolutely love making baby hats using 2x2 ribbing:  it is a very flexible fabric that will stay on when they're very little, but stretch as they get big without being too tight for quite some time.  Remember:  the goal is to make a soft hat that will act as a cozy layer and give some warmth and insulation, not a to make a stiff wind-proof creation fit for -30 degree winters!

There are many patterns designed to be knit flat and seamed for newborn hats, and these are fine if you're a new knitter and not into knitting in the round yet.  If you're comfortable working in the round, I would strongly recommend making the hat this way as it removes a seam, which can be slightly uncomfortable (and saves you valuable knitting time!). Whether you use magic loop, or dpns is no matter -- do whatever method you are most at ease with!

Make sure that any decorations to the hat are such that tiny fingers can't get caught, and that anything sewn onto the hat (such as pompoms) are affixed firmly and won't shed fibres that could pose a breathing risk to very tiny humans.  

It is important to make sure that the hats are washed before donating, using a detergent that has no added scent (which can be an allergen for babies, parents and hospital workers!).  Once washed and dried, they should be kept in a plastic or paper bag before donating to ensure that no household allergens (such as smoke, pet dander, etc) can have contact with the hats.

how to size it

Figuring out how big to make a newborn hat can be tricky, especially if you haven't been around newborns in a while.  One of the best pieces of advice I came across some time ago (and I don't remember where, or I would give them credit!) was that to make a hat that will fit most newborns, the hat should be able to fit snuggly over a 500g yogurt container.  If you're making a preemie hat, it should fit comfortably over an orange or mid-sized apple.

If you're donating to a NICU, though, don't worry too much about size so long as you're in this general area of sizing:  they'll definitely find someone it will fit!

some other tips and tricks

I tend to bring my knitting with me everywhere, but don't always have a ruler with me.  When I'm doing a specific project that is to a size (in this case, knitting to a 4" or  6" length before decreasing), it's really handy to use the ball band as a measuring tool:  when I'm close to my ruler, I'll mark out 4" and 6" marks on it, so that wherever I happen to be, I can always do a quick length check without relying on my own tenuous grasp of imperial measurements.

If you're doing a repeating pattern like the 2x2 ribbed hat, you don't actually need to keep track of the beginning of the round.  Just knit to length, then place your marker wherever in the next repeat it should be -- it is long enough that no one will notice or care that you started the decreases technically mid round, and saves you having to keep track of a marker.

If you are a newer knitter or this is your first hat, remember to relax and be kind to yourself:  the great thing about babies is that they are absolutely adorable.  No matter how many mistakes you happen to make in the construction, it is going to be seen and appreciated as an act of joy and welcome to a new fellow human.  What you are creating is wearable love, so remember to treat yourself with grace and enjoy the process!