How can anyone be so tiny?

A friend had a baby very early and I wanted to do something to show them we were thinking of them.  We live too far to give them a warm hug, so I made a blanket and a few hats.  She was so little, just under 2 pounds if I remember right.  The hats turned out to be a little bit too small but the blanket covered her just right.  For the blanket I used Bernat Tizzy yarn and felt buttons, and called it "Lila's Garden".  Her parents loved it, and I was so glad I could do something to help personalize the clinical environment of the NICU.  Now a very busy toddler, it's hard to imagine that her start was so rocky.  I still owe her a hat...  I'm thinking Minnie Mouse would be just the thing!

I chose felt buttons because babies this tiny need something soft

The blanket is folded in quarters

It turned out to be the perfect size to keep her warm in her first bed

I made the blanket small (18 x 24 inches) for 3 reasons:

• It needed to fit in her isolette
• Being so small, she would've gotten lost in a regular sized blanket
• I wanted her parents, and her, to have a visual reminder of how small she once was

My friend decided to donate the hats to the NICU.  It amazes me that there could be babies small enough to wear them.  It occurs to me that the babies that received them probably didn't live.  I'm glad that my knitting could show the parents of these "micro preemies" that there are people out there thinking of them.  Every parent should see their baby wrapped in a blanket and wearing a hat.

When I get through my "to-make" list I'm going to make more of these tiny hats and some angel pockets (fetal demise pouches) to donate to my local NICU.

Here are some pattern links in case you would like to make things for angel babies and babies who start life so small:
Angel Pocket-knit
Burial Gown set-knit
Tiny Angel Gown
Burial Gown, Bonnet, and Booties
Many Patterns from Star Legacy Foundation