New Baby Hat Patterns for Knit Out 2020

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Sandi

We are introducing four new patterns this year. Each is designed and regularly knitted by a Brookside Knitter. Each fits the needs of the hospital where we donate hats.

The first pattern is designed for worsted-weight yarns (#4). Worsted yarn is especially good for winter hats. A specific needle size, gauge*, and number of cast-on stitches are listed. When knit to gauge, this hat will be 4-1/2” wide (9” around) as shown in the photo. Click 2020 Worsted Knit Out Hat for f this pattern.

The second pattern is specifically designed for DK yarns (#3). DK yarn is thinner than worsted. There are some nice DK cotton yarns for summer hats. The needle size, gauge*, and cast-on stitches differ from the hat above; the finished hat should be just under 5” wide. Click 2020 DK Knit Out Hat for this pattern.

The third pattern is designed for sport-weight yarns (#2). There is a wide selection of pastel colors and patterns available in sport-weight yarn you can use baby hats. This hat should be just over 4” wide. Click 2020 Sport Knit Out Hat for a copy of this pattern.

The fourth pattern is designed for fingering-weight yarns (#1). This weight yarn is especially suitable for preemie hats. Because the yarn is fine, there is leeway in the sizing. The width should be about 4”. Click 2020 Fingering Knit Out Hat for this pattern.

Measuring *gauge is often forgotten by knitters of charity items. Here is an easy way to get around knitting a separate gauge swatch. Knit one hat. Lay the hat flat. Use a gauge ruler to measure the number of stitches you knit in the middle of the hat. If it matches the gauge on the pattern, you are knitting to gauge. If you have fewer stitches than recommended gauge, your hat will be larger than recommended. Use a smaller needle if needed to obtain correct gauge.

Choose a yarn that is soft and washable. Check yarn labels for weight. Do not use a heavier yarn in a pattern designed for a lighter yarn. Add stripes, change the color or interchange cuffs. Add NO loose things like buttons or pom poms.

2019 Charity Donations

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Sandi

January 20 Update:

Thank you to everyone who knitted and donated baby hats and chemo caps at Knit Out. We are very grateful.

This year we received 152 baby hats this year, a virtual rainbow of colors. The statistics by color: red hats (48), blue hats (22), green hats (22), yellow hats (19), brown hats (15), white hats (8), gray hats (8), orange hats (6), and purple hats (4). There are striped hats, solid hats, crocheted hats, knitted hats, gathered hats, lacy hats, fair isle hats, and, well, every imaginable hat. Here are some photos to illustrate.

Brookside Knits donates about 40 baby hats each month to the maternity ward at Pottstown Hospital.

Chemo caps are donated to the hospital as we receive them. We try to find community groups in the Pottstown area to receive other donations.

January 10, 2019

Brookside Knits will once again collect charity donations at the upcoming Knit Out.

2019 Charity Hats

Over the past twelve months, we have donated some 40 baby hats a month to the Pottstown Hospital’s maternity ward. That comes to nearly 500 a year, and a good part of those hats are your donations brought to the Knit out.

We enjoy knitting and donating special hats for holidays. If you were a bird on our shoulder, you would find colors change monthly. In addition to the classic baby pinks, blues, and yellows, you would find lots of green for spring and even more green for football season.

Red is plentiful for baseball season as well as Valentine’s Day and Christmas. Orange pumpkins are possibly the most popular fall hats, and blues join in for patriotic holidays.

Donated baby hats should be soft and washable. They should not have pompoms or buttons that might harm a baby. They should be sized for preemies (4″ across) or newborns (5″ across).

We also collect chemo caps and Knitted Knockers to be donated to the cancer center.

You will find a basket (or two) for your donations as you enter the lobby. Drop them off as you’re waiting to check in. Thank you for caring!

2018 Charity Hats

Posted on October 30, 2017 by Sandi

As we do each year at the Pottstown Knit Out, this year we will be collecting knitted and crocheted items. Chemo caps, Knitted Knockers, and newborn baby hats we collect are donated to the Pottstown Hospital. Hospital personnel are always pleased to receive these donations. You can find patterns on our website. However, you can choose any pattern you like that suits the category. Chemo caps should use soft yarns like the Caron yarns in the patterns, much the same as you would use to make baby hats. When the 2018 Knit Out registration forms come out, you’ll find links to instructions for Knitted Knockers. Baby hats should be sized for newborns (10″ – 12″ round) and should be washable. Cottons and soft acrylics are best. Pom poms, buttons and other attachments are not allowed by the hospital.

Charity Baby Hat with duplicate numbers (2018)

2018 Charity Baby Hat

Some people are curious about the hats we post each year with the year date on them. So here is how this year’s 2018 hat was made. The “lettering” was the first step. Charts are available on Ravelry to show you how to create numbers or letters. What you want to stitch on the hat should be planned out first on paper, being sure the width of the numbers does not exceed the width of the hat.

Lettering Chart

The hat was knit from the base until just before the decreases, about 4.5 in. The stitches, still live, were left on the needles and the needles were capped to keep the stitches from slipping off. Here you can see a basted line used as a guide for placing the numbers. It’s all about stitching the numbers on straight the first time!

2018 baby hat knitted the length of the body, still on the needles, with basted guidelines to aid in placement of duplicate stitching

Ready for Duplicate Stitching

The numbers 2-0-1-8 were added using duplicate stitching. If you are right-handed, you may want to start with the 8 so your stitching hand does not block your work. There are several videos on YouTube that teach duplicate stitch. After the stitching is complete, decrease, weave in your ends, and block your work.

2018 Knit Out

Posted on October 29, 2017 by BetsyM

Thank you for joining us for the fabulous 14th Annual Knit Out!

We all had a wonderful day, as always. Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this one better than ever–and they’ve all been good. Thank you to the instructors who donated their time and talents. Thanks to the vendors who bring exciting and beautiful products. Thanks to everyone who donated knitted projects for charity. Thanks to all the wonderful knitters who showed us their work. Thanks to Brookside Country Club, without whom this event would not be possible.

This year, EVERYONE won a door prize! The Raffle Baskets were amazing too. Congratulations to the winners and thanks everyone for their charitable contribution.

If you would like to attend next year, please make sure you’re on our mailing list.
Email: info@pottstownknitout.com

Please do not contact Brookside Country Club in regards to the Knit Out. Refer all Knit Out questions to our email.

We are always accepting donations of Baby Hats, Chemo Caps, and other comforting charity items. (See our site for easy patterns.) This year our featured item is Knitted Knockers. See registration form for more information and list of approved yarns. Thank you!

Baby Hats Donated at 2015 Knit Out

Posted on February 17, 2015 by BetsyM

2015 Knit Out participants donated over 150 hats for newborns for Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.

We would like to thank everyone who donated nearly 150 baby hats at the 2015 Knit Out. The Pottstown Memorial Medical Center’s Labor and Delivery section also appreciates all the hats. We find that the nurses especially like the hats we make for holidays.

What do we do with the hats you donate? All hats are machine washed and dried, of course. We then divide the hats up into twelve bags, one for each month. Having about 11 or 12 starter hats each month—the ones you knit– gives us a head start on the 40 or so hats we donate monthly.

How does that work? We take the blues, pinks, and multicolored pastels and divide them evenly among the bags. February hats—delivered just this week–included red and pink hats for Valentine’s Day. Then we take greens and put them toward St. Patrick’s Day or Christmas. The purples and yellows may go for Easter or springtime generally. The oranges, of course, go into the pumpkin months and darker hats are kept for the later in the fall. Stripes go out in September for back-to-school and sports seasons. The nurses are especially fond of Eagle’s or Phillies’ hats.

2015 Knit Out

Posted on January 31, 2015 by BetsyM

The 11th Annual Pottstown Knit Out was held at the Brookside Country Club, January 17, 2015. Thank you to all who participated in this year’s event. As always, a great time was had by all. All proceeds go to Pottstown Relay for Life, while knitting donations go to Pottstown Memorial Hospital.

Hope to see you back next year.

If you would like to attend next year, please email: info@pottstownknitout.com to be included on our mailing list. We cannot emphasize enough that our space is limited.

Tips:

Make sure you’re on our mailing list. Email info@pottstownknitout.com.
Please do not contact the club.
Admission is on a first come, first serve basis; we have limited space. When you receive the notice, send your application immediately.

2015 Knit Out—Charity Baby Hats

Posted on October 18, 2014 by BetsyM

Brookside Knits donates handmade hats to the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. We welcome all knitters to offer a helping hand.

Baby Hats

2014 Charity Baby Hat

About forty baby hats go to Labor and Delivery each month. Last year, Knit Out attendees dropped over 100 baby hats—about one quarter of all those donated to the hospital—into the collection basket.

Free patterns for baby hats of all kinds are available on Ravelry and other sites on the Internet. Check here for links to A Few of Our Favorite Things.
The hospital, the parents, and the babies are always grateful for your donations.

Knitting a hat is not a requirement of the Knit Out. Donate if you can. We appreciate it.

Baby and Chemo Charity Hats

Posted on February 6, 2014 by BetsyM

We are proud to say that we received many charity hats both for chemo patients and for newborns.

Knit Out attendees donated over 100 hand-knit and crocheted baby hats that will be donated to them Pottstown Memorial Medical Center’s Labor and Delivery unit. Each month Brookside Knits donates about 50 preemie and newborn hats.

We received 33 chemo hats.

Thanks so much and please feel free to donate more.

A few of the 33 Chemo Caps we received.

Dark colors are favorites for baby boys.

Hats with toppers that are securely fastened.

Classic pastels are both knit and crocheted.

Colorful hats catch the nurses eyes.

The tiniest hats are for preemies.

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Posted on December 7, 2013 by BetsyM

Baby Hats for Charity

Each year at the Knit-Out, someone asks where we donate the baby hats we collect and what kinds of hats the hospital asks for.

For years now, we have donated baby hats to the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center—about 50 a month. They ask that hats be knitted for newborns (10” round) or preemies (8” round), that they be made of washable yarn, and that they have no buttons, pom-poms or other detachable items that may endanger the babies. We decide on styles and colors for the hats.

In past years, we have offered patterns for basic newborn hats—ribbed cuffs and rolled bands. This year, we thought you might enjoy sharing our favorite online patterns.

Here are websites for just a few:

Mama’s Stitchery Projects—Knitted Baby
Wool Windings Patriotic Preemie Hats
Carissa Knits Preemie Hats for Charity
Tatt3r’s Knittingstuff
Ravelry—Search for “Baby Hats for Charity” for more knit and crochet patterns

Fall 2011 Charity Baby Hats

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Sandi

October 2011 Baby Hats Pumpkin Patch

October 2011 Baby Hats in Fall Colors

It’s Fall and Brookside Knitters have been busy all summer knitting and crocheting newborn hats for delivery to–Where else?–the Labor & Delivery section of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.

Each month we’ve contributed 25 hats suitable for baby boys and 25 for baby girls. We enjoy adding special hats for patriotic holidays and moving toward fall colors for September & October.

I’ll include photos of the October “Pumpkin Patch” and “Fall Colors” selections and say that we are looking forward to the challenge of “Pilgrim Hats & Bonnets” for Thanksgiving. All local members contribute, and the Fall hat group includes hats by Joy, Karen, Lenore, LuAnn, and Sandi.

When hats turn out to be too large for newborns we donate them to other charity organizations. (Newborns need hats 10-12″ around with no do-dads. They need to be washable, acrylics or cottons rather than wool to be especially kind to tiny heads.)

Brookside Knits

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Category Archives: Baby Hats