Again, I want to thank you so very much!! I want you to take these and be creative. I don't have a set system or pattern that I want them to all look like. I want these to be reflections of you and your love for this project. Don't worry about sticking strictly to the patterns. Each baby is different... none are the same size. Therefore, your item will fit and be made just special for someone's baby.
Fran, from Small Bird Studios, designed our custom blog design for this site. She also made a matching logo, which I'm having placed on scrapbook style notecards. That card will be placed inside the memory box with a short personal message. I've already asked another baby loss mom, Rhiannon (Harper's mama) for permission to use some of the wording she uses with her blanket project.
For these parents, this will probably be the ONLY item their child will ever wear, be wrapped in or touch. For many, this will be one of the only keepsakes they will leave the hospital with. It will be one of the few items they will have to remember their baby by. It will be tangible proof that their baby existed. You don't know how much this means to me… to know that you are willing to take time out of your lives and family to do this. I'm in awe of your love and generosity. A million thank you's!
Crystal Stephens
The goal is to have: a pouch, hat and a small micro blanket in the memory boxes for 22-24 weeks and under and an outfit, hat and 2 blankets in the memory boxes for babies 24-26+ weeks. Why? Parents will be able have an option to keep an item, while still having an item to dress baby with... allowing them bury or cremate their baby with dignity. One of the things that bothered me (and still does to be honest) is knowing that Nathan sat in the morgue and funeral home naked with no blanket or toy... nothing to keep him warm, nothing that showed how loved and wanted he was.
If you are able, we would request that your sets match as much as possible. They don't have to be identical but we would like them to coordinate. For example, we would love for the pouch, blanket and hat set to coordinate in the under 24 week boxes. If you are making a 24-26+ week set, we ask that the outfit and hat coordinate with the 2 matching blankets. If you are only making one item (not a set) then we will pair other coordinating items with it. Hopefully, this makes sense. If you have any questions, let us know.
Here are a couple examples of what we mean...
In this box, the pouch, blanket and hat were made by three different people.
We took the blue colored items and paired them for a coordinating look.
(The blanket looks purple in this picture but it was really a pretty shade of blue.)
With this box, the parents could hold their baby in either the pouch or blanket (or both).
They could choose to bury or cremate their baby in the either the pouch or blanket
and still be able to keep the other as a keepsake. The same applies for having
the identical 2 teddy bears in the box - one for baby and one for the parents to keep.
This is a picture of a set that matches. We would love to have an outfit, hat and 2 matching or coordinating blankets in our larger boxes. (We don't actually have this set. It was an example
picture sent to us by Jen, AdiaRose's mom. She is scanning the patterns for us to use.)
Here are some examples...
*Please note: None of the pictures are of real babies! They are reborn dolls.*
This is the site where I got the idea for the pouches/blankets and outfits. It is one of the only places I've found that sells items for such tiny babies. Their items start out for babies as small as 6". Unfortunately, this company is located in the UK and don't sell/ship to the US.
http://baby-burial-gowns.co.uk/
This is a bereavement pouch. I don't know that I'm wild about the lace edging in this picture. I've been told by one person, so far, that the lace was a bit of a challenge to work with. Don't feel like they have to have the lace edging. If you can make it work and look good, great! If not, don't worry about it.
http://baby-burial-gowns.co.uk/item_12/Something-Precious-Ted-style-Baby-burial-pouch.htm
This is a link to the crocheted/knitted version of the bereavement pouch.
http://baby-burial-gowns.co.uk/category_9/Tiny-Baby-ShawlsBlankets.htm
Here's link to an organization, who makes knitted and crocheted hats. They have some pattern information on their creator's area page. It would be really nice to have a tiny matching hat to go along with the pouches and blankets.
http://www.calvinshats.com
(Also, if you're able - consider making and donating a few extra hats to their organization.)
This site is a wonderful resource for the knitters/crocheters, offering different outfits, blankets and pouch patterns. Beside each link, there will a "C" for crochet patterns and a "K" for knit patterns.
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/bereavement-gowns.html
This particular link is for directions on making a beautiful, knitted angel-shaped pouch.
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/aunt-bs-knit-angel-wrap.html
This site is for the knitting folks. Just let me know if you use this site, so that I can add their organization to the box, giving them credit for the pattern, etc.
http://www.lisasstars.org.uk/content/KnittingGuide.pdf
Teeny Tears offers patterns for diapers and blankets.
http://teenytears.blogspot.com/2011/10/diapers.html
This site offers a great hat tutorial for those who sew!
http://thebybeeblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/sewing-baby-hats-my-first-tutorial.html
Here is a really easy blanket tutorial:
http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/cutting-corners/2012/09/17/swaddle-blanket/
I love this self binding baby blanket tutorial... super easy!! You can, of course, make it smaller... just size both pieces of material accordingly.
I've checked with the hospital and they agree that the chart, listed on the website below, is a good reference to average gestation sizes. It offers average sizing information for babies from 11 to 40 weeks gestation. Since we don't know what size each baby will be, we need to try and accommodate a variety of sizes.
http://www.heartfeltangels.com/Sizes.html
This site offers a sizing chart for preemies and newborns.
http://www.touchinglittlelives.org/size.html
***Thank you, Katie for sharing this with us!***
***Thank you, Rachael for sharing this with us!***
JUST AN FYI: THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH MAY BE TOO MUCH INFORMATION
BUT I WANTED TO INCLUDE IT AS A REFERENCE TO FABRIC AND COLORS.
For fabrics that will touch the baby's skin, let's stick with soft fabrics like cotton flannel. Silk, minky, etc can be used but make sure it is on the outside and won't be the primary fabric that the baby will be swaddled or dressed in. Babies who've already passed away have extremely delicate skin. Depending on how long the baby was already deceased (before delivery) and the "trauma" of delivery, the baby may have some damage to their skin, such as peeling and bloating. By providing soft fabrics, it will help reduce additional damage to the baby's skin while the family cuddles and holds them. The more the baby is handled, the greater chance of damaging and bruising their fragile skin... hence the reason for the pouches for the tiniest babies. These babies are too tiny and delicate for their arms and legs to be manipulated into clothing. Also, let's try and use lighter, soft colors. Patterns should be fine it's just that bold colors like teal, green, royal blue and dark purple tend to enhance discolorations or bruising, if the baby has any.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Below is a pattern for small angel ornaments. We would love to be able to give these to families during the October memorial walk and/or mail out to families who will be experiencing the first Christmas without their baby.
Small Angel Ornament Crochet Pattern
*Pattern courtesy of Moms Love of Crochet
Materials: Crochet Cotton Bedspread Weight 14 yd
Crochet Hook Size 6 or 1.80 mm
Head:
Ch 15; join with slip st to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, 25 sc in ring; join with slip st to first sc, do not finish off.
Body:
Row 1: (right side): Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, sc in next sc, leave remaining 23
sc unworked: 2 sc and one ch-3 sp.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc, now and throughout), turn; (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in
next ch-3 sp, dc in last sc: 6 dc.
Row 3: Ch 3, turn; 2 dc in next ch-3 sp, (ch 3, 2 dc in same sp) twice, skip next 2
dc, dc in last dc: 8 dc and 2 ch-3 sps.
Row 4: Ch 3, turn; * 2 dc in next ch-3 sp, (ch 2, 2 dc in same sp) twice; repeat
from * once more, skip next 2 dc, dc in last dc: 14 dc and 4 ch-2 sps.
Row 5: Ch 3, turn; work shell [below] in next 4 ch-2 sps, skip next 2 dc, dc in last
dc: 4 shells.
Row 6: Ch 3, turn; work shell in next ch-2 sp, (ch 1, work shell in next ch-2 sp) 3
times, skip next 2 dc, dc in last dc.
Row 7: Ch 3, turn; work shell in next ch-2 sp, * ch 2, skip nexxt ch-1 sp, work
shell in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, skip next 2 dc, dc in last dc.
Row 8: Ch 3, turn; work shell in next ch-2 sp, * ch 3, skip next ch-2 sp, work shell
in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, skip next 2 dc, dc in last dc.
Row 9: Ch 3, turn; work shell in next ch-2 sp, * ch 4, skip next ch-3 sp, work shell
in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, skip next 2 dc, dc in last dc.
Row 10: Ch 3, turn; (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp, * ch 5, skip next ch-4 sp,
(2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, skip next 2 dc, dc
in last dc: 18 dc and 3 ch-5 sps.
Row 11: Ch 3, turn; 7 dc in next ch-3 sp, * ch 3, sc in next ch-5 sp, ch 3, 7 dc in
next ch-3 sp; repeat from * 2 times more, skip next 2 dc, dc in last dc; do not
finish off: 30 dc and 6 ch-3 sps.
Edging:
Ch 2, do not turn; working across end of rows, skip first row, sc in top of next dc,
(ch 2, sc in top of next dc) 8 times, ch 12, (dtr in same row, ch 7) 3 times; skip
next 6 sc of head, slip st in next sc, * ch 4, skip next sc, slip st in next sc; repeat
from * 4 times more, ch 7, sip next 6 sc; working across end of rows, skip first
row dtr in next row, (ch 7, dtr in same row) twice, ch 12, sc in top of dc on same
row, ch 2, (sc in top of next dc, ch 2) 8 times, slip st in top of last dc: finish off.
Shell - (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in space indicated.
