James 2:16,17

Here's ten little baby hats - 9 are mine, and one was made by my friend Ann. June at the Borders Knit Group suggested 3 weeks ago that we, as a group, might contribute to the request put out on the Paul O Grady Show. [I never watch this so had no idea what she was on about] However, June said if we brought our hats on July 7th, she would get them parcelled up and sent off to the Save The Children Appeal. She also said she wasn't on email, so could I circulate the message to all the group members? I said yes - then realised I'd have to set a good example and produce a hat or two myself! So in odd moments over the past 3 weeks I have been knitting up all my oddments of DK wool. My friend Lesley has done 6 too.

The Pattern doesn't specify a yarn weight - Ann wanted to use up the crazy multicolour yarn she'd got in Spain on holiday, and I think hers is more chunky.

THE HAT PATTERN

Materials needed:
- 1 ball of wool, 1 pr Size 8 (4mm) knitting needles, 1 pr Size 6 (5mm) knitting needles, - large-eyed sewing needle to sew seam

Tension - 20 stitches to 42/10cm

INSTRUCTIONS
CUFF - With 4mm needles, cast on 48 stitches.
Work in K1, P1 ribbing for 1 ½ inches. Change to 5mm needles

BODY Work in stocking stitch for 5 inches from cast-on edge, ending with a wrong-side row.

TOP
Row 1: *K2tog, K2; repeat from * across: 36 stitches.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: *K2tog, K2; repeat from * across: 27 stitches.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: *K2tog, K1; repeat from * across: 18 stitches.
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: K2tog across: 9 stitches.
Cut wool, leaving a long end.
Thread wool into sewing needle and draw through remaining stitches on needle. Draw up tightly and fasten off securely. Sew seam. Turn up cuff

It is not a difficult pattern - and it doesn't take long at all to do. After all, I managed to knit nine in three weeks which have been quite busy with other things. The wool was all oddments left over from other projects, and I am glad to have found a good use for it. So if you can knit, why not send your hat in too ? It could save the life of a newborn baby!

There's good biblical precedent for this sort of craft - see Acts 9 and the story of Dorcas!