WHAT Did You Call Them?

“Fish’n’Chips Babies” repeated my friend from the URC Church in Groby. In Africa, many babies born to women with AIDS are taken home from hospital wrapped in newspaper, because their parents cannot afford proper clothes. To the Charity Worker they looked like little bundles of fish and chips – and so she determined to get people making warm vests, hats and blankets for these newborns.

So that has been my April Great Stash Charity Project

The pattern is very easy – you start at the bottom rib, knit up the front, cast on for sleeves, cast off a slit for the neck, then knit down the back and cast off – and sew up two side seams.Done!

Using 50g dk wool and 4mm needles, cast on 44 stitches.
Work 18 Rows in K2, P2 rib
Work 30 Rows stocking stitch (1 row plain, 1 row purl)
Cast on 12 stitches at beginning of next 2 rows and at the same time change to K2,P2 (for sleeve)
Rib 22 more rows.
Next row: Rib 21, cast off 26 stitches, rib 21 (Please cast these stitches off loosely in rib, to Allow
The neck to stretch over a baby’s head)
Next row: Rib 21, cast on 26 stitches, rib 21 (Please cast on loosely, using one size bigger needles if necessary).
Work 22 rows in K2, P2 rib
Cast off 12 stitches at beginning of next 2 rows
Work 30 rows stocking stitch
Work 18 rows, K2, P2 rib
Cast off. Sew side and sleeve seams.

PLEASE use bright and dark coloured wools, stripes are good – these garments may not get washed much!

The original charity is no longer accepting the vests as they had enough – but there are lots of other groups who want them – just google ‘fish and chips babies’. Mine are going to my URC friends for their collection.

All the chip shops round here use cheap white paper these days – I cannot remember the last time I had chips in newspaper, can you?