As some of you may know, the Northeast Knitters make worsted weight blankets that gmmarton delivers to the Children’s Unit at Bridgeport Hospital in CT, and DK weight blankets that I deliver to the Special Delivery Unit of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
The SDU is a unique unit where mothers delivering special needs infants (including those with congenital heart, brain, spine, chest and/or abdomen abnormalities) can be under the same roof as their children and cared for together - and Dads don’t have to divide their time between Mom at one hospital and their newborn at another hospital.
There are about 20 deliveries per month at the SDU. Of course, we can’t make that many blankets, and we certainly are [I]not[/I] responsible for having a handmade item for each of their patients, but if anyone is interested in making hats, booties, thumbless mittens, etc. they would be [I]most[/I] appreciative, particularly for the holiday season.
They mentioned that very small sizes are especially needed. Our blankets are all 100% acrylic, and we use soft DK weight yarn, but worsted would be fine, too, for the other items. Please try to avoid lacy patterns that might catch little fingers or toes, but otherwise be as creative as you’d like. :knitting:
Like so many other centers, the budget for the SDU has been hit particularly hard, and the lovely package of items that they had originally planned to give to these families has been eliminated. All they are able to give them now (thanks to a generous donor) is a picture frame. We would love it if a hand-knitted item could accompany as many of those picture frames as possible!
Sadly, this is all that some parents will ever take home, so it is particularly meaningful.
There is a lovely note that Jeremy recently posted in the Northeast thread, from a mother whose child was born at the SDU and received one of our blankets. It is worth reading!
If you are interested in donating any knitted items, please PM me.
Thanks!!! 
