pattern

Triangles blanket

/ Project Linus UK

Triangles blanket

Approx 150/200 gm of DK yarn. With 4mm (UK size 8) needles, cast on 102 stitches. Knit 18 rows.

Knit the first and last 9 sts of each row to create a garter stitch border, while working the following pattern on the centre 84 sts:

Row 1 Knit 11, Purl 1
Row 2 Knit 2 Purl 10
Row 3 Knit 9 Purl 3
Row 4 Knit 4 Purl 8
Row 5 Knit 7 Purl 5
Row 6 Knit 6 Purl 6
Row 7 Knit 5 Purl 7
Row 8 Knit 8 Purl 4
Row 9 Knit 3 Purl 9
Row 10 Knit 10 Purl 2
Row 11 Knit 1 Purl 11
Row 12 Purl 11 Knit 1

Repeat pattern and garter stitch borders until work measures approx 24”. Knit 18 rows. Cast off.

Chequerboard

/ Project Linus UK

Requirements

Pair of No. 4mm (UK size 8) needles
1 x 100g ball of acrylic double knitting wool – colour A
1 x 100g ball of acrylic double knitting wool – colour B

Method

Cast on 20 stitches in colour A.
Rows 1 – 4 Knit.
Row 5 – 6. Knit 2, Purl 2. Continue this to the last 2 stitches. Knit 2.
Row 7 – 8. Knit 2.Then Knit 2 Purl 2 to last 2 stitches. Knit 2.
Repeat rows 5 – 8 another 4 times.
There will now be 10 blocks of double moss stitch.
Knit 4 rows.

Change to colour B. Repeat the 28 rows as for Colour A. Continue alternating colours until you have completed 7 ‘blocks’ finishing with Colour A. Cast Off.

Make a further 3 strips starting and finishing with colour A. Make 3 strips starting and finishing with Colour B. The size of this blanket can be altered by adding to the length of each row and by adding more rows.

Sew strips together, alternately, the outside strips will begin and end with Colour A. Alternately – make up your own design using a variety of different colours.

Basket weave

/ Project Linus UK

Basket weave

Approx 150/200 gm of DK yarn

With 4mm needles (UK size 8) cast on 140 stitches.

Rows 1 – 10 Knit
Rows 11 – 20 Knit 10, * Knit 10, Purl 10* repeat * to * until last 10 sts, Knit 10
Rows 21 – 30 Knit 10, *Purl 10, Knit 10* repeat * to * until last 10 sts, Knit 10

Continue with this pattern until blanket measures approx 24 inches.

Knit final 10 rows. Cast off.

Log cabin (blanket without sewing)

/ Project Linus UK

Log cabin knitted blanketsKathleen Gibson kindly provided this copyright pattern for Project Linus UK.

Materials: Approximately 135g Double Knitting yarn. 4mm (UK size 8) needles
Finished size: approx 20 inches square.

Worked in garter stitch, slipping first stitch of each row.

Cast on 20 stitches. Knit 38 rows to make the central square. Cast off leaving last stitch on right hand needle. Pick up 19sts evenly along the left side of the square – 20 sts. When picking up, put pick up needle through the ‘bumps’ instead of the ‘loops’ as this will give a tighter seam.

Knit 19 rows. This creates the first ‘log’ of the log cabin. (At the end of the first row there may be a ‘loop’. If so, knit in with the last stitch.)

Cast off as before, leaving last stitch on right hand needle. Pick up down the left side – 10 sts from the side of the last knitted block and 20 sts from the cast on edge of the original square. 30 sts.

Continue in this manner. The next 2 ‘logs’ will have 40 stitches, following 2 logs 60 sts etc. When 4 logs are completed on each side of the central square (100 sts) cast off. Carefully sew in any ends – or weave them in as you go.

NB. Always cast off with the same side facing up and pick up down the left side of the work.

Variations:

  • Enlarge it – always working the same number of logs on each side of the central square
  • Use a variety of colours and try using more than one colour in each ‘log’
  • Change the central square to a rectangle
  • Change the width of the logs

Premature knitted triangles

/ Project Linus UK

Knitted trianglesThese are small knitted triangles that the mother rubs on her body and this triangle is then placed with the premature baby. This gives the baby the scent of the mother.

Using number 10 needles and 4 ply wool cast on 51 stitches and rib (K1, P1) for four rows.
Knit one row
Purl one row
Knit one row
Purl one row

Continue in stocking stitch (Knit one row, Purl one row) decreasing one stitch at each end of every knit row until you get 3 stitches. Purl these three stitches together.

Using the one stitch on the pin, pick up another 50 stitches along the side, rib three rows and cast off. Pick up 51 stitches along the other side, rib three rows and cast off.

Premature baby hats

/ Project Linus UK

Premature baby hat

Materials:
Double knitting wool
3¼ mm (UK size 10) needles.

Cast on 48 (56) sts.
Knit 6 rows.
Continue in stocking stitch until work measures 2 ½ (3) inches – 6 (7.5) cms.
Knit 2 together knit 6 – repeat to end of row. Next and every alternate row purl to end
Continue decreasing i.e. knit 2 together knit 5 (4) (3) (2) (1) until 12 (14) stitches remain.
Purl one row.
Knit 2 together 6 (8) times
Thread wool through remaining stitches and fasten off. Sew up using a flat seam.

New blanket square

/ Project Linus UK

The long double pointed needles you can buy now mean that it is possible to hold more stitches on the needle with the weight of the knitting on your lap. So you can make a blanket all in one go. But even so there are advantages in making a blanket out of smaller squares. The traditional blanket made out of knitted squares was a useful way of using up oddments of yarn. Knitting individual squares means that you never have too many stitches on the needle at once. A blanket knitted all in one go can sag and stretch. But, the big problem with the traditional squares was sewing them together as this is difficult to do well. The sewing has to be firm but not lumpy.

However, this pattern allows you to make a blanket out of squares without having to sew them together. The result has a much better tension, drape and feel than a sewn blanket.

Cast on 41 stitches. Knit one row. Turn. The right side of the work is now facing you.
Knit 19. Knit 3 together through back of loops. Knit 19.
Knit one row.
Knit 18. Knit 3 together through back of loops. Knit 18.
Continue in this way until 3 stitches remain. Knit 3 together and fasten off.

This is your first square and will be on the bottom left hand corner of the finished blanket with the line of knit 3 tog stitches going from bottom left to top right.new-blanket-square-1

To make the next square, cast on 21, preferably with thumb method, and, with the stitches on the right hand needle, pick up 20 stitches along the right hand side of the first square. Work the second square on these stitches. Make as many squares as you want on the bottom row.

To make the left hand square on the next row, pick up 20 stitches along the top of the first square then cast on 21 stitches, using a ‘knitting on’ technique so you are going left to right. Work the square on these stitches.

For the next, and all subsequent squares on that row, pick up 20 stitches on the top of the square below, one stitch right in the corner and 20 stitches up the right hand side of the previous square. Make as many rows as you want.

Weave in as many ends as you can while working, fasten off any remaining ends. To finish it off really neatly, use a long double pointed needle and pick up 20 sts along each square on one side. Knit 3 or 5 rows and cast off all but the last stitch. Pick up 3 or 5 sts along the side you have just knitted then 20 sts along each square on the next side and repeat. Do the same for the remaining two sides.

Incubator covers

/ Project Linus UK

Incubator covers are designed to protect the baby from the bright hospital lights and to create a homely atmosphere. There are two different patterns below, based on the requirements of hospitals in different areas. Please check with your local Linus coordinator about which is best in your area before sewing.

Pattern One

This pattern is used for the Royal Worcester Neo-Natal Unit, and is kindly provided by local coordinator Lynne Adams.

Linus incubator cover

The incubator cover is essentially a roundcornered rectangle measuring approx 94 x 127cm (37 x 50in). A quarter-circle template with a radius of approx 38cm (15in) is ideal for rounding the corners.

The covers must be machine washable up to 60 degrees, so cotton fabrics are ideal. Any colour is fine, but please don’t use plain white fabric as a backing because it reflects the light which can be quite harsh. Polyester wadding can be used; quilting thread should be cotton or polyester. The quilting should not be too dense. As the corners are rounded, you will need to use bias binding.

If you are short of time, or don’t wish to bind your cover before quilting it, you can use the ‘bagging out’ or ‘pillowcase’ method to finish the quilt edges. If you wish to use the ‘bagging out’ or ‘pillowcase’ method instead of binding your quilt, the rectangles need to be cut 38 x 51in to provide a 1⁄2in seam allowance. With the cover top and back right sides together, place the wadding on top of wrong side of the cover top. Pin to secure and then stitch all round leaving a gap of approx 12in.

Remove the pins and turn the quilt through to the right side. Turn the raw edges of the gap under and slipstitch closed, or topstitch the gap closed approx 1⁄8in from the edge. Then quilt the cover.Linus incubator cover pattern

Pattern Two

This pattern is used in Birmingham and the West Midlands, and was kindly provided by local coordinator Joy Edgington.

Quilt Top: 60” x 44” child friendly cotton print fabric
Quilt wadding: 40” x 20”
Quilt back: 60” x 44” white/cream cotton fabric or sheeting

Incubator cover measurements

 

To Make
Assemble layers. The quilted area sits on top of the incubator, so the wadding goes in the centre with 10” either end of the long side and 12” either side on the width. You can quilt this top area as you like and also the sides, avoiding the slits.

Please note that there are slits required on either side of the cover for observation purposes. There are 4 slits each 10 “ long and 9” from the end of the wadding. The centre 22” of each side can thus be lifted up, allowing the nurse a clear view of the baby.