Questions & Answers about the Caps to Cap-Haitien Project

Can I send knitted Caps?
Yes, but....this is important! Due to the climate in Haiti, we can only accept hats knit with cotton yarn. (If you have a link to a simple newborn knitted cap, please let us know in the comments of this post.)

Can I send gently-used newborn Caps?
This is a very lovely idea, but I think for right now, the answer is "no, thank you." I'd like to keep the project focused on handmade, repurposed and 'newly-made'. (I have some grand ideas for a Phase II - so stay tuned - this might change!)

Can I send a newborn cap I've made using another pattern?
Yes, of course. We're looking for simple caps - the ones put on right at birth to keep the baby's head warm. It must fit a newborn size head.

Many of my t-shirts have some other fiber content besides cotton - is this okay?
Yes, sticking to a mostly-cotton jersey is best, but many t-shirts do have a bit of something else in them and that should be fine.

I'm having a hard time sewing with the t-shirts - the hats are too stretchy and wonky using a regular sewing machine. Do you have any tips?
I've given a few ideas in the PDF, but would welcome more tips on sewing with jersey on a conventional machine in the comments here if anyone has any to share. Also - you may want to try a different t-shirt - sometimes the very stretchy ones are just too stretchy for working on a conventional machine.

Can I send a hand sewn Cap?
Yes! I don't have any experience with hand sewing jersey so I don't have any helpful tips for you. But if you can hand sew a sturdy-enough stitched newborn cap, send it along!

I don't sew or knit, but I want to help. Is there a way I can donate to the project?
Konbit Sante has a secure server on which you can make a donation in any amount you choose. There's also a mailing address if you'd prefer that.  

How can I spread the word about Mama to Mama and the Caps to Cap-Hatien project?
You can write about it on your own blog, link to the MamatoMama.org website, and use this button as you wish (right click to download to your own computer for hosting, please!). You can also subscribe to the MamatoMama.org website to keep abreast of updates here as well.

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And lastly, on the topic of Haiti in general, please take a moment to read this post on Sew Liberated with some wonderful, informative resources and personal thoughts on the situation there. Thank you, Meg!

And thanks to all of you for your enthusiasm and support of this project! I will keep you posted with updates in this space.

Comments

[Alison]

My hats are finished and on their way!

[cariad]

hey, what an inspiring project i sent 3 over to you today, hope they get there safe from london! thank you for doing this and helping me help others!

[Lasso the Moon]

I am so excited about this! I have also had this idea on my heart for some months now, and am about to start making ornaments to raise money for Heifer International. Your project is so simple and perfect! I think I can make a couple in the next few days. I'm off to link to you from my blog! Thank you again!
Anna

[Sarah]

Amanda,
I am very excited about helping with this. Now that I am a mama, I feel the need to help other mamas so much more intensly. I truely look forward to being active in the Mama to Mama community. To paraphrase a favorite quote from Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, "Mankind should be our business." Meaning we should be about helping others...I love that and want to better live by that creed. Thank you for this opportunity.

[Annika]

I've written up the knitting pattern with slightly more detail (not a lot, as it really is that simple) here: http://noirbettie.com/blog/?p=4233

It's also available as a PDF download at Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/annika-barranti

[homejewel]

Amanda - I really appreciate this great effort and it's wonderful to see the excitement. I have to ask, though, are hats something that the nationals are really needing or is this something that American medical workers are saying they need? I'm sure most of your readers want to make something that will be beneficial. I lived in a tropical country for a few years and never saw a newborn with a hat on, because it really doesn't make much sense - they would get too hot. Thirdly, my midwife mentioned at my last birth that she and other midwives have noted that when hats are put on baby's head, moms don't seem to touch their baby's heads as much. There is something very valuable in mama's touch and baby's need to feel it. I really am not wanting to put a damper on this idea but with the scope of this effort, it would be a shame to have so many moms working on something that may or may not be useful. Could cloth diapers or t-shirts be more beneficial? Just throwing ideas out there.

[Maryanne Vlaardingerbroek]

What a great idea. I would like to help too.
I have knitted lots of baby (newborn) hats from silk, noilsilk and cotton with silk.
Is that ok to send too? (since you mentioned only cotton)
I needed to practise my knitting and they where very easy to knit.:)

[Michelle]

Since some babies are premature or low-birth weight, may I send some hand made preemie caps? They are 6 1/2 " in diameter.

[sarah]

Has anyone else had a problem with the pattern? A 5/8" inseam seems awfully large. I had a hard time knotting it, and mine looks WAY smaller than the ones in the photo.
I also wondered about putting the seam on the outside, Stef. I think that's a better option, and will probably do that on my others. To keep the edges from unraveling, you can widen your zig zag stitch a little and let one side go over the edge of the fabric.
It also seems like you should be able to get a hat out of each sleeve, if you're using an adult sized t-shirt. You might not have the point at the top, but it could still work.
So can someone just let me know how big the finished cap should be? Thanks!

[SOULEMAMA]

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Sarah -

Please feel free to use your own pattern or adjust the one I've provided as you see fit!

The caps coming in are all measuring between 6 - 7" across the bottom hem, which is perfect. The length varies, depending on the knot.

Putting the seam on the outside is fine, too! I just wanted to keep the instructions as simple as possible, so just provided one option.

Thank you!!!

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[Amy Woods]

I'd love to make some caps, but I can't get the pdf to open. Can you help? Thanks!

[mandy]

As a PICU & NICU caregivers, we can appreciate the need for babies to have hats - even in Haiti! With my coworkers' help, I sewed up 38 caps tonight and am waiting on more t-shirts.

The hat pattern is a little big for pre-term and small-for-age babies. A typical preemie head measurement is 26-28 cm and a normal full term newborn (US) is 32-34cm. Your pattern is based on a normal newborn. I am unsure if we need to size it down a little for smaller infants without the nutritional boost that most US infants have.

[mandy]

Forgot! The knots!

My wrist was sore from cutting the fabric and making the knot was impossible. I finally used a pair of hemostats (look like scissors but have grips on the end instead) to push out the pointed end and to grab and secure the knot tightly. Worked like a charm!

Hemostats can be purchased from any medical supply/uniform shop or from many sewing notion companies.

[SOULEMAMA]

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mandy - thanks for those numbers, and for your help in the project!

The caps that are coming in are varying a bit in size, as I anticipated due to everyone's different sewing, cutting, seam allowance interpretation, as well as the stretch of the tees.

So while some are ending up in a traditional newborn size, there are lots ending up the perfect preemie size as well.

I think we'll end up with just the right balance in sizing!

Best,

--amanda

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