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.