I end up crocheting a lot. After a while, you have all you need (for the moment) in terms of afghans, scarves and other yarn goodies. Your friends and family do too.  Crocheting items for different causes works well for me because it gives a home for extra items…and it pushes me to finish a project rather than add to my growing pile of WiPs.

I’ve made afghans for a local hospice, scarves for Special Olympics and homeless shelters, squares to go to overseas projects and preemie caps.  But two weeks ago I heard about a need I had never known existed .

shapes

The NICU at one of the hospitals near me collects small knit or crochet shapes.  (I really can’t think of a better word for it.) These are made from 100% cotton yarn and the mother wears it against her skin where it absorbs her scent.  After that, it is put into the baby’s isolette so the mother’s scent is there for comfort.

I tried googling this, and can’t find any reference to it, so I can’t post a link.  The piece I was shown is about 4 inches, and it seems that this is better worked up in a soft cotton yarn rather than the kind usually used for dishcloths or amigurumi.

I was playing with some shapes to see what would turn out, and today I also bought a finer cotton yarn hoping it will be less bulky. I’ve been looking for some fun shapes online rather than these basic ones, or maybe I can use the finer yarn with some afghan square patterns and the size will work out. Such a simple project, worked up quickly, and it feels good to be able to complete something in an hour, after working on a much larger project.

It is always eye-opening to me to find a need for different items that can be crocheted. I’ve gotten a lot from this keep-my-hands-busy hobby. It feels good to pay that forward.

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