Snowdrop Suite’s Tiny Teddy + Pattern
21 months ago I was blessed with a beautiful baby boy. The staff at the hospital were wonderful. Attentive, respectful, helpful, kind, everything my husband and I could have asked for and more. I cannot thank them enough for all their hard work and dedication, and for the time they spend each day looking after pregnant ladies and their families.
Not all families are as lucky as ours. Burton’s Queen’s Hospital has a dedicated team of midwives based at the Snowdrop Suite who care for families who have suffered a stillbirth or miscarriage.
They need our help!
Here is their story:
An appeal has been made for volunteers to knit little blankets and teddy bears for families who have lost babies.
Midwives who are based at the Snowdrop Suite at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital – which cares for families who have suffered a stillbirth or miscarriage – say the blankets and teddies go into memory boxes which can also include a lock of hair and plaster cast impressions of baby’s hands and feet.
Bereavement midwife Jo Shillito, said that two blankets and two teddies are made for each baby. One of each goes with the child, and the other is kept by the parents in their memory box.
She said: “It’s about memory building for parents who have lost a baby. It’s very important, as it not only helps with the grieving process, but it helps them think ‘this is our child’.”
Volunteers are being encouraged to knit blankets of any pattern and any size between A4 and A3. Blankets that are pink, blue and white are particularly welcomed.
Reverend Alison Thorp, who is the Trust’s Head of Spiritual Care Services, has helped by getting others involved. She praised the generosity and warmth of those who were prepared to offer their time and love to people they have never, and probably would never meet.
Members of Burton’s St Paul’s Church are among those who have helped so far. Church member Olwen Sharpe, who is also a chaplaincy visitor, said: “When the ladies at St Paul’s Church were asked if they would be able to help with knitting blankets for the hospital, they were only too pleased to help.”
Jo Shillito added that the Snowdrop Suite would also be grateful for any donations of wool and patterns.
Anyone who would like to help should contact Deb Price at the hospital on 01283 566333 ext 5583. She is happy to meet knitters and collect items from them in person. Alternatively, wool, patterns and knitted donations can be sent to her c/o The House, Queen’s Hospital, Belvedere Road, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE13 0RB.
Having been tasked with mobilising the crochet army, here is a little pattern for you to enjoy. He works up in a couple of hours.
Snowdrop Suite’s Tiny Teddy
Crochet this Teddy as a simple but important memento for grieving parents at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital.
Teddies (and blankets between A4 and A3 size) can be sent to Deb Price, The House, Queen’s Hospital, Belvedere Road, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 0RB.
Materials
Double knit yarn in main colour and a few strands for sewing features and bow
3.5mm hook. If you have a very loose tension, try using a 3 mm instead.
yarn needle
stuffing
Abbreviations (in UK crochet terms)
sl st slip stitch
dc double crochet
ch chain
st stitch
rnd round
tr treble
inc increase by dc 2 into 1 st
dec decrease by missing one st, dc into next
work even means a dc in every st
Tips:
Don’t over stuff, especially the arms!
If you’re struggling with the ears, look up videos on surface crochet to give you a nudge in the right direction.
Pattern
Head, Body and Legs
magic circle 6
or
ch 5, sl st into 1st chain to create loop, then dc 6 times into centre of loop
rnd 2 inc in each st (12)
rnd 3 (inc 1, dc 1) 6 times (18)
rnd 4 (inc 1, dc 2) 6 times (24)
rnd 5 – 8 work even
rnd 9 (dec 1, dc 2) 6 times (18)
rnd 10 (dec 1, dc 1) 6 times (12)
this completes the head
rnd 11 (inc 1, dc 1) 6 times (18)
rnd 12 (inc 1, dc 2) 6 times (24)
rnd 13 (inc 1, dc 3) 6 times (30)
rnd 14 – 18 work even
rnd 19 (dec 1, dc 2) 6 times (24)
now we need to make the legs
*rnd 20 dc 12
rnd 21 dc into 1st dc of previous rnd, this will split your work to form 1st leg, dc 11 more to complete this rnd (12)
rnd 22 – 25 work even
Stuff your Teddy at this point
rnd 26 (dec 1) 6 times
break yarn and pull through to secure. Use end to sew up end of leg to complete.
for next leg:
reattach yarn where body splits into legs and repeat from *
Arms (make 2)
magic circle 6
or
ch 5, sl st into 1st chain to create loop, then dc 6 times into centre of loop
rnd 2 inc in each st (12)
rnd 3 – 8 work even
leave a long end, break yarn and pull through to secure. Stuff. Flatten top of arm and use end to sew it up and attach to neck of Teddy as in picture.
Snout
magic circle 6
or
ch 5, sl st into 1st chain to create loop, then dc 6 times into centre of loop
rnd 2 inc in each st (12)
rnd 3 work even
leave a long end, break yarn and pull through to secure. Use end to sew snout to head as in picture, stopping to stuff a few stitches before completing.
Ears
With Teddy facing you, insert hook into side of head and back out, underneath st from rnd 3. (this is suface crochet). Catch yarn, pull through head and sl st to secure.
tr 6 into st from rnd 4 of head
sl st into st from rnd 5 of head. This creates the ear shape. sl st into next st down on head and turn.
(inc1, dc) 3 times, the sl st into head to secure.
Create next ear in same way, but this time start the process from bottom of ear on rnd 5 and work up towards top of head.
Weave in all ends to finish.
Bow and Features
Sing 3 strand of contrasting colour, make a bow round Tiny Teddy’s neck. Cut ends to neaten up. Using contrasting double knit yarn, sew on features using picture as reference.
