Period of PURPLE Crying Cap
by Deborah Tomasello
SALT LAKE CITY, UT -Frustration with a crying infant is the number one trigger for the shaking and abuse of infants. In an effort to help spread awareness about normal infant crying and the dangers of shaking an infant, the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, Click4Babies, is launching a national public education campaign to make tens of thousands of purple colored baby caps. The grassroots campaign called, CLICK for Babies: Period of PURPLE Crying Caps, invites knitters and crocheters across North America to make purple colored baby caps which will be delivered to families in November and December with the Period of PURPLE Crying, an evidence based program that educates parents about normal infant crying, ways to cope with the crying and the dangers of reacting in frustration by shaking or abusing an infant. The campaign will launch in April as part of Child AbusePreventionMonth. Size: 0- 9 months Materials: 1 ball each of Knit Picks Palette, Majestic and Hyacinth, or any two fingering weight yarns. (Note that KP Palette is 100% wool and is not machine washable) One 16” #3 circular needle and four #3 DPNs (or size needed to obtain gauge) Stitchmarker Tapestryneedle Gauge: 32 stitches and 30 rounds = 4"” using #3 needles. Abbreviations: K2TOG = Knit two stitches together. SSK = Slip one stitch, then slip the next. Insert left needle into the front loops of the slipped stitches and knit them together from this position. PM = Place marker Instructions: With circular needle, CO 112 sts using Majestic (for A) or Hyacinth (for B). Join to work in round, placing stitch marker and being careful not to twist stitches. For cap B, work 5 rounds of 2x2 rib. Follow CHART A or B (7 repeats per round) for 62 (or 57 for B) rounds, decreasing as indicated and switching to DPNs when necessary. (Each dec round has 14 decs: 2 decreases next to each other; K2TOG for first dec on chart right, and SSK for second dec sts, left on chart) For Cap B, after round 57, with 14 sts on the needles, K2TOG around. 7 sts remain. Knit last seven sts for 5 rounds; cut yarn leaving a tail several inches long. Move all sts from needles to tapestry needle, and pull tightly. Secure from the inside. For Cap A, after round 62, move 14 sts to tapestry needle and draw yarn through all sts to secure.
For Cap A:
Tassel: Cut 6 equal lengths of Majestic yarn (approx. 12 inches long). Tie together an inch from the top and braid, 2 lengths in each braid section. Set aside. Cut 12 yarn lengths, about 6 inches each, and tie braid ends of braid around the middle of the bundle. Fold 6 inch bundle in half. Secure with a piece of yarn tied about half an inch from the top of the fold. Trim tassel ends so they are even. Attach to top of hat from the inside. Ear Flaps Make two: CO 52 sts using Majestic. Knit one row, placing marker after 26"h st (halfway). Turn. Purl one row. Turn. K2TOG. Knit to last 2 sts before marker, K2TOG. PM. K2TOG. Knit to last 2 sts before end of row. K2TOG. Turn. Purl one row. Turn. Repeat last two rows until there are 8 sts left. BO. Set aside. Hat ties Make two: Cut 6 equal lengths of Majestic yarn (approx. 12 inches long). Tie together an inch from the top and braid, 2 lengths in each braid section. Secure ends. Fold earflap in half and crochet front to back, securing hat ties in bottom of flaps as you are closing. Attach to sides of hat. im all color change ends at beginning and ends of rounds. Wash and block to fit. CoeDeborah@ aol.com
