Last week in the MSF office I met Dr Miroslav who had just returned from working in an MSF hospital in Qetta, Pakistan. MSF runs a neonatal unit there and Dr Miroslav told me they need baby hats to keep the premature babies and malnourished kids warm. While this is a very simple thing it really can help save a kids life.

A newborn patient in the neonatal inpatient department in the MSF supported Dera Murad Jamali District Headquarter Hospital in eastern Balochistan, Pakistan. © PK Lee/MSF

While we don’t usually encourage knits for overseas projects, as local people can usually supply these, thus contributing to the local economy, this is an exception.

So what do we need?

Dr Miroslav has asked for a range of hat sizes starting at head circumference 25cm (I’ve just measured that out with my tape measure, it really is tiny) up to age five years.

I asked him which material he preferred. The hats will be washed before use but he is more concerned about warmth than materials so whatever you have in your stash will be better than nothing, though superwash wool or wool-acrylic blends will probably be most useful.

We have a couple of kids hat patterns with Woolly Wormhead’s fun Stripey Beanie and Liz Lovicks snowflake hat.

These both start at toddler size so if you want to make smaller hats there are lots of free patterns on Ravely.

I asked Dr Miroslav if he needed any other items and he did mention baby socks would be useful but hats are the most important thing at the moment.

So knitters and crocheters, get cracking!

When you have finished your hats please send them to:

p/hop

c/o Clare Storry

MSF UK
67-74 Saffron Hill
London
EC1N 8QX

Thank you very much.