Featured Charity of the Month: Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Welcome! Our August Featured Charity is Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and it is being presented by Kirsten Holloway, of Kirsten Holloway Designs.

Although this may not be a local Charity to us all, I hope by sharing it with our friends and family, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep will receive the support it needs. If you are unable to help personally, please share this with your friends online – you never know – you may reach someone who is able to make a difference! If you would like to contribute too, we encourage you to crochet the featured free pattern this month and donate it to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, or a local charity of your own.

Please read on to learn more about Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and how we can help. ♥ Rhondda

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August’s Featured Charity is Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Hi, I’m Kirsten from Kirsten Holloway Designs, and this month I’m sharing a charity that might be unknown to many of you, but does a tremendous amount of good to support families that are grieving the loss of a baby. Infant loss can still be a somewhat taboo subject in our culture, though, according to March of Dimes’ website, stillbirth affects approximately 1 out of 100 pregnancies in the United States, and, according to Reuters, “[b]irth defects, or congenital malformations, accounted for 31 percent of U.S. infant deaths during the study” while “[s]o-called perinatal complications, or medical problems babies developed shortly before or after birth, accounted for another 13 percent of fatalities.” But from talking to parents that have lost little ones, the general consensus is that these mothers and fathers want to remember them, and speaking of their child by name reminds them that their loved-one existed, which means a lot.*

Now I Lay me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS ) is a non-profit organization based in Colorado that provides heirloom quality black and white newborn photography services for parents of still-born babies.** What does this have to do with crochet you may wonder? I’ll get to the crochet part in a minute. The mission of NILMDTS is to provide intimate remembrance portraits to parents that have experienced the loss of their infant, with the hope that these keepsakes will provide healing and recovery to the affected families. Besides the photos they offer “Remembrance Care Packages” which include, among other things, a journal, footprint kit, a lock of hair card, and small teddy bear. And in addition to those items, a lovingly handmade lightweight blanket and hat set are included. This is where you as a crocheter come in!

Four time a year these items are collected and set out to various hospitals in the Colorado area. The deadline to get items in is the last day of the month in January, April, July, and October. At this time Colorado is the only state NILMDTS serves with these care packages.

Because most of these babies are so small the handmade items need to be appropriately sized. They also mention that while light to medium tones are preferred, no white yarn or thread be used in the donations. Click here to read more about the requirements.

I have 3 bonnet patterns that would make perfect gifts to remember these precious babies by. Made in thread, two of them will come out to be preemie or newborn sized, depending on the hook size or thread size. Look in the “Additional Notes” section of each pattern for instructions on making these with thread. It is possible to make these even smaller with #20 thread and a 1.5mm hook, should there be a need.

Victoria Rose Baby Bonnet – 0-3 mos when made with #10 thread

Lavender Blue Baby Bonnet – Preemie when made with #10 thread

Rosemary Green Baby Bonnet – Preemie/Newborn when made with #10 thread

When you are ready to donate your bonnets, please use these links to contact the organization—there is a phone number listed if you scroll to the bottom of that page, if you can’t find your answers online. You can also reach them on their Facebook page.

If you choose to make and donate a hat, you can be assured that that gift is one that will be treasured for years to come, and will play a role in helping a grieving family heal. And that knowledge alone is bound to create a warm place in your heart. ♥

*Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is October 15th.
**NILMDTS offers photography services to parents around the world, however, the care packages are only sent to families in Colorado. If you are a photographer interested in volunteering your talents, click here to fill out an application form.

Kirsten is a work-at-home mom who never has enough hours in the day to craft, and is seriously considering crocheting all night. She knows that would be irresponsible though, especially since her body doesn’t tolerate the coffee needed to stay awake. You can visit Kirsten Holloway Designs for more free crochet patterns designed to make the world a better, more beautiful place (plus they’re caffeine free, so you know they’re good for you).