The local Children's Miracle Network neonatal intensive care unit needs hats and mittens for the preemies. What crossed my mind was to make a fleece tube with hidden seams. Then, have my 4-H students cut the tube, roll and hand stitch a small cuff, then tie the top closed to make hats. I thought a smaller tube for the mittens, (no thumb necessary, it's to keep them from scratching themselves.) My students could cut the tube with a round template, then blanket stitch the fleece closed. Then weave an elastic cord through half of the open end of the tube, knotted on each end of the elastic, to form a tightish fitting mitten. The students I have in mind would be middle schoolers.
The question I have is this: Will this concept work? When I worked NICU, we used orthopedic stockinette. We had boxes of assorted size rolls, and would just cut off what we needed, tie the tops with umbilical tape, for the hats, and attach the mittens with a strip of bandage tape. I have no idea of what sizes we had on the shelves. Now, the colorful blankets, hats and mittens are gifts which are more for the visual relaxation of the concerned parents than for the preemies.
If this concept sounds functional, what size tubes should we make?
Thanks for your input
Carol