September is NICU Awareness month and as many of you know, this is dear to my heart. My Elizabeth was born August 2016 and she was born 4 weeks early and had a 23 day NICU stay. 
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Elizabeth just turned a year old two weeks ago and she is now a very healthy and happy one year old! 
So I thought another great way to celebrate her milestones and reflect back on her NICU stay was to design a new bear beanie. Meet Cuddle Bear Beanie, it is a beautiful textured beanie with adorable bear ears attached!
I am asking you to join me in the challenge of making 30 beanies, one for each day in the month of September for NICU Awareness and then donating them to your place of choice. If you do not have a place to donate your 30 beanies, I will be opening a PO Box before the end of the month for you to send them to me and I will donate them for you! Did you have a baby that spent time in the NICU, please share your story! Don't forget to share the beanie you made that day and use hashtags #NICUAWARENESS #LizzieBearProject and #AshleyLeitherDesigns So grab your hooks and lets get started!!
Cuddle Bear Beanie
Materials:
- Yarn: Worsted Weight Yarn (Size 4) – Your Color Choice
- Hooks: H - 5.00mm & K - 6.50MM
- Additional Supplies: Tapestry Needle, Scissors & Measuring Tape
Sizing
- Gauge: 12 Stitches and 10 Rows = 4”x4” (hdc) with K Hook
- These measurements are approximated, measure head to get accurate sizing needed.
- Sizes Included: 0-3 Months
Notes:
- Join: When ending the round, you will join with a sl st into the 1st st (NOT the Ch 1).
- Chain 1 will NOT count as a st.
Pattern Key
- St/Sts: Stitch(es)
- Sl St: Slip Stitch
- Ch: Chain
- Hdc: Half Double Crochet
Special Stitches
- FPDC (Front Post Double Crochet): Yarn over, insert hook around post from front to back, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops, yarn over and pull through next two loops.
- FPHDC (Front Post Half Double Crochet): Yarn over, insert hook around post from front to back, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through all three loops.
- Crab Stitch: Do not chain 1, insert the hook into the last stitch of the last round, yarn over and pull the yarn through the loop on your hook.
0-3 Months Beanie:
(Circumference 13-14” and Height 5.5”)
You Need Your K Hook and Your Color Choice of Yarn.
Make a Magic Ring,
Round 1: Ch 1, 7 sc in loop, join with a sl st in the 1st sc, pull tight. - 7
Round 2: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each st around, end with 1 hdc in same st as ch 1, join. - 14
Round 3: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 1 hdc in next st, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next st; repeat from*, end with 1 hdc in same st as ch 1, join. - 21
Round 4: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 1 hdc in next 2 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next 2 sts; repeat from*, end with 1 hdc in same st as ch 1, join. - 28
Round 5: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 1 hdc in next 3 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next 3 sts; repeat from*, end with 1 hdc in same st as ch 1, join. - 35
Round 6: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 1 hdc in next 7 sts, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next 8 sts; repeat from*, join. - 38
Round 7: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 1 sl st in next st, *1 hdc in next st, 1 sl st in next st; repeat from*, join. - 38
Round 8: Ch 1, 1 sl st in same st, 1 hdc in next st, *1 sl st in next st, 1 hdc in next st; repeat from*, join. - 38
Repeat Rounds 7 & 8 until the beanie measures 4.5 inches tall, then continue to Trim.
Trim - Round 1: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st, 1 sc in next st and each st around, join. - 38
Round 2: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 1 fpdc around stitch 2 rows below, 1 hdc in next st; repeat from*, join. - 38
Round 3: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 1 fphdc around next st, 1 hdc in next st; repeat from*, join. - 38
Round 4: Crab Stitch in each st around.
Fasten off and weave in any loose ends.
Bear Ears (Make 2)
You Need H Hook and Your Yarn Color Choice of Yarn
Make a Magic Ring,
Round 1: Ch 1, 7 sc in loop, join with a sl st in the 1st sc, pull tight. - 7
Round 2: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each st around, end with 1 hdc in same st as ch 1, join. - 14
Round 3: Ch 1, 1 hdc in same st, 1 hdc in next st, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next st; repeat from*, until the last 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st, sl st in next st, sl st in same st as ch 1, join. - 21
Fasten off and weave in any loose ends, leaving a long tail to sew the ears onto the beanie. Sew the ears along rounds 4 and 5.
~Ashley
