A couple years ago, I began a project that helped me get through a really hard time in my life. I saw the need and dove in and Octopus for a Preemie – US was born. Over the past few years, that charity has grown to a group of over 24,000 members. Many of them are crocheters who are continually making octopuses and donating them to hospitals all over the United States.
Although there is a strong group of crocheters, there is always a need for more. This pattern is highly demanding and one crocheter can only make so many octopuses.
This article is part of the Craft it Forward series.
Why Octopuses?
Octopus for a Preemie got started when someone had the idea to give premature babies something to hang onto so they wouldn’t pull on their cords or tubes. Babies are used to having things to hang onto in to in the womb and the tentacles on the octopus simulate the umbilical cord. Nurses in NICU hospitals have noticed that the babies with octopuses pull out their cords less often than babies without.
How Octopus for a Preemie – US works
Octopus for a Preemie – US started with the intent to connect crafters with hospitals with NICUs. As the word got out about these wonderful crocheted octopuses, the demand for them grew and the group couldn’t keep up. We’ve found ways to work through this and working as hard as we can to meet the need.
Here is how Octopus for a Preemie – US is set up to function.
- There is a large group of Certified Crafters. These crocheters are people who have learned the pattern and perfected it so that their octopuses meet the high standards of the group. (More on the standards later.)
- There are Ambassadors within that group that are directly connected to hospitals.
- The Ambassadors let us know when there is a need at their local hospital. An “Octo Call” goes out and crocheters from all over the country send octopuses to the ambassador.
- Some Ambassadors (added later in the process, when we were unable to meet the needs of all the hospitals requesting octopuses) are local ambassadors only. They recruit crocheters in their community if possible and deliver octopuses just to their local hospital.
What if my hospital doesn’t have the Octopus for a Preemie program?
Many times, a family hears about Octopus for a Preemie, but their hospital doesn’t have an ambassador in place. Those families can make a special request and receive an octopus from one of our certified crafters. There are a couple steps to go through (including hospital approval), but we try to meet these needs as swiftly as possible.
Octopus for a Preemie – US standards
Each Octopus for a Preemie group has slightly different standards based on the country where they’re based. Be sure you’re following the US standards when making octopuses for the US group. You can find all the guidelines in the Octopus for a Preemie – US Facebook group. This video shows the standards in detail.
I’m a beginning crocheter. Will I be able to do this project?
Quite a few of the Octopus for a Preemie – US Certified Crafters had never crocheted before starting this project. They were able to follow the YouTube videos, as well as the detailed pattern (found in the Facebook group files) and learn how to make these octopuses. If you’re determined, you can certainly learn and have success making crocheted octopuses.
What materials will I need?
There is a complete list of approved yarns and fillers in the files of the Octopus for a Preemie – US Facebook group.
Cotton Yarn: Octopuses are made from 100% cotton yarn.
Here are some of our crocheter’s favorite yarns.
- I Love This Cotton (This is the #1 favorite! Many colors can be found at Hobby Lobby. A truly soft, beautiful cotton yarn. Available at Hobby Lobby)
- Crafter’s Secret
- Herrschner’s Village Cotton
Finer Weight Yarns – crocheters sometimes need to adjust the pattern to make up for it, but some crocheters prefer these yarns.
- Lion Brand 24/7 also available on Amazon
- Sugarwheel Cotton
- Sinfonia
Hooks: You will also need a very small hook – smaller than the size recommended for your yarn. Most of our crocheters use a size 2.00-3.00 steel hook. The stitches for this project must be very tight, thus the tiny hook.
Filler: A complete list of approved fillers can be found in the Facebook Group. The most popular are from the Fairfield line of polyester fiberfill.
How can I be sure these are safe for premature babies?
Octopus for a Preemie – US makes octopuses exclusively for babies in the NICU. These babies are under close supervision and monitoring at all times. For this reason, the tentacles don’t pose a choking risk. The octopuses are not recommended for children under the age of 3 outside of the NICU babies.
Cleaning: Because of the materials, these octopuses can be sanitized by being washed and dried on high heat.
Hole Size: These octopuses are crocheted with a very tight stitch, preventing any holes from showing up. Because of this, tiny baby fingers cannot get stuck and no fiberfill can escape and become a hazard.
Tentacle Length: The tentacles are made just long enough for babies to grab onto, but not so long that they can get tangled with cords and tubes found in the NICU.
We do everything we can to ensure the safety of the octopuses.
How do I get started?
If you want to become a member of Octopus for a Preemie – US and begin donating, join the Facebook group today! Read through the files to learn more and start practicing!
This project is part of the Craft it Forward series. Check it out for more ways that you can help your community through your crafts!
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