I am so excited to welcome you to this year’s Preemie Crochet Challenge. It is an annual event dedicated to spreading handmade love to the tiniest of babies. This is our sixth year of coming together as a crochet community, and every year I am blown away by your generosity, talent, and commitment to making a difference. Preemie crochet holds such a special place in my heart, and it’s truly inspiring to see how one simple stitch can bring comfort to families with little ones in the NICU.

Throughout the month of September, I’ll be teaming up with a wonderful group of crochet designers to bring you 30 free preemie crochet patterns. Each day, a new pattern will be released as a free PDF download for at least 24 hours. From tiny hats and blankets to sweet little booties and bonding squares, these patterns are carefully designed with preemies in mind – soft, practical, and perfectly suited for delicate newborn needs.

Your Pledge – Crochet and Donate

The challenge is simple, but powerful: for every free pattern you download, I ask you to pledge to crochet at least one item from it and donate it. You can gift your makes to your local NICU, a charity, or even directly to a family in need.

Over the years, thousands of handmade preemie items have been donated through this challenge—each one carrying warmth, love, and hope. Imagine the difference we can make together again this year!

How to Join the Preemie Crochet Challenge

✨ Check back here daily. By 10am BST each morning I’ll update this post with the new featured free preemie crochet pattern.
✨ Download the pattern within 24 hours to grab your free PDF copy.
✨ Crochet at least one item and donate it to spread the love.

It’s that easy. And by taking part, you’ll be part of a global community of crocheters making a real impact.

Stay Connected

Don’t miss out on the fun (or any of the patterns)! You can:

• ✅ Sign up for my newsletter to get daily or weekly reminders straight to your inbox
• ✅ Join our Facebook community to share your makes and cheer each other on
• ✅ Follow along on Instagram for inspiration and sneak peeks

Choosing the Right Yarn

If you’re planning to donate, please make sure you’re using suitable yarns for preemie crochet projects. I’ve written a helpful guide on choosing safe, soft, and washable yarns for baby projects. Nothing’s worse than pouring your heart into a make, only to find out the yarn isn’t suitable for donations.

You can find my blog post about choosing the best yarns for baby projects here.

What Are Bonding Squares?

Each year I love to highlight bonding squares. There are a small but mighty preemie crochet pattern that can bring huge comfort. These squares are made in pairs. A mother (or father) keeps one close to her skin so it carries her scent, then the matching square is placed with her baby in the NICU. The process is then repeated, creating a comforting connection when physical contact isn’t always possible.

Bonding squares are quick, simple, and deeply meaningful. I have free printable tags you can attach to your sets before donating. It’s a thoughtful finishing touch that families truly appreciate.

Together, let’s make September a month of compassion, creativity, and community. I can’t wait to see what you’ll crochet, donate, and share in this year’s Preemie Crochet Challenge. Thank you for showing once again the incredible power of handmade love. 💕

Today’s featured pattern:

Misty Days Blanket by Sunflower Cottage Crochet

This blanket comes in 9 sizes and is perfect for all skill levels as it only uses the basic stitches to create this gorgeous texture and border.

With the smaller sizes the pattern is written to only have the border on 3 sides so babies don’t get their fingers stuck in the gaps! For larger sizes you have the option of a border on 3 or 4 sides.

Click the picture to go to the blog post.

Free pdf download until the end of the event! Be sure to use the special event button.

Next pattern will be available by 10am BST tomorrow.