Christmas wish come true: Wilmington knitting club meets baby hat recipients
WILMINGTON (WWAY) — Almost two dozen residents of Carolina Bay at Autumn Hall senior living community in Wilmington have been busy creating hats for the babies born at nearby Novant Health Betty H. Cameron Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
The group started knitting and crocheting in March of 2023 and has made almost 1,000 hats.
“Approximately 50 babies are born there each month, and each receives a hat,” Karen Wilkins, the resident who started the group, said in a press release.
READ MORE: Knitting for a cause: Carolina Bay’s dedication to supporting NICU babies
And they’re not just your everyday knit cap. The residents’ creations include teddy bears, flowers, the Grinch, and more, all lovingly made with style and detail.
The ladies meet each Friday to knit, crochet, and enjoy their time together.
“They taught some of the staff, so now we knit with them every week,” Sami Johnson, life enrichment director, said.
In addition to the socialization, the ladies all value the sense of purpose the project provides them.
“Our residents love to give back to the community,” said Nancy Bartlett Deibler, marketing director at Carolina Bay at Autumn Hall.
Resident Beth Henderson, an active participant in the knitting group, said that creating the hats is a “gift of love.”
“We have one regret about the project,” said Karen. “We never get to see the babies in our hats. We would love to see pictures of them, or better still, have them come and visit.”
Their Christmas wish was granted last Friday as a couple of the babies who have been gifted hats came to model their fashion accessories while being admired and cuddled.
