Volunteers needed to knit red hats for newborn babies

The aim is to empower mothers to look after their heart health and encourage their children to do the same

(American Heart Association)

The American Heart Association is calling on the public to knit and crochet red hats for babies.

In collaboration with the Children’s Heart Foundation and to celebrate American Heart Month, people are being asked to create infant-sized woolly hats.

They’ll be given to babies born in February at participating hospitals in the hope of empowering mothers to look after their heart health and encourage their children to do the same.

The project, called Little Hats, Big Hearts, has been designed to honour and celebrate babies, mothers and living heart-healthily.

The organisers hope to “raise awareness, provide resources and inspire moms to take their family’s heart health to heart while also raising awareness about Congenital Heart Defects.”

If you want to take part, head to the website to find out more information on deadlines and where to send your hats.

There are sample patterns on the website too.

The organisers also ask that volunteers don’t add bows and buttons as they can come off the hats and be dangerous for the babies.

And if you’re not a knitter, they’re also accepting donations of wool and yarn - it must be red, made of cotton or acrylic, medium to heavy weight, and machine washable and dryable.

(American Heart Association (American Heart Association)

Hospital workers can get involved in the project too, they just need to contact their local office.

The Little Hats, Big Hearts project began in February 2014 in Chicago and collected 300 hats.

Now, however, the campaign has expanded to more than 40 states.

“Thank you for making this program so special and for helping to spread awareness of heart disease and congenital heart defects,” the organisers say.