Rotorua's premature babies will be kept warm thanks to the close-knit friends in the Fergusson Home knitting club.
Since late December, at least eight women from the Rotorua retirement home have been busy knitting tiny caps, mittens and singlets for babies born early.
Resident Nancy Parker said the women had formed a strong bond as they filled their days and evenings producing the garments.
"They have been really enthusiastic. We wanted to contribute something to help these babies. We sat around at night watching TV and knitting.
"Some of the ladies haven't knitted anything for years and some of them are visually impaired, making it very difficult for them. It was hard getting the wool together too."
Fergusson Home activities co-ordinator Shona Fifield said it had been good therapy for the women who took part in the project.
"They have become good friends. You see them go back to their rooms and they are all knitting away. They have had a lot of fun together and it has given them an interest.
"They would love to keep going ... We get a lot of the thicker wool given to us but we need more of the thin wool to make things for the babies."
Special Care Baby Unit clinical nurse leader Nancy Littler said without the specially knitted garments the tiny babies, many who were born up to two months before their due date, would have to spend a lot longer in the special care unit.
"Clinically, it's very important to keep them warm. They get cold and sick very easily.
"Some of these little ones are less than a pound in weight at birth and finding clothes for them is impossible."
Mothers and babies are able to keep the garments when they leave the unit.
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