A knitted preemie hat serves a much greater purpose than just making a new arrival look cute - they are an important way to help baby retain precious body heat that can escape through their heads. the problem is that because every baby's head is shaped just a little bit differently and a preemie's head in particular is so small that finding a proper hat can be tough - especially if shopping in stores. The answer to this is to make your own, preferably from a free knitting pattern that can be altered a stitch here or there to fit a specific baby, and if the hat has the ability to stretch all the better. Here are a few free pattern that should prove of great use: Preemie Eyelet Hat - A beautiful knitted hat in just the right size, found at http://www.p2designs.com/pdfs/ptn-HatEyelet.pdf Beanstock Preemie Hat - A wonderful pattern that offers great texture and a neat look, available at http://knittinguptheroad.blogspot.com/2009/01/beanstalk-preemie-hat-pattern.html