THIS IS THE CROCHET PATTERN.

These cotton retention bandages may be used for medical conditions with chronic skin ulcers which need regular wound care. It can be washed and reused. It is an alternative to disposable store-bought bandages.

Please secure your doctor’s/health provider’s approval before using these bandages.

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BACKGROUND

On April 4, 2024 I posted a request on Facebook and Instagram for help with this project. In truth, I had expected only a few to come forward. I never expected thousands of knitters and crocheters to offer their help.

I am very grateful for many, many kind individuals.

These cotton retention bandages are reusable bandages that are placed over the primary wound dressing. These are for our patients with Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) who have chronic, non-healing wounds. They are patients at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Department of Dermatology.

OVERVIEW
Please be guided by the following:
-please use only 100% cotton or mercerized cotton, lace weight (CYC #0), 26-27 wraps per inch (WPI). These are bandages for medical use and must be thin.
-please DO NOT use any synthetic fiber (no acrylic, cotton blends, polyester, raylon, milk cotton, poly cotton, lanalon, indophil)
-undyed, bare, white, cream, natural, and off-white only (no color dyes which can potentially irritate open wounds )

THREAD
-for those who live in the Philippines – Monaco mercerized cotton 3-ply balls or cone, Cannon mercerized cotton 3-ply ball or cone, Monaco CCK83 mercerized cotton 3-ply cone
-for those who live in other countries – cotton crochet thread size 10. A list of suggested thread/yarn is included in the pattern. It will be updated as often as necessary. The updated list will also be posted in the Knits by May Facebook group under the Guides tab - Retention Bandages https://www.facebook.com/groups/knitsbymay/

-the gauge is not important. Please adjust the size of your knitting needles or crochet hook depending on your personal gauge/tension to produce the right fabric.

I have set up chat groups within a Facebook group for updates and to answer your questions. Joining the Knits by May Facebook group and the chat group is purely voluntary. The link to the group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/knitsbymay/ then join the chat for your location.

As of April 2024, there are two chats (PH and Worldwide). In the Worldwide chat there are side chats for US/Canada and Australia/New Zealand.

Many, many thanks to Ariett07 for converting the hand-knitting pattern into a machine-knitting pattern.

Thank you all for your generosity and willingness to share your time and your talent.

Dr. May

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June 2024 update

• includes option for 4-inch wide bandages
• additional thread options