Norway High School sophomore Bobbi Dabb recently donated crocheted snuggle blankets and hat and mitten sets for new babies born at the Family Birth Center at Dickinson County Healthcare System in Iron Mountain. The contribution was for her 20 Time Project in Jacqueline Leiker’s technology class. From left, Obstetrics Registered Nurse Ashley Campbell and OB Charge Nurse Tillie Rossato accept crocheted items from Dabb and her mother, Tracey Dabb of Vulcan. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

NORWAY — A Norway High School sophomore has used her skills with a crochet hook and yarn to create soft, unique items for newborns as a class project.

For her 20 Time Project, Bobbi Dabb made about 40 “snuggle” blankets and 25 sets of newborn/premie hats and no-scratch mittens to be donated to the Family Birth Center at Dickinson County Healthcare System in Iron Mountain.

The 20 Time program has Norway-Vulcan Area School students in Jacqueline Leiker’s technology classes devoting 20% of their class time to a passion project of their choice. Students have one day a week, usually Fridays, to work on their projects — one day a week is 20% of their time in school.

Dabb learned to crochet from her grandmother, Jennie Dabb of Vulcan, when she was about 8 or 9 years old.

“My grandmother was on a kick of making baby blankets at that time, so I came up with the idea to make something for newborns at our hospital,” Dabb said.

Dabb liked the idea of the snuggle blanket, so she found several different animal head patterns that could be attached to each blanket. Some of the “snuggle animals” she made were bunnies, frogs, kittens, mice, teddy bears, elephants, piglets and even an octopus.

Dabb said she would crochet during her “20 time” at school, plus her free time at home.

“My grandmother also helped make them,” she said.

It took Dabb about a day and a half to finish a blanket, which was a little longer than her experienced grandmother whipping them out in a couple of hours.

She also made newborn- and premie-size hats and mittens. “The mittens are used so they don’t scratch their little faces,” she said.

Family Birth Center staff were thrilled with the donation. “These are very unique and cute pieces — our new mothers are going to love them,” obstetrics nurse Ashley Campbell said.

Terri Castelaz can be reached at 906-774-2772 ext. 241, or tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com