Woolly Hugs. A blanket for lovely wafflenose who has tragically lost her daughter. Can you help us please?

[KnottyAndPistey]

We bring such sad news, lovely wafflenose has lost her younger daughter (L) through tragic circumstances and we are just so desperately sorry, thoughts very much with waffle, her family and all who loved her daughter. Really really devastating. Life has been desperately cruel. You may well recognise waffle from music/education/Extra-curricular threads here on MN. Both her lovely daughters have been involved with Mumsnet.

We are so glad waffle would like to receive a Woolly Hug. For those new on here, this is a long standing tradition on Mumsnet where folk come together to make a blanket for one of our own who has been bereaved. There will be love crafted into every stitch. We want it to be a tribute and full of memories. We hope it may give whatever comfort it can.

People have described L as a quiet light, the gentlest of souls. Let us make something truly beautiful in her honour.

So we come again asking for help and shall need both crafters and donors of funds of wool. Can you help us? We would be truly grateful. Thank you

Important crafting info
Squares to be six inches, using 4mm needles or hook. Please knot off VERY carefully when finishing or changing colour and sew your ends in, thank you! No blocking please, makes it much easier to join squares.

Simple or complex, made by beginner or expert, we genuinely welcome them all. It really is the love and thought that counts.

We have some ideas for themes..
Initials please E, G, L and K

She played the recorder, the clarinet and the cello, but focused mainly on the clarinet latterly and played in the National Children's Orchestra Under 10s for a while. Her NCO hoodie was bright blue - a bit like Yarnsmith dark turquoise.

She loved art and reading and was very creative. Loved Harry Potter and would probably have been in Hufflepuff house had she been at Hogwarts.

She had a quirky mind and used to love lego.

She was quite a fashionista. Loved Vogue magazine and Miss Dior perfume

Favourite colours were pink and white (pink more than white).

English literature was the love of her life. We are hoping someone can recreate a bookshelf square? One of her favourite books was Jane Eyre. She had also been studying Plath and Hughes.

She loved swimming and the great outdoors, particular the Quantock Hills. (Photo) We are hoping this may act as an inspiration.

Work/volunteering: she did Brownies and Guides and volunteered as a Rainbow Guider and also volunteered on a hospital ward for a while. She worked as a waitress and at the village pub.

She was interested in philosophy and was planning to become a psychologist/counsellor.

She liked Fleetwood Mac.

She kept tropical fish, hamsters and gerbils and loved all other animals especially cats.

She also liked art and photography.

She was very passionate about being an organ donor - and several people have now received life-saving operations because of her. A truly wonderful young woman.

Lots of ideas and ways to get to know L better. If you can recreate a theme on a square, wonderful, but we also need simple squares, A square in one of her favourite colours is perfect too.

The MAIN Colours. We will be using her favourites,
Pinks from pale baby pink through to magenta.
Cream, but only please Drops Merino Extra Fine - Off White (01) or Yarnsmiths Merino DK Superwash - Off White (3045)
Lighter silvers
Greens pale to mid. Think nature inspired

Then embellishments and accents ONLY please (not whole squares)
Blues - sky to navy inc turquoise.
Sunset shades - red, orange, yellow, gold, but only if creating a sunset!
Browns taupe to mid
Charcoal grey
Black

The Yarn we will be Using for Consistency ….
Yarnsmiths Merino DK Superwash - a BIG sale at Wool Warehouse. Has the widest range of colours
Debbie Bliss Rialto DK only available on Love Crafts
Drops Merino Extra Fine DK.
Katia Merino 100% DK
King Cole Luxury Merino DK

Just from the brands listed please because we know they combine for wash and wear. If you still have any of our wools that have been discontinued or have become less easy to find- Artesano Superwash Merino DK, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK, Jenny Watson Pure Merino DK, Patons Merino Extrafine DK or James C. Brett Pure Merino DK in your stash, please do use them.

Posting will be Teddington, please message if you need the address. If you'd like to include a card for her family , please send with your squares. And please don't forget to include your name!

If you can upload photos of your squares on here as we go along, that will be a lovely record, especially if you have donated yarn.

Will set the last posting date once we are underway but it will be approx 6 weeks hence

Thoughts and love very much with waffle, we are so so sorry. Remembering L

Is everyone ticking along? Can I help at all?

I don’t mean I’ll come and do ironing

I'm still waiting for my wool to arrive, deliveries can take a while out here in the sticks. I've ordered two greens and a pink. It looks to me that there are a lot of pink squares already, should I focus on green maybe?

You could always join Maud in her early morning workout. She finds it the best way to get over the effects of her roast dinners.

Honestly Maud is such an inspiration.

In her defence she did attend the Gerbil School of Domestic Excellence in 2025. A year where the department heads put some, quite frankly, bizarre ideas into the syllabus in an effort to modernise things.

Thankfully they have since reverted back to teaching the gerbils how to slice cake properly. Unfortunately Maud didn't get the memo and has held on to her old text books.

I ballsed up my note, thinking I could wing it. Well, it was going well then I realised I’d got right and left, front/back confused at some point and the wrong piece was straight. I’ll redo when I’m less cross.

My question is, would you prefer the pink square as is, 5”, and stick on an extra crochet round yourself if you feel it needs it, or shall I camel stitch round it twice so it’s 5”? I think camel stitch looks like the best option unless you’ve a better suggestion? It does stretch to 6” but feels a bit thin at that point, iyswim.

Wow I’m in tears reading this thread. What a beautiful gesture. Not sure what made me read it tbh, but having just lost a dear friend to Leukaemia it fills my heart with joy that you’re making such a beautiful reminder.
my deepest condolences to @wafflenosewords are not enough, but the love shown here may just help slightly.
bravo to you all. ❤️

Isn't it just beautiful @Grrrpredictivetex

I, with absolutely zero talent discovered this fabulous group of women last year whilst they were crafting for @Swashbuckled and her darling son.

Further inspiration should you wish to look is here, here and here

Fantastic group, well done to each and every one of the contributors

Lectures all day today. I know ironing is off the table but how is your note taking?

I don't know about @KnottyAndPistey abilities with regards note taking but that's a task that you definitely wouldn't Maud assisting with. It would take you hours to decipher each sentence.

Maud though can offer you a cup of tea and a slice of battenberg cake that may or may not be in the shape of a cat.

She claims to have no idea where the marzipan from those slices has gone and suggests Fawley may be the marzipan snaffler. The fact that Maud is rather partial to marzipan and could eat it by the block is apparently not a good enough reason to automatically assume she's eaten it all.

They are stunning. How absolutely amazing to receive this in what must be one of their darkest moments. ❤️

Maid is a god send, I do all my best work when I'm fueled by tea and cake.

Maud, even

I was wishing I had a Maud earlier- my organisation skills are pitiful at the moment. I no sooner remember something I need to do, than I forget again. I live in a dither of befuddlement. We have a holiday soon- first for ages- and I can’t get my head around what needs doing.
I thought she may help, but Beetle seems to be suggesting that other than fattening me up, her skills lie elsewhere!

I will ask Fawley about the marzipan. She is outrageous.

I'd say camel stitch sounds the best option if thats what you think?

I need this tracksuit

Pink was a favourite so I'd suggest go for it

I've done one plain pink square and half a pink crochet square.
2 Cream squares to follow.
It is such a good feeling to knit and crochet with a group.

😁

@Freya1542 and @Grrrpredictivetex the knitting and crocheting efforts are enhanced by the cheerleaders and square-appreciators on the thread. It adds to the sense of community and common purpose. @Boiledbeetle and Maud are a case in point.

My square for the day is in waffle stitch, which seemed appropriate. This is a view of the reverse side, which I think looks better and more waffly than the supposed 'right' side.

On the subject of waffle, I was in touch with wafflenose this evening and she wanted to say how touched she was with all the woolly offerings and the thoughtful messages of support and love. She has looked at the thread but does not feel in a position to comment at the moment but is very grateful for all the work that is going in to making something to commemorate Rara.

Quick message from me rather than waffle: please could people avoid tagging her in posts? She knows where the thread is and knows that she is welcome to pop by but she has so much on that it is probably not helpful for her to feel 'summoned' by a tag message. I hope this doesn't sound too much as if I am trying to police the thread. I just want to protect her.

Really like that, @AlexandraLeaving - and agree it’s much nicer than the “right” side.
Beautiful spring green yarn too 🩷.

The baby set in green and the additional booties and hat. Hopefully I'll see my BFF on Wednesday to give them to her, along with the baby blanket I also knitted. However her grandson is actually due on Wednesday, so she might be busy.

I honestly can't believe how far I've come from knitting two plain squares in garter stitch and two in stocking stitch last summer.

Thank you, K&P and the Woolly Hugs community for bringing me so much joy and satisfaction by welcoming a novice knitter to join a blanket project. I owe you all so much 💙