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

Maud doesn't want to put it in the Fawley proof lock box just yet. She wants to hold it for a bit longer.

Is this just singles, doubles and trebles to build up the corners? That feels doable. And a good way of using up yarns that aren’t enough for a square. I’ll see where we’re at when I get back off my hols. By then I’ll be much more proficient 🤣

Are they pink balloons and silver balloons, or pink-&-silver balloons? I fancy having a go, too. I know where my silver should be (story of my life).

Hellebore? Pretty one, too.

It is a hellebore!

That brought a tear to my eye, @AlexandraLeaving . I do feel for everyone having to adjust to life without Rara. The world seems very hard, sometimes.

I was just looking at that last Maud image.

So... Turns out Maud wears socks. You know how you can buy human socks that look like cats paws. Well gerbils buy ones that look like human toes.

Good question. I only attended by live-stream so did not see them live. Waffle's FB posts refer at one point to pink balloons and at another point to pink and silver ones so my GUESS is that they are pink with silver on them. But it is a guess. I don't feel able to ask her for obvious reasons. Thank you for wanting to do them. I guess if they are obviously balloons and obviously pink that is the key thing and the silver is slightly less important.

I think we have a cello

Excellent

I see Maud has made herself completely at home in @KnottyAndPistey spare room.

See. Human toes socks.

If anyone is looking for Fawley, she's upstairs snuggling with Maud who is busy taking multiple shots of their snuggle time.

It’s here @PrizedPickledPopcorn

https://signedwithanowl.blogspot.com/2011/06/squaring-big-circle-tutorial.html?m=1

Maud and Fawley are asleeeeeeep. Sssshhhh

I could do a pink balloon but I don’t have any grey or silver yarn in the approved list of yarns. I could alternate black and white stitches, but that’s not the same thing at all.

Do you have enough balloon offers now?
edit: enough without mine, I meant.

Maud has been out in the garden all day. She said something about spring having sprung, stuck her wellies on and hasn't been back in since lunchtime

Maud has finished for the day and has picked some lovely flowers for @KnottyAndPistey

She really is the sweetest gerbil

I think we have two definite balloon crafters. I did a pink prototype, just winging it and it was definitely balloon shaped. But I think Fawley has taken it to play with.

I think there are two offers of balloons ahead of mine so I’ll make something else. At the moment it’s one fish and one cables-and-lace.

ETA: if you have an idea of the total number of squares, are more needed?

I've experimented too, & I'd like to do some balloons (& my silver was where it should be).

I can't remember whether you are a crocheter? If so, would Lego bricks would be achievable?

Sorry, my crocheting skills haven’t developed beyond granny squares.

I could design a knitted one, and use mostly pink and white bricks?

Who does bobbles? This is neat for Lego.

Also block pattern:

https://www.allfreecrochet.com/Crochet-Afghan-Patterns/Lego-Block