Part 2. Our blanket making for lovely waffle heads into its final stages.

[KnottyAndPistey]

Welcome everyone, this is our second thread as we craft a blanket for lovely wafflenose. We are heading into the final stages as last posting is MONDAY 13th APRIL. Just looking at the squares already received, we know our blanket is going to be beautiful inside and out. Crafters and donors have been astonishingly generous in both funds and time,. We are so grateful, thank you everyone.

💐

Our previous thread is here...

Have repeated all the original crafting info as it is always useful to have it all in one place for reference.

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

We re bound to get photographic evidence soon.

She was. As was Fawley.

Yes they were in the park. Maud got brave with the deer!

So OBVIOUSLY I’ve just checked the tracking number and it is in the right part of the world and is in transit.

The image of Maud sorting her packing took me back a couple of decades to an era when our floors were strewn with Sylvanians and their stuff. I thought they’d moved out, but have just discovered that an orphanage still exists in the attic. It’s a diverse community but there seem to be many rodents. Maybe distant relatives of Maud?

Probably 😄

Maud is dragging out leaving.

She has spent most of the morning faffing, and insisted on a trip to the shop for ingredients, but finally it's time for breakfast.

Fawley dressed up for the occasion.

Clara has arrived with back up. She's currently upstairs tutting loudly and doing sharp intakes of breath.

Loving the hi vis. You can never be too careful

What they should do is set up some rails, make a box on wheels and shunt it up and down.

Clara is beginning to wish she'd thought of that.

They are happy in their work.

possibly.

I believe they are. They definitely like taking charge which is probably for the best otherwise Maud would still be yours at Christmas.

And so the delaying by Maud continues.

Battenberg cake anyone?

@KnottyAndPistey at least after today you'll be able to once again eat battenberg bake that hasn't had all the marzipan picked off and eaten by Maud.

And you'll need to order more, she snaffled the last few in the cupboard and stuck them in her bag.

I have missed marzipan…

It's arrived!!!!

I enjoy writing and playing with words, but they are all so inadequate for expressing how beautiful, meaningful and perfect the blanket is. We're humbled and delighted that so many strangers would do this for us (and the lovely Alexandra, of course). We can't stop looking at it, and each time, there is something new to notice.

Our rooms are quite small, but I toom the best photo I could, short of taking the blanket outside. We also love the framed square and text for the wall. I'll also try to post a picture of the new tattoo I got this morning, of Lauren's ECG printout, and her name with a silly little wonky heart, the way she wrote it on every piece of looseleaf paper she ever used.

We are buying a pink bench for her sixth form college, and have bought a cup for her secondary school. Each year, as well as the usual progress and attainment awards, there will be a special Lauren J award for outstanding commitment to English. Lauren never won or was nominated for an award at secondary, which didn't surprise me. She was one of those quiet, invisible children who just got on with it... as well as racking up uniform detentions from time to time. She went on to achieve all grade 7-9 (A- A**), which didn't surprise me either. Her primary school is rearranging rooms, to create a permanent library, which is going to be called Lauren's Library. We will be buying some comfy furniture for it, and sending a framed photo of her when she attended the school.

Additionally, almost £9000 has been raised/ donated in her memory since she died - most for Mind in our county, and some for Cats Protection. Many more fundraising events are organised for later in the year.

We hope that four seriously-ill adults are now living their best lives, thanks to her generous gifts. Her life was beautiful, and her death is meaningful.

Yesterday, six of her closest friends came over for a catchup, cake and pink drinks. It was hard, but they found it positive and helpful.

Thanks again, all. Xxx

So pleased it has arrived safely. Love in every stitch. x

Oh waffle. Your beautiful Lauren clearly touched the lives of so many, ours included. As lovely @AlexandraLeaving says, love in every stitch. It’s been our privilege to make this in her honour. Sending all the love. G x

I took some photos too… Lovely crafters, it was everything and more. Huge thanks for the part you played.

❤️

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This was the one I took in my garden in that tiny dry window. It’s not the best, but shows the whole blanket. It was a bit sunny but also dark. If that makes any sense.

If you click into the pics, you’ll see the whole. Mumsnet likes pics portrait style.

❤️ The poetry chosen for Lauren

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