A Blanket for Expat: Sign up thread for donors, knitters and crocheters.

[KnottyLocks]

It is with deep sadness that I'm starting this thread asking for your support.

Aillidh passed away on Saturday evening, in peace and surrounded by love.
Many of us have followed Aillidh's journey, our hearts touched by this brave and beautiful little girl. She will live long in our memories.

Our hearts and thoughts are with Aillidh, Expat and their family.

As part of this project, we will also be making a blanket for Giraffescantdance. Since Aillidh's diagnosis, Giraffe's has been a constant support and the most remarkable friend to Expat. She has walked this journey beside her and continues to do so, sadly understanding it only too well as she, like Expat, has experienced the devastating loss of a beloved daughter. Our thoughts are with her, as well as our thanks.

We hope that the blankets may give whatever comfort they can to them all.

So, we need knitters, crocheters and donors.
If you would like to donate wool, then we will try match you with a crafter.
We think that there may be wool still in circulation because of the current blanket project. Where possible, we hope to 'recycle' as much as we possibly can.

RatherBeOnThePiste will coordinate and match crafters and donors, and deal with the admin side. I'll try to answer any queries you may have.

If you would like to be involved in any way, please post on this thread and PM Pistey with your offers: crafting, donating, need wool, etc, and she will match you up.
If you are offering to donate, we would be grateful if you would let us know if you'd like to donate 1 or 2 balls of wool. One ball should make at least 2 x 6" squares, in some cases more. We now have a Paypal facility to make this easier for all.
Whatever way you'd like to be involved, please PM Pistey: it really helps us to know how many people are involved. Thanks

If you are a crocheter and/or an experienced knitter needing donor wool, could you let us know when you PM us as we can hopefully send part balls from the 'recycled' wool stash. Thanks.

The wool we are using:

• Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK (NOT the baby cashmerino)

• or Rowan Cashsoft DK.

They are very similar and can be combined.

• 4mm knitting needles or hooks

• knitters cast on 33 stitches (this is a guide for less experienced knitters)

• 6" squares

The two new yarns we introduced recently:

*Sublime Extra Fine Merino Wool DK.
It's another 'silky' wool that fits in nicely alongside the DB and Rowan wools and can be combined with both.

*Artesano Superwash Merino DK.
Although it isn't as silky as our normal wools, it is soft yet hardy and washes in the same way. It has the added appeal of being a good ethical option and is very reasonably priced.

The Colours:

Pinks, blues, greens, warm purples, silvers and cream (preferably Debbie Bliss 013, if possible)

Ideas for squares:

The initials A, L, S , R and E

Motifs:
Aillidh loved all things girly, so any motifs that reflect this would be wonderful.
Plus roses and bears

Please don't feel daunted by any of the ideas as we really love plain squares and simple textures too. They look as stunning as the more complex squares and actually play a vital role in the overall effect.

Previous blankets can be seen here on the Woolly Hugs website. We also have a Facebook page: MNWoollyHugs and are on Twitter @MNWoollyHugs. If you 'like' our Facebook page, you'll be updated on progress via your News Feed.

As always, we thank you so much for your support.

Yep mine posted today as well x

Evening all

Am catching up with PMs and just getting ready to post a full thank you list for today's woolly arrivals.

NickelKFS thank you for PMing Nyx and I love the pics in the thread, need to investigate!

Thank you to all posting today [ThumbsUp]

Well today I have had woolly treasure given to me in person, arrive with the lovely Postie and be popped through my door However it has arrived, we are deeply grateful

Rubycon Gorgeous deep purple and cream knitted initial squares, just beautifully done

Flapjack77 Super snuggly soft blue, cream and purple garter squares, just lovely

ItsNotJustASlap Totally gorgeoise super snuggly pink and grey garter knit, just lovely

Pidj Marvellous crochet with 3D roses, awesome

Chulita No idea why you apologise my lovely! Simply gorgeoise purple granny, and knit with 3D flower, absolutely smashing

Livelongandprosper Super pink and green textured knits, a heart and a cat! Lovely

NoWayNoHow Such snuggly pink and pale blue textured knits, these are lovely

Droitwichmummy Stunning pink and green textured knits and gorgeous flowers

Rest assured all cards will go safely to the families with the blankets, and a heartfelt thank you to everyone X

I've got 4 squares (one for each current blanket) that just need their ends sewing in tonight and then they will be on their way tomorrow. Will pm you Pistey

Morning

Thanks WhoKnows

Morning

Couldn't get to the actual post office yesterday so I put two second class stamps on and popped it in the postbox (well, DD did). I think/hope that will do the trick. I also forgot to put the note of who it was for and from in the envelope, so had to write it on the outside.

I have hardly started my squares and I am off on hols soon (I might take it with me)
Will I be too late now?, I don't want to rush them

have sent mine xx hope they ok xx

I sent mine yesterday (four)...I hope they arrived safe and sound and can be used :o) I wish I could have crocheted more but busy busy busy with naughty boys, naughty cats, naughty kitten(s), naughty chores and extremely naughty work.
xxxx

Evening

Such a fabulous lot of thank yous tonight, absolutely marvellous, heartfelt thanks to everyone for your contributions, such lot of love and thought has gone into these squares, I have had such a lovely time going through all of these, a real privilege.

NoobytheWaspSlayer Lovely pink garter knits with butterfly motifs

Trumpton A gorgeous cream giraffe square for Giraffes and a cable knit too

DontCallMeBaby A fuchsia pink heart knit, just lovely

bobkate Super pink snuggly garter and textured knits

Gigaflops Beautiful pink and cream granny squares

StellaMarie Lovely purple stripes and grannies, super

PurpleKittyKnitting Delightful silver knitted bear square, lovely textures

VeniceQueen Sounds like TeamVeniceQueen with your DD, bless her, a lovely purple garter square, tis smashing

Somersaults Pink heart, stripes, gorgeous textures, colours, plus lovely crochet flower embellishment

OhBurger Super purple crochet granny and 3D flower square

Moonface73 lovely snuggly pink knits in moss, purl and garter

Primrose123 Green and pink textured knits, plus hearts and flower embellishments, lovely

Baskets45 Absolutely lovely pink heart and textures

Pleiades45 Smashing pink grannies and textured knits

TheJoyfulPuddleJumper Absolutely super silvery blue granny squares, definitely useable! And yes, you are right, there is quite a lot of woolly wool here at mine Tis all so lovely though, it's a pleasure

Nickelbabe Beautiful pale blue and pink grannies, just lovely

IdRatherBeKnitting Absolutely beautiful sparkly A and angel plus patterns, hearts, textures, pink, purple, cream

OutToLunchAgain Just lovely, green cabling and a snuggly blue knit, smashing

MaudLeBowski Gorgeous flower crochet square in pink, green and cream.

SalagadooLamagicaboo Beautiful purple and pale blue knits, basket weave, moss, purl, cabling

Now there are some unnamed squares here, came wrapped in brown paper, there are 9 knits in greens, blue, peachy beaded heart, a sun, please someone claim them! I know where in the land they are from but there are a fair few Blanketeers in those parts, so can't be sure!

All cards will be kept safely and passed on with the blankets when the time comes.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone, everyone is utterly lovely, hugs all round

Blimey, Pistey, that's a blanket-worth arrived in one day

I'm glad people are sticking to one square per blanket, or you'll drown heaven :o

Just fabulous Pidj, the sight of all 22 parcels made me quite teary

And I know who the unnamed squares are from

twofingerstoGideon with donor BettySuarez Beautiful beaded heart, textures and patterned knits, all just super You are a good team X

Thank you

So glad they made it ok. Thank you by much to you and Knotty for organising and pulling all this together. You are amazing.

So Glad they arrived safely, I hope they will be good enough to be part of the blankets!

Wow, I posted yesterday and it arrived today? I love it when a plan comes together/Royal Mail actually does the business!

Salagadoo, they were knitted with love, therefore they massively exceed any poxy "required standard" that might, arbitrarily, be set

Morning

Pleased they arrived safely, it is heartwarming to see so many people come together to provide comfort for families who are grieving.

Very nicely put Stella.

Morning all.

I am horribly horribly behind with this I'm afraid. And Mumto2's ones.

And I've no even started the new ones (although I did find my hidden stash of pink)

I'm so glad they've arrived. The lady in my post office looked at me very gloomily and said that did I know that post into London is taking very much longer at the moment?
Less than 24 hours to get there is pretty good I'd think.
Anyway, sorry if I sent too many squares, I see we were supposed to only make one per blanket. I haven't been following the threads closely, too many kids, too much summer holiday...I hope it's okay.

I didn't know it was only supposed to be one square per blanket either - sorry.

Hang on, lovelies!

We haven't said only one square per blanket! Panic not!

I think because we have had a few projects running so closely that folks have shared the wool over a couple of projects or more which has meant they have sent 4 squares for 4 projects, if you see what I mean.

Thanks so much for your contribution. It's very much appreciated.

The blankets will be a squillion squares each, anyhow I know I did 8 squares for my last 2 blankets