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Woolly hugs

Woolly Hugs is a charity established by a group of Mumsnet users. They knit / crochet handmade blankets and other items for families experiencing difficult times.

Woolly Hugs: Little Hugs for Little People. Crafting continued!

981 replies

KnottyLocks · 18/10/2012 18:16

Our project launch thread can be found here

This is an ongoing project. Thanks to the amazing efforts of crafters and donors, to date we have received 38 wonderful Little Hugs. Our first batch have been sent to Yorkhill Hospital today Smile

Photographs of our Little Hugs can be found on our Woolly Hugs website and on our Facebook page, MNWoollyHugs.

The basic aim is to provide little blankets and quilts that give comfort to babies and small children who are seriously ill in hospital.

This is the continuation of Phase 1 of the project.
We are developing contacts for future phases.

How you can get involved:

You can help by either making a complete Little Hug
Or
By making 6" squares using Stylecraft Special DK yarn or Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK, Rowan Cashsoft DK and Sublime Extra Fine Merino wool DK

For all of the Little Hugs:

Minimum size: 18 inches by 18 inches
For example, that's 3x3 6 inch squares with a small edge.
If you would like to make a blanket or quilt that is bigger, that would be lovely too.

Colours: Your choice!
We'd like to be able to provide a range of Little Hugs suitable for boys and girls.
If you would like to make something specifically for a boy or girl, that would also be lovely.

Things to avoid:
Buttons
Sequins and beads
Any embellishments that could scratch delicate skin or could be swallowed.
If using applique, it needs to be firmly stitched on with no hard edges.

Materials and ideas:
Woolly Blankets:
Suggested yarn: Stylecraft Special DK, a soft, non-scratchy acrylic that is a very reasonable £1.60 - £2 for 100g ball.
Pure cotton DK
If you would like to make a whole blanket, you could use a different weight yarn and a yarn other than those above. The essential thing is that it needs to be soft against sensitive and delicate skin and that it can be machine washed.
Ideas:
Blankets could be made from squares stitched or hooked together
Granny stripes or ripples
They could be made in one piece or in blocks, as well as squares

Quilts and stitched blankets:
Pure cotton and good quality fleece. The cotton can be from recycled sources.
We suggest that you wash both separately before sewing to allow for any difference in shrinkage.
Ideas:
Traditional style quilts, from simple square designs to more complex patterns
Cotton edged fleeces, with or without appliqué
Quilt and fleece combination: quilted front with a fleece back

Donors:
If you would like to contribute towards materials, you can either donate via Paypal here on our Woolly Hugs website with a message letting us know which project you are donating to. If you do not have Paypal, please PM RatherBeOnThePiste as we have other ways that you can donate.
Without our donors, our projects really wouldn't happen. You are as vital to them as the crafters and materials. Bless you. Smile

If you would like to take part in this project but feel you can't due to the costs involved, please PM Pistey and we'll try to help with materials.

As ever, thanks for your support Thanks

OP posts:
KnottyLocks · 14/12/2012 22:46

Wotcha MOS. Smile

We'll put the squares together for you, you dafty Grin

Bung em all together and send em.

OP posts:
MOSagain · 15/12/2012 07:30

knotty you lovely person, didn't want to burden you, you have enough to do. Not finished yet, am on 7th out of 9. Just a little one I wanted to do, pale pink, lilac and cream, thought the colours would work well.

Its looking like I might have a lot of knitting time over the next few days as looks like DD2 has chicken pox. Bloody marvellous, a week full of parties and she will miss them Xmas Sad

KnottyLocks · 15/12/2012 07:39

Oh poor DD. Bless her.
Piriton and calamine cream , not lotion, and oat baths helped with mine when poxy.

Hope she feels better very soon.

The colours sound lovely. Honestly, it won't take us very long to hook your squares together. Hooks with wings, you see Smile

OP posts:
RatherBeOnThePiste · 15/12/2012 09:49

Definitely send for hooking MOS, sorry your DD has the pox.

Thanks Beautiful knitted Little Hugs arriving safely from the lovely Rubycon, huge thanks to her.

Thanks And beautiful squares in purple and pink, stripes, patterns, super textures arriving from the lovely Dingle

ThanksThanksThanksThanksThanksThanks

You are both stars Thanks

MOSagain · 15/12/2012 11:02

Arse! just rushed into town to get calamine lotion as local chemist sold out but didn't see cream. Oats? Have sachets of oats so simple, will that do?

KnottyLocks · 15/12/2012 12:57

Probably, as long as it's the plain one Grin

Make a little bag by popping some in the middle of a muslin cloth, j-cloth or old piece of cotton. Tie it into a little bundle so it looks like bouquet garni or a mulled wine thingy. Stick it in the bath. I tied mine around the tap so the warm water ran through it. There's a protein or summat in the oats that helps dry and itchy skin.

OP posts:
MOSagain · 15/12/2012 13:10

golden syrup Blush

KnottyLocks · 15/12/2012 13:50
Xmas Grin
OP posts:
GlaikitFizzogTheChristmasElf · 15/12/2012 14:06

The bath will smell nice! But might be a bit sticky!

RatherBeOnThePiste · 17/12/2012 07:45

Morning Smile Brew [nurofen]

MOSagain · 17/12/2012 08:42

Morning. Happier day today in the spotty household. Going to see the lovely MrsY (and hoping to have a sneak at her blanket) who doesn't mind my spotty child Grin

RatherBeOnThePiste · 17/12/2012 08:43

How lovely MOS - give her a big hug from me X

And good news about the spotty one Smile

MOSagain · 17/12/2012 14:40

It was lovely to see her and to see her woolly hug. It is beautiful. We worked out which was my square which was the first one I'd ever knit and which she cast on for me when she taught me to knit so very special.

RatherBeOnThePiste · 18/12/2012 00:50

Awwwww, that's lovely MOS X

KnottyLocks · 18/12/2012 07:18

Good news on the spot front, MOS.

How lovely to see your square in its rightful place. Smile

OP posts:
RatherBeOnThePiste · 18/12/2012 08:51

Just waiting for UPS to come and collect Batch 2 for Yorkhill Smile

MOSagain · 18/12/2012 12:26

Grin how many in this batch? I'm hoping to have my squares for the next batch in the post by the end of the week. Give you something to do whilst watching the queens speech Grin

RatherBeOnThePiste · 19/12/2012 05:06

Xmas Grin Xmas Grin Xmas Grin Cheers love!!

Morning all Smile Brew

SevenSnapespearesSwimming · 23/12/2012 16:00

Hello! I'm new to the thread. I received some amazon vouchers as part of the Xmas appeal and mentioned that I would buy some yarn and start knitting some squares for wooly hugs..but the very lovely ophelia is sending me some yarn to get started...so I now have NO EXCUSE. I'm place-marking just now, but will check in with progress after I've read-up a bit.

FlojoHoHoHo · 23/12/2012 16:05

Sorry I've been quiet of late. Not enough hrs in the day, though I'm guessing I'm not the only one. Could you kindly link the refugee hugs too.

KnottyLocks · 23/12/2012 20:35

Oh bless you. So lovely re the Amazon vouchers. Welcome to the Woolly Hugs crew Smile Thanks

Flo, no worries poppet. We're all chasing around in circles too!

OP posts:
KnottyLocks · 23/12/2012 20:36

Sorry on phone so can't link. You should find the Refuge threads in Arts and Crafts .... Somewhere!

OP posts:
Wolfcub · 26/12/2012 11:20

Morning all. Apologies for the extended absence I was madly finishing DM's christmas blanket. When is the next wooly hug deadline? I need something to work to. Xmas Smile

MOSagain · 27/12/2012 13:49

hello all, hope everyone had a lovely christmas.

DD loved the little blanket I made her for her doll. She loved it so much she has been carrying it around the past two days and I've had to promise to make a 6 year old sized one. The sewing together is pretty appalling but treat that as the trial run for a proper blanket.

I thought I got a bargain on ebay, a batch of Debbie Bliss wool in a lovely pink but when I looked at it it is not the normal cashmerino but a cotton DK. Will that be ok for DD's blanket? Am thinking of doing her blanket mainly in that colour but with a few other shades of pink/purple randomly thrown in but not sure if that will be ok as the other wool in my stash is cashmerino and I have a random DB aran. Will that work together?

Just finishing last square for my mini hug and then will crack on with my angel hug.

SevenSnapespearesSwimming · 27/12/2012 16:40

Lovely yarn arrived today - I would never have chosen those colours (!) so it's even more exciting iykwim, shall G&T out my knitted square pattern book and crack on! :-)