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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

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:
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HappyTurquoise · 20/10/2012 21:12

workhouse I have used some, or very similar, and lovely and soft, however it is a bit splitty. Also, being cotton, it has no stretch, so if your work like mine was) tends to be on the tight side, you will need to introduce a lot of extra 'give' by feeding extra yarn into each stitch, iyswim. It is a cure for working too tightly, though!

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bobkate · 20/10/2012 21:17

I really can't seem to do posting and catching up on threads and knitting all at the same time so as I've come to a quick pause point I'm shoving my head in whilst I can Grin.
Love love loved seeing the UPS pics, and the photos of all the little hugs wrapped and ready to go. So proud to be contributing in an albeit slow and very small way.
I have also completed my squares for the blanket for My5 so I'll pm you Pistey for posting details.
Trazzles - lovely to hear your boy is snuggled under his blanket, thinking of you x

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workhouse · 20/10/2012 21:54

HappyTurquoise i'm going to order a few balls and if it's not right for a little hug I will make dishcloths for Christmas. There... I've persuaded myself Smile

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HappyTurquoise · 20/10/2012 22:02

yay! (I am making round dishcloths and using them as jam pot covers for home made jam for Christmas. And if anyone I know is reading this, sorry to spoil the surprise pm me and tell me who you are! Hmm )

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Practicallyperfectnot · 21/10/2012 07:42

RICO creatice cotton - yes I have a few balls following yday's shop at Get Knitted - they rave about it as it is like Rowan Handknit but way cheaper.
Just about to have a practise learning to crochet with the RICO. Glad you like the wool Workhouse - great to hear from a mumsknitter.

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Practicallyperfectnot · 21/10/2012 07:43

Oh dear my typos - I am not wearing my specs!

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MOSagain · 21/10/2012 10:46

morning all. Lots of woolly treasure purchased at Bluewater yesterday although had to hide it as think DH might not be too amused.

A quick question about the types of wool. I've only ever used the DB Cashmerino(sp?) DK which is up to £5 a ball but just noticed about the Stylecraft which looks a lot cheaper. Can they be used together though?

Have finished the square for baby Dexter which I'll send tomorrow and ploughing ahead with mini hugs, a blanket for DS which he wants for his birthday and a mini mini hug for DD's doll for Christmas. Am wondering if I'm getting RSI?

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MOSagain · 21/10/2012 11:07

ooh, meant to say, went to a charity fundraiser last night for GOSH and whilst speaking to the mum of the little one treated at GOSH she said they didn't have blankets there just sheets. Her little boy had been at a local hopsital before being transferred to GOSH and she had got a blanket from there but would have loved one from GOSH where he had his lifesaving surgery. Maybe that is one for a future project?

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RatherBeOnThePiste · 21/10/2012 11:13

Morning chums Brew

The stylecraft special DK is fabulous, and amazingly cheap, the majority of the Little Hugs so far have been made using it, and they are super snuggly. Really good value. The DB cash and the others we use for the full hugs are much better quality wools with completely different make ups. I would say no to combining because although both are machine washable the two types could wash and wear differently, and the quality and effect blanket could be affected very quickly. I know before recently adding yarns to the list we use for the full hugs, that Knotty did a thorough wash test. I say keep them separate.

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RatherBeOnThePiste · 21/10/2012 11:28

Xposts MOS, interesting about GOSH, thought they did blankets, sheets sound intriguing though, but thank you, yes something to think about Thanks Hope the fundraiser went well Smile

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PurplePidjInAPointyHat · 21/10/2012 12:10

The DB/Rowan was originally picked as something lovely and long-lasting for the big blankets, with the idea that each person would only need one ball. The mini hugs are a different concept altogether :)

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SoupDragon · 21/10/2012 12:44

I think Lucy of Attic24 has used that Rico for her bag or something.

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SoupDragon · 21/10/2012 12:45

I suspect even the power of MN isn'e able to supply all the children's wards in the country. Unfortunately.

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HaveToWearHeels · 21/10/2012 12:48

I am half way through a primary colour little hug and have done an intarsia heart. I would like to make another 3-4 intarsia style squares, maybe a star, a flower and an animal one, but can't seem to find anythig online. Can anyone point me in the right direction please ?

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HappyTurquoise · 21/10/2012 13:01

The DH is rather lovely.
It's a bit tricky using a 4mm bamboo hook, though. Hoping the shops near me get stocked up again soon. (The Debbie Bliss was the only yarn on the list I could get at local wool shop, so if you were thinking of expanding the list to other merinos, that would be fab.)

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HappyTurquoise · 21/10/2012 13:05

Sorry DB (debbie bliss)! Auto correct strikes again!

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PurplePidjInAPointyHat · 21/10/2012 13:27

HaveTo, have a look on the woolly hugs site. Lots of the textured squares would adapt well to intarsia :)

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HaveToWearHeels · 21/10/2012 13:51

OK thanks Purple

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nickeldaisical · 21/10/2012 14:34

okay, here is my Little Hug so far.

fluffy tiger

I have two options

  1. carry on as I'm going and hope that it'll look less fluffy as it gets bigger (I will be ending on a couple of orange/black stripey rows)
  2. undo all the way to the edge of the Tiger head. Finish off and make a bog-standard granny square, and sew the tiger head on to the middle. (the colourway would be the same - green/beige/brown/cream yarn with black/orange stripey border)

    what do you think?
    If you all think it's better to do option 2, I will do.
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MOSagain · 21/10/2012 15:23

Pistey think they had sheets at GOSH simply because they didn't have any lovely little blankets

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PurplePidjInAPointyHat · 21/10/2012 15:35

I would frog to the row where you've squared the circle, then revise your calculations - looks like you've got a combination of too many stitches across each side, and corner stitches being too short. How many sts round is your largest circle?

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RatherBeOnThePiste · 21/10/2012 15:46

I saw the most gorgeous brushed cotton sorta stuff when I went fabric shopping MOS, I had visions of tiny little sheet cover things.

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PurplePidjInAPointyHat · 21/10/2012 15:51

Pistey, PidjChick's clever granny has made him some - if i get a chance, i will get some more and use it on one side with fleece on the other :)

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MOSagain · 21/10/2012 16:13

pistey shhhh, don't tell anyone but I got all teary last night when I saw the little baby who had his surgery at GOSH and was imagining him with one of our blankets

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nickeldaisical · 21/10/2012 17:17

pidj. the last circle before i made corners is 96 stitches. but i think that row has too few stitches because it looks really stretched

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