Blanket for Cupofteaplease: Crafters & donors, your help is needed. x

[KnottyLocks]

I have to admit that it has taken me while to write this. Sometimes it feels that despite all the words at our fingertips, there are never the right ones.

This morning we learnt of the heartbreaking news that Cupofteaplease's beautiful daughter, Beatrice, had been taken from us: another bright star to light the skies above us.

If you have followed Cup's threads, you could not have failed to be touched by Bea's magic and be inspired by her mother and her family (affectionately known as The Teaset ) who ensured that for Bea, 'A life filled with love is a life worth living.'
Their dedication to Bea, their bravery and love reached many hearts and touched many lives. Bea will live long in our hearts and memories.

Our thoughts and love are with them all and we hope that this blanket may give whatever comfort it can to them.

We would be very grateful for your help. Here's how:

We need knitters, crocheters and donors.

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.
Whatever way youd like to be involved, please PM Pistey: it really helps us to know how many people are involved. Thanks

The wool we are using:

• Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK (NOT the baby cashmerino)

• Rowan Cashsoft DK.

*Sublime Extra Fine Merino Wool DK.

*Artesano Superwash Merino 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 Colours:

Pinks, blues, greens, warm purples, silvers and cream (we'd be grateful if you use Debbie Bliss 013, if opting for cream)

If you wish to make flowers and bees and would like to use yellow, please PM Pistey as we have some in our stash and we would like to use the same colour throughout. Thanks

Ideas for squares:

Motifs:
Bees, primroses, violets, daisies and any other flowers.

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.

Count me in for a couple of squares.

Lots of love to Cup and her family x

I can't knit, or crochet, or do anything useful like that, but I would like to donate for the fabulous MNers that can.

I have sent a PM - please let me know what I need to do.
Thanks

Just quickly popping in to say deramores has 10% off rowan yarns this week. Makes it 5.18 a ball. Probably not the cheapest out there but they have a good range of colours. :)

Please count me in - I will get knitting asap. At a time like this, it is good to be able to do something to offer some comfort.

As someone with absolutely no knitting skills whatsoever, I love it that I can still be part of Team Woolly Hugs by donating wool. Knowing that a talented Mumsnetter is turning that wool into something beautiful and special is a great feeling. I hope that Cup will find comfort in her blanket.

And on the subject of "plain" squares, can I also say that even the most simple of styles look amazing to me. The care, talent and precision that goes into them is fabulous. You knitters and crocheters are a very special bunch

SandWitch and other donors - there are many crafters (including me) who would be unable to take part if you didn't send us wool. Or, we'd be forced to use lower quality materials so that more people could take part which would mean the blankets didn't last very long or wash very well - these are after all aimed at families.

Please, never think that "only" sending a few quid is in any way inferior. In terms of time, it's probably about the same; i can make a plain 6" granny square in about 20 minutes now, and could easily spend that browsing a website choosing and paying for wool!

I will knit please, will only be plain squares though as i am a novice. Happy to receive donated wool as funds are a bit low at the moment.

Absolutely heartbreaking news about little Bea.

Donors are fabulous :) It's what makes the blankets so wonderful - everyone can take part, not just those who are supremely talented able to crochet or knit.

And I think plain squares are essential. A blanket full of fancy squares would be really busy :)

Does anyone else receiving wool from a woolly donor get really excited when the little bag of wool comes through the post? Cos then you get to see what colour you are knitting/crocheting with?

I've Pm'ed you Pistey.

I would be honoured to be involved in this.

Thanks for those kind words Purple. It?s hard not to feel, well, useless really at a time like this.

I really do think that all of you crafters are amazing though ? being caring and talented are great traits to have.

Definitely Soupy, not only are the "plain" squares beautiful in their own way, they provide a gorgeous backdrop to set off the patterned, crocheted and motif squares

issima www.woollyhugs.com will accept paypal, don't forget to include your mn name (and who you're donating for) in the message bit.

Otherwise, pm RatherBeOnThePiste for options - either other ways to give money or she can match you to a crafter - in which case, you buy a ball of wool online to be delivered to another mner.

Pancake, I do. I love feeling like one small part of the collective effort iyswim

Soupy, you're right. All patterns/motifs is a bit overwhelming. Blankets where there is some peace in the form of plain squares are much easier on the eye

Sand, it takes a caring person to find spare cash, too

Thank you all I am just coming to everyone.

Well said Soupy X

Lovely MrsK - you are a Blanketeer with a heart of gold, and you are right the donors play a full part in Woolly Hugs. Every donation is special and important, it really is. We honestly couldn't function without them, and we just want everyone to be able to take part if they wish to. Proper team work. We can't function without one or the other, both as important and central as the wool itself.

It's so true about the donors, if we didn't have them there would be crafters who couldn't take part because of the cost of the wool. This way makes it possible for lots more people to contribute.

Pidj is right SandWitch. Big hearted folk the Blanketeers, donors and crafters alike.

issimma Bless you, thank you, it has arrived safely, you are very kind, that will enable someone to take part who otherwise couldn't. That is a fabulously generous thing to do in my mind. Your crafter will make squares on behalf of you both.

Thats exactly it WhoKnows - we don't want anyone to feel they can't take part because of costs. The blankets are made to show love, compassion and support to another, how sad if you felt shut out because of the cost.

So we [heart] the donors, Big Time. End of.

Still doing PMs

More fabulous donors to thank this afternoon, your donations have arrived safely with us and we give you our heartfelt thanks, we appreciate these donations so much. You have enabled someone to take part who otherwise couldn't. That is a fabulously generous thing to do, you are proper Blanketeers with hearts of gold.

OliviaMumsnet

Bicnod

SandWitch

Issimma

Belladesconocida

You are all stars, bless you

I wish I knew how to knit. A scrunched knot I pressume won't be very easy to place!?

Starlight - Youtube is your friend, there are lots of fab tutorials, but a scrunched up knot made with love in its heart would be very special

And we have the lovelies on this thread here who are very helpful for beginner knitters.