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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.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Woolly Hugs: The Babettes, Billie's Blankets and Little Hugs.

897 replies

KnottyLocks · 18/06/2013 16:06

This is a continuation of our Little Hug and Billie's Blanket projects.

Little Hugs will continue to go to babies and children who are seriously ill in Yorkhill hospital and Billie's blankets will be sent in Billie's name, via the wonderful charity World Child Cancer, to children undergoing treatment for cancer in low and middle income countries.

Our aim with the Babettes is to make some bigger blankets for older children, both for Little Hugs and Billie's Blankets.
We will still make blankets of other sizes too.

THE BABETTES

The idea is to make a 12 x 12 inch panel, either crochet or knit, that can be added to others to create bigger blankets.
The panel can be made as one piece, or as a combination of squares, stripes or patterned. For example, a large granny square, or 4 six inch squares together, or a panel of stripes.
The design is up to you as long as it isn't too holey and will be fine stitched or hooked to others.
If you choose to use separate squares as part of your design, can we ask that they be either stitched together, hooked as you go, or hooked together with the seam on the back.

Yarn for Babettes: Stylecraft Special DK only, so we know that the blankets will wash and wear well and, unless your tension is very tight, use 4mm hooks or needles.

Colours: your choice although for practical reasons, we advise avoiding white and cream.
Some colour combinations that would work: blues/greens, purples/pinks, spring colours, primary brights, rainbow shades.

If you Google 'Babette blankets', you'll get an idea of what we have in mind once the panels are combined.

***

FOR WHOLE BLANKETS - Little Hugs and Billie's Blankets:

Minimum size: 18 x 18 inches for Little Hugs; 24 inches by 24 inches for Billie's Blankets.
If you would like to make a blanket that is bigger, that would be lovely.
The children we send Billie's Blankets to are aged 0 to 14 and Yorkhill treat children of a similar age so we will need bigger blankets too hence our Babettes.

Colours: Your choice.
Although again for practical reasons, we advise avoiding white and cream.

Things to avoid:
Any embellishments that could scratch delicate skin or could be swallowed.

Materials:
Suggested yarn for Billies Blankets: Stylecraft Special DK, a soft, non-scratchy acrylic yarn.
If you would like to make a whole blanket, you could use a different weight and make of acrylic yarn. The essential thing is that it needs to be soft against sensitive and delicate skin and that it can be washed and dried quickly and easily.
For Little Hugs: As above, plus any of our usual Woolly Hugs woolly wool or yarn that is soft and can be machine washed.

We would also love fleece backed quilts, or edged fleece blankets if you prefer sewing.

As always, we also welcome any 6 inch squares made using the Stylecraft Special DK or any of the usual Woolly Hugs blanket wools.

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 Thanks

Knotty and Pistey

Website- www.woollyhugs.com
Facebook ? MNWoollyHugs
Twitter - @MNWoollyHugs

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KnottyLocks · 13/08/2013 05:18

MOS, we are not having the word crap!

Handmade blankets have character and love stitched in. All good 

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KnottyLocks · 13/08/2013 05:20
Smile

Blinking phone!

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MOSagain · 13/08/2013 07:14

Oh yes. Mine has character but you are right. Made with love. Am going to unpick one seam tonight and redo and should be ready to post before I go on holiday later this week. Originally planned for Bangladesh but have time to do another by that deadline so this can hopefully go with the next batch that are going shortly.
(Wonders if pistey could sew Billies blanket tags over dodgy seams?)

Dutchoma · 13/08/2013 09:29

I think the dodgy seam probably has the most love in it.

TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission · 13/08/2013 09:30

well this babette lark isn't as simple as it looks is it?! Vows to do 4 6in squares next time mine is definitely not one of my finer projects, definitely made with love not skill Grin

MOS you may find it lays flatter after a wash if it's stylecraft

MOSagain · 13/08/2013 13:41

Oh yes. Mine has character but you are right. Made with love. Am going to unpick one seam tonight and redo and should be ready to post before I go on holiday later this week. Originally planned for Bangladesh but have time to do another by that deadline so this can hopefully go with the next batch that are going shortly.
(Wonders if pistey could sew Billies blanket tags over dodgy seams?)

MOSagain · 13/08/2013 13:43

Oops, yes a lot harder, will stick to 6" in future. Spoke to the expert at work and am going to (try to) unpick one seem and redo tonight. Really must find time to pack

JollyHappyGiant · 13/08/2013 15:14

I have decided to avoid all seam issues by crocheting in one panel rather than squares. My completed little hug is also all one colour too, so I only needed to sew in ends when I reached the end of the ball Grin

I've recently completed a project with over 200 ends so thought I needed a break!

MOSagain · 14/08/2013 22:32

Yay! Finally finished and ready to post. pistey although I said I was doing for Bangladesh this can go with next batch which I think is Ghana as I have time to do another for Bangladesh x

SoupDragon · 15/08/2013 07:20

I have created a monster - my mother keeps giving me bags of plain squares for me to put together. I have one half completed baby sized blanket and at least 1 other small and 1 larger loose in bags. And she's working on another! Problem is, putting together a blanket is not as much fun as making stuff IYSWIM.

They will get done though.

MOSagain · 19/08/2013 00:27

Just marking my spot. asked teenager to post blanket to Pistey when I left for my holiday. Fingers crossed it turns up!

SuperNappy · 19/08/2013 10:19

Right, a wee packet is taped up, addressed and ready for posting today :)

Thank you, lovely ladies for putting in so much time and effort to organise the Woolly Hugs project. You are wonderful Thanks

MOSagain · 19/08/2013 11:09

Oh dear. Has been posted but not recorded. Watches space anxiously.....

Woolfey · 19/08/2013 11:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Woolfey · 19/08/2013 11:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MOSagain · 21/08/2013 03:23

Watches hopefully for updates.
Wonders if pistey was able to get through her front door on her return from holiday

RatherBeOnThePiste · 21/08/2013 04:47

Morning lovely MOS. Got home to lots of red cards, so am very hopeful yours is amongst those. Am going to go this morning to collect. So fingers crossed :)

RatherBeOnThePiste · 21/08/2013 04:50

Just arfing at the vision I have of Soupy swamped by squares :) Bless your mum!

RatherBeOnThePiste · 21/08/2013 18:03

Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks

Thanks All parcels retrieved from the sorting office and lots of thank yous this afternoon. Quite blown away, just amazing! All photos are up on our Facebook page, and will soon be on the website too, do have a look. :) Thanks

Thanks Thanks Thanks For Billie's Blankets for Ghana - huge thanks to MOSAgain, Birnamwood and our Blanketeering Grandma, Mrs Baker.

Thanks Thanks Thanks For Little Hugs for Yorkhill - huge thanks to Mhw02, Mrs Baker and SuperNappy

Thank you too for the extra squares Mhw02 - they are marvellous and will be made into a Hug soon Thanks

Thank you so much Thanks

Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks Thanks

MOSagain · 21/08/2013 20:36

Grin yay! DS forgiven for not posting recorded!
Am currently working on a littlehug for Yorkhill. DH keeps rolling his eyes when I get my knitting out of the glovebox of car. Am tempted to take into parks with me, queued for 1 hour today for Spiderman ride, could have done a whole square!

AnyaKnowIt · 21/08/2013 21:06

just been looking at the pictures on Facebook, they are all lovely!

will have to post mine on Tuesday, as dp is away dd has got slapped cheek so keeping her at home.

Mhw02 · 21/08/2013 22:00

Yay! I always have a teeny, tiny panic when I hand my blanket parcels over at the Post Office, which is only eased when I see the pictures up on facebook and therefore have confirmation that they arrived safely.

I'm really enjoying doing the sewn blankets now actually. I'd like to learn how to quilt them though - I'm just a bit worried about doing it because I'm not sure my stitching would be neat enough or straight enough for the stitches to be on display. And I'm also not sure how to hide the thread ends.

I need to go and buy more Stylecraft now. I have run out of blues, pinks, purples and cream and so have two blankets in a state of arrested development. (The blue one was started to occupy me until I could get more pink and purple, and now I've run out of that too!)

MOSagain · 22/08/2013 00:14

Mhw02, I'm exactly the same, I don't trust the PO and panic until I know its safely arrived. The blanket I sent was the first I've done all by myself, have previously done team efforts and just sent the squares to the lovely Pistey to turn into something beautiful but it was lovely to be able to do something all by myself. Don't worry about the stitching. I just did it for the first time and it was ok. The first time I tried one seam was a little too lumpy/tight so I just upicked a bit of it and loosened it and it was ok. Not 100% perfect but as Pistey and Knotty said, they are made with love which is so true x

RatherBeOnThePiste · 22/08/2013 13:53

Really is the love and thought MOS, that is the bit that matters. X

This Little Hug is currently with UPS on its way to the Netherlands to Twunk's lovely four year old son Alex. Bless his heart, he was diagnosed with leukaemia in July, and is in the early stages of treatment. Twunk's thread is here

All love and strength to them all for much healthier and happier times, we are thinking of them, and this Hug goes with love from us all. X

KnottyLocks · 22/08/2013 21:31

Checking back in!

I posted a day or so ago but for some daft reason it didn't register Confused

Anyway, I'm here! You lucky people Grin

Hmm
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