Woolly Hugs. Supporting the Chernobyl Children's Project. Can anyone help us?

[KnottyAndPistey]

There will need to be a quick turnaround on this but we know hope we can do it!

We have been approached and asked if we can make Little Hugs for a group of teenagers coming over to Leeds for a recuperative holiday in the summer with the fabulous charity the Chernobyl Children's Project.

Each year these marvellous folk bring children over from Belarus who live in the most contaminated area near the Chernobyl reactor. It is in the summer, when the dust causes radiation levels to rise, that it becomes even more important for as many children as possible to leave their contaminated homeland for a few weeks of fresh air and clean food. The rates of childhood cancer are at 75%, the most common cancers being thyroid and leukaemia. Coming to the UK for a four week break increases their immunity against the awful disease by up to 3 years when they return home.

This year the group in Leeds (organised by an amazing Mumsnetter) are bringing twelve children who have had cancer and are now in remission. Sadly though there is a high chance of these children falling ill again. This summer there are four boys and eight girls coming, aged between 11 and 14. They all suffer living in such difficult conditions and with very little. How perfect it would be to make them each a Little Hug.

Here's how to help with this project.....

• We would like 12” squares in bright and cheery Stylecraft Special DK colours, but please AVOID bright green, bright pink, browns, greys, citron, fiesta and jaffa. This will help squares fit together more easily. Make for a boy, girl or in a non specific colour theme. We will be happy to accept 6” squares if making a 12” one feels too much.

• Crochet or knitted, 4mm hook or needles. No blocking and please sew in pesky ends.

• We can supply all yarn for this. Let us know if we can send to you.

• Our last posting is Saturday 14th June, so we have a fighting chance of getting the blankets ready to go to the children on their arrival in the UK.

• If anyone would like to donated funds to support this, we would be so grateful. Our paypal is [email protected], cheques and cash are very welcome too, just PM for the address to send.

We know together we can do this in time! On behalf of these children, a huge THANK YOU.

Pistey and Knotty X

I think the leaves pattern is this - Belle's is luffly :)

Ahh yes, Ria I think you are right, but pattern no longer available sadly, many thanks for your help though, and yes Belle's is very lovely

Sorry, I forgot about that, <a class="break-all" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091119201218/www.knitdishclothcorner.com/patrons/FF/vignes.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here it is. (The English translation comes after the French.)

Aw thank you

Have put the links on the fb pic too but I'll post them here. Bear with me a bit as I'm zipping between apps on a crap, laggy old iphone

Wordy instructions for leaf pattern:

www.knitting-bee.com/knitting-pattern-treasury/fancy-stitch-knitting-patterns/trailing-leaves-knitting-stitch-pattern

Can't work out how to HTML a link via the iphone app so apologies for longhand linkage

Leaf lace chart here if you prefer charty instructions:

freeknitstitches.com/pattern.php?num=73&menu=7

Oh I forgot to say: the leaf lace is just the stitch, I think it's in multiples of 15+2, so I think (iirc) that I did 4 repeats (60sts) plus 2, knitted until it was square and that gave me a panel which was about an inch too small all around, so I picked up and knitted around the edges, log-cabin style, to give the right size. I didn't want to add another whole pattern repeat as this would have been too big. Obvs the links I've give here don't say that, they are literally links to the stitch instructions, so I thought I'd better explain what I did

I wanted to echo everyone's else admiration for Pistey and Knotty. All of the Woolly Hugs' work they do is fantastic and must bring much comfort (and warmth!) to the recipients when they need it most.

I am new to MN. Is there a Poster of the year' type of award? If so, nominate Knotty and Pistey, who are quietly beavering away in this little corner of the internet producing lovely things and giving pleasure to donors, crafters and the new owners too. If not, there should be!

I'll shut up now as being British, public displays of emotion make me very

• I nominate

(I wasn't dictating that everyone should... )

I'm down to my last three rows and I now need to decide on a colour/style of edging. I've got enough yarn to do a round of htrs in each of the rainbow colours.

Any other suggestions?

I'd do a round of each, with the darkest colour last. It's gorgeous xxx

That's absolutely stunning Wollybacks - I want to snuggle up in it myself

oops Wooly not Wolly even more

Want one! That looks so happy. :)

I kind of made up a border when I did a rainbow ripple.

Forgot to say - yours is gorgeous!

That has turned out wonderfully well, Woolly
Like iLove, I would do a rainbow border with the darkest colour last, remembering to reverse the indigo and violet as you have done in the blanket.

How's your foot iLove?

Thanks for doing all of that Belle was marvellous of you, beautiful squares!

Bloody HUGE wow Woolly - that is amazing - thank you so much, you star xx

And the next blanket for our Children of Chernobyl project is completed, huzzah!! HUGE thanks to all contributors. Hooked and edged in lipstick, then a spice border too. Zingy and bold, love it.

Thanks everyone xx

Top green square is actually the green leafy one, appreciate it can't really be seen, even on close up.

Belle and Ria
Thanks so very much for all your kind help with links and info, how lovely of you, I am so grateful, especially as I'm sure you are both busy.
Very many thanks.

Just beautiful.

These are brooches/embellishments to be added to two of the Children of Chernobyl blankets. A cornflower and a rose. Gorgeous. From the very lovely PrimroseMill.

Thank you.

My hug is in the post, I have to say I've really enjoyed hooking one together from everyone's squares, loads of fun and lots of interesting challenges: from deciding on the layout, to matching the tensions - and seeing the end result was lovely!

My cathpip squares are in there too, sorry they're so very late but I forgot I hadn't posted them!

I am up to Pesky Ends on mine now :)

Ah Pesky Control.

Thanks both, you are such stars, just brilliant. Ophelia - the Hug is here, sorry was out all day yesterday and DH has put a pile of parcels on my desk, just opened yours, and am off to photograph.

Another of those times when Thank you doesn't seem enough but THANK YOU xxx

Here is the next of the completed blankets for our Children of Chernobyl project! :)

This is the one compiled by the very lovely Ophelia, hooooooooge thanks to her and to all those who contributed squares. Mucho marvellous, tis an absolute beauty!

Thank you!!

That's beautiful! Love the colour combinations, it's singing sweetly. :)

Lovely. :)

And far more subtle than mine!