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

Ah yes. Have started on plum bobble rows, so could add some stripes of something else. Now I've got it in daylight the Spice might be a brown.

Spice is a warm, burnt orange.

From your list, the raspberry looks nice next to plum.

Great, yes. And Royal and Aster would go....lots of good combos here. I have small remnant balls of other colours and white too.

Thanks ladies! Will get them in the post tomorrow. X

YeGods your bobbleicious squares sound lovely - how do you do them? Are they easy?

There is a very lovely lady on Youtube with a slight forrin accent who learned the basic stitch from. I luffs her, but she does have a long intro to introduce the stitch and then goes through making something in real time (over several videos). I used to have to just pause occasionally to catch up on a tricky bit but now tend to need to fast forward to tricky bits. She's that good. I think her Youtube name is Mica or Misha, or something like that.

I will happily do a square or two for you.

I have Stylecraft DK in Grape colour in my wool collection, it's a kind of purpley heather colour.

Is this bright enough for you? If not could somebody please send me wool as it's all they have in my local shop

Thanks very much

Ooh thanks for that YeGods, I'll have a look for her. Sounds a bit complicated for me - mine are just Big Grannies and I don't have to think about the pattern but would like to try something new. Post a pic when you've done one, I'd love to see it!

It is surprisingly easy. A row of double (or is it tc) crochet to start. Turn round and you are working from back and you do a row of sc (although I get confused about what each stitch is called and it might be dc in Brit.) Every 4th stitch or so, instead or putting the sc/dc into stitch below, put 5 of the longer dc/trc to make a bobble.

See, I'm not good at explaining it but it is easy, if you can count repetitively.

MrsDeVere: wool warehouse have it as cheap as anywhere else I've looked, and code SC18 or MM40 will get you 10% off :)

enjoy the shopping!

Grape is gorgeous Jelly!

Grape jelly less so IMHO

:)

An avalanche of PMs await - I go see

Grapes are best when squished and fermented I find....

With you there love! Cheers

We have another lovely donor to thank, this was marvellous of you, and will really help

SB

Grown up?

i cant knit. i can help with sewing squares together if thats any good though?

I cant knit but Ive just sent you £10 through paypal. I hope it helps.

My

Would you like some counselling after that order, MrsD? :)

I learned bobble stitch from tutorial if it helps anyone.

this tutorial even, it would help if I added the link!!

Just finished a pale pink one