Woolly Hugs: Blankets for the Children of Chernobyl. Squares needed!

[KnottyAndPistey]

As we did last year, we would love to 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. In summer, when the dust causes radiation levels to rise, 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 MNer) 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.
PLEASE AVOID bright green, bright pink, browns, greys, citron, sunshine, 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.

*If needed, we can supply yarn. Let us know if we can send to you.

• Our last posting is Saturday 23rd May, so we have a chance of getting the blankets ready to go to the children on their arrival in the UK.

• If anyone would like to donate 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.

We know together we can do this – last year was an astonishing team effort.
On behalf of these children, a huge THANK YOU.

Pistey and Knotty X

I posted two squares off today, but lady in the post office said they wouldn't go until Tueday now. Hope that is OK?

Could someone PM the address I need to send my square to please?!

Thanks soup

Morning :)

Apologies for being awol, we've both been away for a few days, not together, though that be nice :)

Just catching up everywhere

Thanks Soupy xx

Aiming to do the sort on Sunday, and start sending them to lovely hookers on Monday, so still plenty of time for them to get here. All will be well :)

I have returned to three red cards of doom, and one suggests lots of parcels, so if you were hoping to hear of safe arrivals, I will be going first thing to liberate them from the PO.

Thanks everyone

Annie

We do wash these before they go yes, these, the Angel Hugs, Little Hugs and Billie's Blankets but not the big Woolly Hugs for families.

Ah - I didn't know that. In the past I have washed some of the blankets I have done, but not all of them. If someone says that are already washed, do you do them again?

I have 4 squares for the Chernobyl blankets that will be in the post as of tomorrow. Even though it is not a holiday in Scotland today there are no postal collections or deliveries.

It would depend how long they've been here I suppose, sometimes when blankets arrive early for a collection they can be here quite a while before they go, and I just like to freshen them up, but otherwise, if you say they have then no.

Your beautiful squares will be here in plenty of time, thank you purple

Today. They are lilac flowers for Alzheimer's.

Just for today, 25th May.

Ah Thanks Soupy, I miss everything, they are perfect

It would depend how long they've been here I suppose, sometimes when blankets arrive early for a collection they can be here quite a while before they go, and I just like to freshen them up, but otherwise, if you say they have then no.

That makes sense. I am usually just missing deadlines, so I don't think any of my completed blankets hang around for more than a day or two, anyway!

Need to edge and sew in ends, but nearly done.

Just wow, tis utterly fabulous, thank you SO MUCH

You really are a

to the very lovely Nelly for her squares

to the very lovely ChopChopBusyBusy for her squares

to the very lovely L Harper for her squares

to the very lovely Sian Y for her squares

Oh wow Mhw02 you're fast.

I like to delude myself that crocheting keeps the bingo wings at bay. You must have the most toned arms on MN

A package is on its way to you Pistey and this is a picture of my WIP

Sadly not, Woolly If only! I didn't even have gorgeous toned arms when I did regular rock-climbing.

Is that join-as-you-go? I've never managed to master that! I LOVE those little teeny squares!

It is join-as-you-go. It is similar to the Attic24 method but I couldn't get it to sit right using the slip stitch she recommends so I use a double crochet instead. It is a perfect method for me. I'm a bit of a perfectionist so need something that aligns my squares properly. I'm also chronically lazy so it meets my need to minimise sewing I have schooled myself to darn in my loose ends as I go along this time too so it is going well. Unfortunately I spent most of last week in hospital with DD2 so I'm a little behind. I had it with me and had plenty of time to work on it, but every time I picked it up I fell asleep

Oh, sorry to hear that. Is she all right?

How's she getting on Woolly?