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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.

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Woolly Hugs. Supporting refugees, lovely crafters and donors, fabulous Mumsnetters we need your help.

994 replies

KnottyAndPistey · 05/09/2015 14:24

As for so many others, we have been moved to tears by the heartbreaking plight of refugees, both in Europe and further afield, and the inhumanity which seems to surround them too often. We have donated, signed petitions on change.org and written to our MPs, and understand the feeling of shouting in the wind, we desperately want to do more.

There is something practical we can do together, and it really will help, but fabulous Mumsnetters, we are going to need your support.

We can get woolly warmth to families in refugee camps in Kurdistan, thanks to the amazing charity Knit for Peace. There are 1.8 million refugees trapped there, most have fled civil wars and ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Winter is coming, it will be even more desperate and absolutely freezing. We are also developing links to get resources to children and families elsewhere, and on their arrival in the UK. We just want to help keep folk warm. We know we can’t help everyone, but we can some.

We really need your help, here’s how…

  • We need 12 inch, or six inch squares. Knit or crochet both equally welcome.
  • Yarn to be used - any good quality acrylic DK, for example Stylecraft special DK
  • Any colour, any style, it is all good.
  • Squares equally welcome if made by beginner or expert. Truly.
  • No one think their's wouldn’t be good enough. They will be.
  • We'd love to receive whole blankets, but absolutely understand time constraints.
  • We’d also love to receive hats and gloves/mittens for any age, baby sized through to adult, the same for jumpers. But appreciate that is a very big ask.
  • If you’d like to donate yarn or funds, let us know - we’d absolutely LOVE to hear from you, we need you too. This will be a real team effort
  • If anyone would like to join in crafting but can’t afford to, please PM us, we can help.

One square, one blanket, a pair of gloves, one warm hat, one step at a time, really every little thing will help. Together we can make a difference.

Thanks

Sadly we cannot accept items other than home made woolly ones at the moment, if this changes we will come back.

If anyone arrives in this thread and holds similar views to Cameron, no need to post, just move along. This is a positive, humanitarian thread taking positive, humanitarian action.

Do join us on our Facebook page Woolly Hugs and Twitter @Woolly_Hugs - both good ways to keep in touch.

If you'd rather email us than PM we are [email protected]

Thank you doesn’t come close, bless you. Thanks

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BlackeyedSusan · 15/10/2015 07:56

ha, looked at the face book photos. now I want to make squares like, x poster or hats like y poster. crochet envy! Grin (especially as I am easily distracted and careful counting all the way round a round is hard when listening to children read...a book that is one square long)

what are the totals of hats, gloves, jumpers, blankets made now?

PeaceOfWildThings · 15/10/2015 08:00

I get crochet envy too! They are all so wonderful. Such a happy project. Can't help but want to be a part of it all!

KnottyAndPistey · 15/10/2015 09:02

Morning Brew

Crochet and knitting envy yes!!!!

Its a good thing that we need to count items, they ask for a 5p donation per item to help with transport costs, and we've been using funds from our fabulous donors for this. It does mean we have to count, because normally, apart from the Angel Hugs, we just send a huge bag full!

We are counting as we take them, so this is a running total....

So I can tell you, so far....

Star Whole blankets made by individuals 24 Star

Star Blankets made from separate squares 2 Star

Star Cardigans and jumpers 12 Star

Star Scarves/shawls 1 Star

Star Hats 288 Star

Star Gloves/wrist warmers 7 Star

Extraordinary!!

The bag is filling up for next week and contains lots of scarves and jumpers, blankets.

We have a list of fabulous volunteer hookers putting blankets together, and using the separate squares we have 11 sets out being made up! And for these blankets we are going for a minimum of 36 by 48 inches ( so using 48 six inch squares) That's a fabulous amount of squares :)

What an amazing thing, truly, we are BLOWN AWAY!!

Thanks
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SoupDragon · 15/10/2015 12:15

I've just stuck a parcel of hats in the post. :)

If you need anyone to put together a blanket I am happy to do that.

KnottyAndPistey · 15/10/2015 13:51

Soupy You are a fabulous woman, thank you, honestly that's brilliant, we will take you up on that, and a huge thank you for the hats, you star xxxx

Thanks
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SoupDragon · 15/10/2015 14:03

i meant to offer earlier but forgot Blush

SoupDragon · 15/10/2015 15:39

(And I can do more than just one blanket)

PeaceOfWildThings · 15/10/2015 20:31

Do the items have to be made from acrylic yarn? Would some scarves made with wool yarn be of any use?

KnottyAndPistey · 16/10/2015 08:16

Morning! Brew

Soupy Thank you so much, the next one is yours. Have recently sent out four blanket kits, and was looking yesterday, not quite enough for another blanket yet. Maybe after the post today, will PM, really appreciate this Thanks

Peace The only thing that actually needs to be acrylic are the separate squares folk are sending, so that they can combine easily to make joint blankets. Wool yarn is fine in whole items, so scarves, hats, gloves etc. Thank you Thanks

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KnottyAndPistey · 16/10/2015 08:17

Hook on fire!

This amazing collection of hats for our Refugee project comes from the very lovely WoolPixie, extraordinary, huge, heartfelt thanks. What a star Thanks

Woolly Hugs. Supporting refugees, lovely crafters and donors, fabulous Mumsnetters we need your help.
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KnottyAndPistey · 16/10/2015 08:18

Beautifully warm and cosy treasure from the very lovely WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo for our Refugee project.

Just wonderful, honestly the most enormous thanks Thanks

Woolly Hugs. Supporting refugees, lovely crafters and donors, fabulous Mumsnetters we need your help.
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KnottyAndPistey · 16/10/2015 08:18

Absolutely gorgeous and super cosy hats for our Refugee project, these beautifully made by the very lovely KH. Heartfelt thanks to you! Thanks

Woolly Hugs. Supporting refugees, lovely crafters and donors, fabulous Mumsnetters we need your help.
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KnottyAndPistey · 16/10/2015 08:20

Such a super snuggly blanket for our refugee project. Beautifully knitted by the very lovely MrsBaker. She is a Mumsnetter's grandma, but we can't remember who, we do heart her though, she's a legend!

Huge thanks! Thanks

Woolly Hugs. Supporting refugees, lovely crafters and donors, fabulous Mumsnetters we need your help.
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KnottyAndPistey · 16/10/2015 08:20

A gorgeous collection of squares to go into joint blankets for our Refugee Project, all just fabulous, these just a sample, and from the very lovely AM. Thank you so much to her, what a star Thanks

Woolly Hugs. Supporting refugees, lovely crafters and donors, fabulous Mumsnetters we need your help.
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KnottyAndPistey · 16/10/2015 08:21

Four fantastically warm and super snuggly scarves for our Refugee project made by the very lovely theDudesmummy these are amazing.

Thank you so much, you star! Thanks

Woolly Hugs. Supporting refugees, lovely crafters and donors, fabulous Mumsnetters we need your help.
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Leeza2 · 16/10/2015 13:57

Thanks for the lovely pictures , such fab colours

theDudesmummy · 16/10/2015 20:22

I sent you a parcel of scarves last week, did you get it?

SoupDragon · 17/10/2015 13:24

my blanket kit arrived this morning :)

MayhemandMadness · 17/10/2015 16:46

Can you PM me the address to post to please?

theDudesmummy · 18/10/2015 11:34

Oh great I see you did get my scarves! I am working on more!

KnottyAndPistey · 19/10/2015 11:20

Morning Brew :)

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KnottyAndPistey · 19/10/2015 11:20

Dudesmummy We LOVE your scarves, super snuggly and so warm, just brilliant, thank you Thanks

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KnottyAndPistey · 19/10/2015 11:21

Wine for Soupy - thank you!

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KnottyAndPistey · 19/10/2015 11:22

DS has an INSET day on Friday, am trying to persuade him he'd like to help carry a load up to Knit for Peace!

Away to PMs, thanks all, we are truly blown away by the response Thanks

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SoupDragon · 19/10/2015 11:27

There was no wine in the parcel, just squares and yarn... Wink