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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.

Woolly Hugs for Jo Cox. Donors and crafters, we need your help.

696 replies

KnottyAndPistey · 21/06/2016 19:23

There cannot be a single soul who has not been shocked and horrified by the devastating attack and murder of MP Jo Cox. Truly awful, at times like this one struggles to find the words to make any sense, there just aren’t any. We feel desperately sorry for Jo’s children, DH, parents, family and friends, and are thinking of all who love and miss her.

In one of the most beautiful and courageous pieces written her husband Brendan has said she would have wished now for their children to be bathed in love, this really resonates with what we hope Woolly Hugs is all about.

Jo represented the good things in the world, all that is the opposite of bitterness and hatred. Let us do something now for her, for her husband and their children, by sending love, compassion, strength and support. We hope it will bring them a little comfort. We are thinking of them. Thanks

We are very fortunate to have one of her good friends on board, we asked if she could help us, and she will, and will be able to pass on the blankets to the children when the time comes, we can’t thank her enough, she says “With your permission, I will pass the message on that they are being made. I know they have taken great comfort from the love everyone's shared in the last few days and this will be equally welcomed. You are brilliant. Thank you xxx.”

So this is our plan, can you help us?

Firstly, we would like to make a blanket for both of Jo’s children, their DS Cuillin aged 5 and DD Lejla aged three, these to be big enough that they can snuggle with their dad and find warmth and comfort. There will be love in every stitch for them.

Secondly we would like to make a blanket for Auction in the run up to Christmas, and have chosen one of Jo’s charities to be our recipient. Brendan said it would have been Jo’s wish that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her, so we have chosen the charity called Hope not Hate. See here... It seems right.

Thirdly, may we encourage folk to contribute to our existing Woolly Hugs’ Refugee Project, all crafting info is here. Jo campaigned tirelessly for refugees, this seems very appropriate. We know we cant help everyone, but one square, one blanket, a pair of gloves, one warm hat, one step at a time, really every little thing will help. Thank you.

Crafting information for the three blankets
All yarn to be Stylecraft Special DK, which is very easily available. Try here. Please make sure your square fits into one of these palettes. It will make it much easier. Thank you.

Vintage: Duck egg, grape, sage, storm, parchment, pale rose, pomegranate, raspberry, cloud blue, sherbert.

Traditional: Parchment, cloud blue, denim, sherbert, aster, petrol, lipstick, claret, burgundy.

  • Squares to be 6 inches, using 4mm hook or needles.
  • All crafting abilities genuinely welcome, simple, complex, squares made by beginner or experienced are equally welcomed. It really is the love and thought that counts. When finished please sew in those ends* but don’t block your work.
  • Then PM for details for posting.

Last posting to be July 27th.

We are on Facebook as Woolly Hugs and Twitter @Woolly_Hugs which are both good ways to keep in touch. Do join us there if you would like to.

"She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now, one that our precious children are bathed in love and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her.”

As always heartfelt thanks for your support.

'She met the world with love'
Thinking of beautiful Jo and her family, sending so much love Thanks

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Thread gallery
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KnottyAndPistey · 26/07/2016 20:25

Toooooooooomorrowwwwwww!!

Toooooooomorrrowwwwwwww!

I love you tooomoorrrrowwwwwwwwwww!

You're only a dayyyyyyyyyy a wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy :)

OP posts:
PurpleFrog · 26/07/2016 21:18

Mine are packaged and will drop them off at the PO on the way to work tomorrow. Halo

ShoeJunkie · 26/07/2016 22:05

Can someone please pm me the address to send squares to Flowers

KnottyAndPistey · 26/07/2016 22:23

done. xxx

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MaximilianNero · 26/07/2016 23:33

Can I please have a PM with the address as well? Posting tomorrow Flowers

I've tried to weave in the ends but failed every time I've tried, so the ends are still dangling. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm really sorry about that

whenallissaidanddone · 27/07/2016 05:51

Um. I am going to post today. Could someone pm the address please?

Ta.

KnottyAndPistey · 27/07/2016 08:30

Morning! Today's the day Brew

Off to PMs now Thanks

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KnottyAndPistey · 27/07/2016 09:05

This Star

Thank you lovely WhyCant

Woolly Hugs for Jo Cox. Donors and crafters, we need your help.
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PurpleFrog · 27/07/2016 10:54

Posted! Halo

But I realised afterwards I forgot to say on the enclosed note which Mumsnetter they are from - doh! So, 4 squares in a ziplock bag in a small purple mail bag are from me, or if you have a list of Mumsnet Names against Real Names you can work it out... Grin

KnottyAndPistey · 27/07/2016 12:09

oh!

thank you Grin

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KnottyAndPistey · 27/07/2016 12:10

Just wow! Gorgeous squares for our Jo Cox family blankets and auction blanket for Hope not Hate, thank you so much to these lovelies...

  1. BigApple11, TopazRocks
  2. HerRoyalFattyness, SP Glorious, Puddock.
  3. PastaMancer, DHD, IToldyouIwasFreaky, MirandaWest
  4. MrsKCastle, RC, LM
  5. RH

How wonderful, thank you. xxxx

Woolly Hugs for Jo Cox. Donors and crafters, we need your help.
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Energumene · 27/07/2016 12:20

Mine are now safely in the post, separated into 3 large letter packets.

It's funny, having been less keen on the sherbet colour to start with, it's really grown on me these last few weeks Smile Seeing all the photos of beautiful squares, I can't wait to see how the blankets look when made up.

Thank you so much KnottyandPistey for the chance to be a part of this Flowers

MaximilianNero · 27/07/2016 13:09

It's on its way! 😊

BlackeyedSusan · 27/07/2016 14:38

six pounds seventy five to post a large letter. six pounds seventy five!!!

75p for the stamp and £6 for the three balls of wool when I accidently fell in the wool shop on the way back to the car. Blush oops.

MrsHathaway · 27/07/2016 15:08
Grin
BlackeyedSusan · 27/07/2016 15:43

How are you going to decide which squares go in the children's blankets and which go in the auctioned blanket(s)?

FreezerBird · 27/07/2016 18:25

Posted!

Fingers and toesies crossed it all arrives soon.

Turns out that although people often knit in my local cafe, frantic sewing-in-of-ends happens less frequently...

HerRoyalFattyness · 27/07/2016 20:26

Glad they arrived safely! I was so relieved when DP said he'd post them for me. Grin
Brew for everyone. You're all Stars

Mirandawest · 27/07/2016 21:35

Glad mine got there. The post person squashed it to make it thin enough to be a large letter Grin

honeysucklejasmine · 27/07/2016 22:34

I'm so excited to see the blankets put together.

I don't mind helping to do that in future, if you need more hands.

KnottyAndPistey · 28/07/2016 07:16

Morning! Brew

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KnottyAndPistey · 28/07/2016 07:23

Love a helpful posty person Miranda!

What an amazing response, and we expect a real flurry over the next couple of days, now the deadline had passed!

Have been asked if we can take a picture of all the squares laid out together, but sadly that just won't be possible, we will need to do it as we would a big Woolly Hug. Take one square from everyone who sent in so all represented and go from there. All squares once photographed have gone into sandwich bags with their crafter's name on. This is how we do a big blanket.

Aiming to have 99 squares per blanket. Which is a good single bed size.

And almost certainly now 2 auction blankets which is great, one in each colour scheme. Fantastic, hopefully someone will want to bid on them and we will raise funds for Hope not Hate.

We have said in various places that if we were lucky to have extra we'd use them to support projects which reflect Jo's ideology. So quite possibly some beautiful Refugee project blankets to be made and sent in her name.

Exciting times!

Brew
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Pastamancer · 28/07/2016 08:31

Lovely to see mine in there.

jetSTAR · 28/07/2016 10:26

So since I failed to post mine in time (only 2 sadly) shall I wait and post them in Sept and they can be used elsewhere?

BlackeyedSusan · 28/07/2016 12:33

bloody hell, that sounds like loads of work. that is really impressive organisation. Halo

(and Star to ds for laying out all those squares. )

thanks for explaining what happens.

do you get your house back once the squares are all sent off?

there is lots of nail biting here waiting to see if Royal mail delivers. tomorrow