Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, we need your help.

[KnottyAndPistey]

Our lovely Zombie (who has said she doesn’t mind being outed as Candy) has long been a supporter of Woolly Hugs, bless her for it! Recently she made a very kind donation to us, and we would love to start an Ongoing project to honour this remarkable woman, who we have both had the privilege of meeting, dancing and drinking with. She is utterly fab-u-lous. :)

After a chat with Zombie we have made a plan which she loves. We would like to make comforting cosy blankets with love in every stitch for women going through treatment for breast and other cancers, and at times these may form part of palliative care. They will be called Candy’s Hugs.

Zombie is a bright and beautiful woman so we have chosen a palette to reflect this which we call Vibrant Riot; it is inspired too by a blanket that was made for her to give big hugs as she goes through treatments.

Will you join with us? If you would like to be involved in any way, we’d love to have you on board. Please post on this thread and PM with your offers: crafting, donating, need wool, etc, we can help you with all of it.

The yarn is Stylecraft Special DK. Just this please for consistency, and in these colours...

Vibrant Riot Palette
Boysenberry
Claret
Empire
Fuchsia
Grass
Kelly green
Lavender
Lime
Lipstick
Magenta
Meadow
Petrol
Plum
Pomegranate
Saffron
Sherbet
Shrimp
Spice
Turquoise
Tomato
Violet

Squares to be 12 inch or 6 inch, crochet or knitted equally welcome, please use 4mm hook or needles. No blocking necessary and please sew in ends, and make sure any colour changes are firmly knotted.

All crafting abilities genuinely welcome, squares made by beginner or expert will be equally cherished. Simple, complex, single colour, mixed colour. It really is the love and thought that counts.

If you would like to learn how to knit or crochet in 2017, crack on! We have help for the complete beginner here…. And are on hand to help talk you through as well. YouTube has lots of tutorials, you WILL find one that suits! :)

If you feel ambitious and would like to make a whole blanket, then that is wonderful, we are aiming for blankets approx 48 inches by 60 inches, certainly no smaller.

Candy’s Hugs will be an ongoing project, our first posting date is to be January 28th. Do message for posting info when ready.

We are on Facebook - Woolly Hugs and Twitter too @Woolly_Hugs both are good ways to keep in touch.

Thank you so much xx

KnottyandPistey when squares are sent to you does it matter how many there are? Does it make much difference whether you receive a few smaller packages as we go along, or do you prefer to receive them in one go? I'm not nearly as fast at making them as others, but they are all made with love.

Just ordered some yarn and a new crochet hook to start crocheting again - i was looking for a good excuse and this is a marvellous one! Just need to remember how to do the puffy stitches i like...............
I cant wait for my yarn delivery to get started

Oh and anyone buying yarn loveknitting.com is doing 10% off your first order

Soooo...it's not great, and needs a LOT of tidying up...but- not bad for my first attempt!

That's great Pop!

12" square on hold. I want to finish the first ball of wool I opened and I'm not sure that there'll be enough to do one that size

zing no wool has arrived for Zombies blankets, I know you were worried about it. Am awaiting another selection for Tunnocks blanket too.

Icy rain is slinging down in Devon.
Wish it was snow
I put a few squares in the post on the school run. I wrote Zombie but you'll know who I mean.

Herman and Pengling Thank you for the encouragement and tips. I think I may be too tight on the chain so will try with a 5mm hook and see how I get on.

Firefly I do have a lovely friend who can crochet, so I've sent her a message to see if she will teach me in return for cake or wine!

Pop you are my inspiration right now, keep going!

www.amazon.co.uk/Crochet-Blankets-Afghans-blankets-Collection/dp/6544556610/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484237270&sr=8-2&keywords=jan+eaton+200+crochet+blocks

These are fabulous books with lots of patterns to try . Clear instructions for crochet or knitting. . You can buy them separately ..
So wish my hands would behave .

I've just "mastered" (sort of) a traditional granny square. It's not great, but I have some lipstick, so I'll give it a go. You need plain, slightly rubbish ones so that the fabulous detailed ones shine more! Right?

That's right Disraeli

That's why I send mine.

HE'S BEEEEEEEEN!!!!!!

(The mailman...not Santa 🎅 )

Now I can get cracking!!!!!!!

Arrrgggghhhh, I fear I am never goiung to be able to follow crochet patterns, I just don't seem to be able to interpret the instructions into what I should be doing will stick to simple granny squares, but feeling a bit sad that I cannot produce some of the lovely squares that people are producing

I just want to say a huge thank you to all you makers. I have RA and my hands don't work well enough to make any more, so the only way I could help was through a small donation. I'm in so much admiration of you all and I just love the pictures of your squares - which are all (including the slightly wonky ones) so gorgeous.

Thank you for your general all round brilliance! Woolly Hugs is just bloody marvellous, as are you all. (That last sentence is grammatically suspect but you know what I mean.)

Have you tried following a chart rather than a written pattern LEM? You might be better with a visual representation rather than a list of stitches - once you get the hang of the symbol used for each of the stitches then you're away and it doesn't matter whether it's a US or UK pattern - the symbols are the same. Try searching Pinterest for ideas.

Ive just found some tutorials and am going to work through some stitches, I think I'm just impatient!!

I find some crochet patterns baffling, but the charts are no better.

When you have a pattern with wordy instructions and a chart you can cross reference them (eg "oh ok that 3dtrc goes into the top of the last but one trc from the last round").

Sometimes you need a pattern and a chart and a video tutorial and experience of having done exactly that pattern before. Or is that just me?

My wool arrived today! It's lovely and I can't wait to get started. I'm just finishing a baby blanket for a friend, just have a few rows to do now, and then I can start on my squares.

Thank you so much to the kind person who donated the wool (or the money for it).

Can someone have a look at this link for me and tell me if this stitch is single crochet or double? The lady is American so I'm confused as to whether it is single or double, I have however just completed a row! :)

To everyone who is having problems following charts and patterns please consider looking at youtube tutorials.

. I can rewind it/pause it and generally repeat bits over and over again if I don't get it.

This, to me, is a million times easier than following a written pattern.

If you do follow one on youtube please remember that UK and US terms are different so I'd definitely recommend a UK tutor.

This is the state of my "Bella Coco inspired waffle square". Not yet finished but showing some promise!!!

LEM - I can't see a link.
Repost and I'll have a look.

oops crochet.about.com/video/Single-Crochet.htm silly me, I keep doing that - thanks for the advice everyone :)

LEM - I've had a look at the link. In UK terms it's actually a double crochet, and well done on completing a row in it .

To save confusion you may prefer which is in UK terms.

If you'd rather stick with your tutorial you just need to remember that a US single crochet is a UK double crochet and a US double crochet is a UK treble crochet!!!

Keep at it - we're all in this together!!

Part one of "Sophie" done!