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

I'm in. Have lurked on Zombie's threads for a long time and look forward to celebrating her like this.

I'm going to try and crochet some squares - I am worried that my tension will be too loose though, what size needle would you recommend for basic granny squares (sorry, that's the only stitch I can do).

Thank you so much for this opportunity to be part of something that TheZombie loves, she was so kind to me when I had a breast cancer scare, despite knowing she was stage 4, still reassuring me that I wasn't being pathetic. That's what shes like though, totally selfless.

This has made me determined to teach myself to knit or crochet. I tried to do so last year and think I may be able to manage a square (does it have to look like a square?) where's my needles?

I'd like to be in too, please. I'm a beginning crocheter; that said, I've been lurking on the Zombie threads for quite some time and I'd love to be a part of giving that wonderful woman a wooly hug. Is Stylecraft wool available in the US?

I would use a 4mm needle for a granny squar, LEM, but you could try a 3.5mm if your tension is loose.

Mine was, when I first learned to crochet granny squares, and when I posted a picture in Arts and Crafts on here, I was informed I was clearly a loose hooker!

I'm a beginner knitter and haven't done WH before but would like to join in. If I just do a 6x6 square and then post on here, will someone tell me what to do next? Thank you

Also I'm slow - I presume the 26th Jan date that was mentioned somewhere isn't a deadline as it's an ongoing thing?

I have some of those colours in my stash and would love to crochet some squares. Can I also do some heart bobble squares? In that size to colour of course! Please pm me posting address xx

Blimey SDTG I think that might have been me that labelled you with infamy

Ladies I'm in. I have yarn in some of the right colours and DM's Christmas present cash burning a hole in my pocket if I need it.

I can also offer help in the Northants/Leics area if needed will work for Earl Grey tea

@historiatrixie wool warehouse ships globally so worth looking at for style craft if not available in the US

Thanks everyone, please bear with, the response is amazing and inspirational! Just like Zombie :)

Re the USA stockist Trixie have a look at the Deramores Us site here...

Or we are very happy to post to you, if this option, just message your address please xxxx

January 28th is our first collection date, folk like to have something to aim for, but after this there will be others, this is the start of an ongoing project xxx

Oh, thank you Knotty! I'll just pick a couple balls and get to hooking!

@Notveryhappyvalley if you PM KnottyAndPistey when you're ready to send it they'll give you the address

What an amazing response!

I'm in. I have an embarrassingly large stash of style craft dk. I'll get hooking

Hmm, I'm having an issue with Wool Warehouse not accepting my card details, and Deramores seems to be out of stock on nearly all the SpecialDK. Knotty, I'll message you with my details, if that's OK.

Hello - I'd love to be involved but can only donate, as, although I CAN knit, I never finish anything - still have a sleeveless jumper on the needles from when DS1 was 3 (he's now 9, and Ds2 is 4 already - I know!! )

SDTG a "loose hooker"

What have I let myself in for?

Having been involved with woolly hugs from about five years ago (regular name changer) and having met Knotty, Pistey, and Zombie in person more than once, this is a truly amazing and wonderful idea. Once uni has calmed enough for me to help, I will dig out the needles again. And the last time I did it was Blondes blanket. Amazing idea and xxx

Wow, I need another New Year resolution to actually learn to crochet this year. Must get my Mum to teach me, in the meantime can only donate some wool.

I'd love to join, I can crochet and already have many of those colours in my stash!

MrsH
Fid - if knitting all the way across and then turning round and knitting back, I'd suggest casting on about 36 and after maybe six rows have a measure.

For a plain ish knitted square I usually cast on 40 and do about 50 rows (I think) but I am very tight and just rely on measuring.

book
Fiderer - are you asking for basic stitches on knitting a 6" x 6" square.
On DK and size 4mm needles , I do 32 stitches and 36 rows of stocking stitch , if that is what you mean?

Yes, yes and thank you both

I started crocheting this time last year, and have seen the woolly hugs posts, but haven't been confident enough to join in. I've been reading Zombie's journey, and have some of those colours, so count me in, I'll contribute some squares.

I am on it.

Blimey. A bunch of loose hookers!