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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.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Our second thread! Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, all very welcome.

977 replies

KnottyAndPistey · 15/01/2017 09:33

Welcome to our second thread, may it be as vibrantly riotous as the first!

Anyone reading this thinking Shall I? Can I? Yes you can! :) We would love to have you on board, from someone who is keen to learn crochet or knitting to the more experienced, ALL are welcome here. And a lack of funds is no barrier, we have wonderful donors who want to take part and need a crafter, so we can send you yarn, needles and hooks if necessary. It is all about being inclusive and team work.

So let's crack on!

This then a C&P of the crafting info from thread one.

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. wine wine 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, let's do it! 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! smile

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

Thanks
Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Our second thread! Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, all very welcome.
OP posts:
Thread gallery
162
TheWoollybacksWife · 25/01/2017 21:51

Lovely colour combinations Norks - I'm rubbish with colours so I'm very impressed and I'm glad I'm not the only one who stores their stash in the wool warehouse organza bag.

FrenchDucksSayCoinCoin · 25/01/2017 22:00

That's novice level Norks?! Goodness, I have much work to do, those are brilliant.

My real wool arrived this morning, I only ordered it yesterday afternoon... It felt like having a fresh notebook, when I feel the first page at least should be beautiful handwriting or worthwhile words... Then I dove in anyway, and I've done a square Smile. It's not entirely straight, but it's kindly meant and six inches at the bottom and somewhat less at the top. More practise for me...

NorksAreMessy · 25/01/2017 22:21

Awwwwww, thank you both. :)

I am doing the very most simple knitting...just KNIT each way, so I have to keeps myself amused with colours. I am finding it very contemplative and peaceful and a tiny bit addictive. I can't watch anything on the telly now without knitting.

What have you DONE to me K&P? i was happily drawing or making Jewellery or sewing and you have turned my thoughts to junior witchcraft. Scarey the power those women have!

CraftyGirly90 · 25/01/2017 22:27

Norks I'm the same I have to knit or crochet when I'm watching TV. Like FrenchDucks and WoollybacksWife I can't believe your a novice knitter. I've been knotting about 10 years now and some of my stuff is no where near as good as your squares

startingtheengine · 25/01/2017 22:29

Those who crotchet ; how do I get the right tension? I'm only just started to attempt to crotchet and I'm either too loose so I have holes or too tight and can't get my hook through Confused. I'm wondering if knitting might be easier.....

SaladDressing · 25/01/2017 22:33

Evening all!

I now have a bunch of 'slightlywobblybutmadewithlotsoflove' squares to send.

Please could somebody PM me the address?

I can't believe that I have just ordered a book to learn more patterns - 3 weeks ago I wouldn't have dreamed of picking up a crochet hook and I am loving it. It's also keeping me off the biscuits and snacks in the evenings... Thank you K&P. Smile

PurpleDaisies · 25/01/2017 22:35

starting I think it's just a case of practising and you'll get it. I don't think there's a magic fix. Just keep at it and it will get better.

PurpleDaisies · 25/01/2017 22:36

salad which book did you buy? I love craft books and really shouldn't buy more, but they are just so nice to look at.

startingtheengine · 25/01/2017 22:50

I did think that would be the case purple unfortunately patience isn't a virtue of mine! I just want to be able to do it now

PurpleDaisies · 25/01/2017 22:52

Oh I feel the same about knitting! I can crochet nicely but my knitting looks rubbish and I find it hard to persevere with when I know I can do a better job with crochet.

I find taking it out somewhere like a coffee shop helps with motivation, especially if there's nothing else to do.

NorksAreMessy · 25/01/2017 23:02

Crocheting is absolutely witchcraft and clearly impossible for normal humans.
I have been 'taught' several times over a long life and I can do it whilst sitting NEXT to the teacher, but if I move more than six inches away, all the knowledge trickles out of my ears and I CANT DO IT!

I am sticking to knitting stripes :)

FiveGoMadInDorset · 25/01/2017 23:05

Jus

FiveGoMadInDorset · 25/01/2017 23:06

Oops

Anyway the lamb up thread has officially been named Zombie, hoping to get a nice fleece off him in two years to turn into wool to knot

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 26/01/2017 01:27

Chipping

Thanks for asking, MiniZing keeps getting raises temperature (not fever) but no other symptoms so not sure what's going on. When the Calpol is working he's his usual self - just look what he did while I was sorting some yarn!😂

(I haven't had a chance to crochet last 2 days...I'm having withdrawal symptoms!)

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Our second thread! Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, all very welcome.
FaithAgain · 26/01/2017 07:50

I cannot knit to save my life! Cannot get the tension right. It gets so tight I can't get the needles through. However, I started crocheting 2 years ago. I find it's much easier- can take a while to pick up new techniques but online tutorials help - and I find it therapeutic. I think most people have an affinity for one or the other.

PolterGoose · 26/01/2017 08:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KnottyAndPistey · 26/01/2017 08:27

Morning all Brew :)

OP posts:
HelenDenver · 26/01/2017 08:30

Bookmarking as would like to learn this. Also happy to send £ in the meantime.

KnottyAndPistey · 26/01/2017 09:16

Huge woolly love in those Leslie and Chewing so wonderful to know they are with you, giving you the hugs so many would love to give you in person. We are with you both, as is Zombie, in a loving, supportive, vibrant rioting way. :) xxx

OP posts:
KnottyAndPistey · 26/01/2017 09:25

BantyCustards Have a look through the OP, we are very glad to have you on board, and welcome, PM when you need the posting address. Thank you x

Hopefully have PMd the address to all who need, Chaz welcome, lovely to have you here, will just sort this for you, think yarn directly to a crafter will be the way to go, thank you so much Thanks

Novice Knitter Norks Bloody love the phrase a Buggers Muddle, going to adopt and use as my own! Gorgeous stripes, truly love stripes, how fabulous, so many beautiful squares on here, we are today posting out Kits 3 and 4 to the construction crew!

And re the power and woolly wool bit, tis called World Domination Grin

ZombieLamb Heart!

You are so right lovely Polter a legacy for so many lifetimes, all those folk who will be helped because of our Zombie, its beyond words really

OP posts:
AliceInUnderpants · 26/01/2017 09:45

@KnottyAndPistey could you send me the address please? Thanks.

AliceInUnderpants · 26/01/2017 09:47

Oops sorry should have checked my inbox first Blush

ChippingInLovesWoollyHugs · 26/01/2017 10:16

Brew so many lovely squares! 😊.

Everyone has been so chatty, please take hugs, laughs, wry smiles, encouragement & understanding nods as appropriate 💐

Leslie 💐 I'm sorry you're in a position to be getting a CandyHug , but as you are, I'm very pleased you have. Massive hugs & strength in every square! I think your Mum making blankets while you snack is a pretty effective combo 😬

Zing. Oh well, that'll be a nice surprise for the WoollyHug recipient, an additional small child 😁

ZombieLamb perfect! I look forward to seeing a little ZombieHug from it. I always think a single square would be lovely to go with a blanket so people can take a little bit with them, when they can't take the whole blanket. It'd be perfect for that 😊

Novice knitters & hookers. Please don't be overwhelmed by the number of squares or the beauty of them. I've been knitting for years & don't do nearly as many as others do and as a knitter really can't match the sheer gorgeousness of many of the crochet squares. But every square made with love is a good square - 1 or 100, perfect or 'not quite so'. They all add something to a WoollyHug blanket.

TheoriginalLEM · 26/01/2017 10:26

would someone mind pming me the postal address please?

Just got eleventymillion ends to weave in and my lottle offering is ready to go.

ChippingInLovesWoollyHugs · 26/01/2017 10:26

5GMID. 😳😳😳 that's not cricket! How has she not ended up under your patio before now? She clearly has no idea of boundaries. That's every bit as bad as borrowing your knickers!

I'm really getting worried about POP - is anyone here friends with her on Facebook? (I don't do Facebook).