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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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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:
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PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 28/01/2017 18:27

Chipping 😅😅no skateboards this time. I tripped, and landed awkwardly trying to save my phone! The phone survived...

And DH is a whizz with a darning needle, so he's in his element atm!

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Our second thread! Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, all very welcome.
Lucienandjean · 28/01/2017 18:28

Thank you, Pop.

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 28/01/2017 18:28

Oops...scuse the mess! 😆

Lucienandjean · 28/01/2017 18:31

Thanks, chipping, for the thoughts about the size and whether I have enough stitches. I guessed!

With a single strand I find I need 32 or 33 stitches for 6", so I thought I'd need fewer for double strands. I've knittted a bit more now than in the photo and it seems to be pretty much bang on 6". But this is all trial and error! If it doesn't seem right I'll unravel it.

TheWoollybacksWife · 28/01/2017 19:36

Pop I'm very impressed - I doubt my DH knows one end of a darning needle from the other.

FrenchDucks or do you prefer CoinCoin? That is amazing progress. Excellent grannies!

LucienandJean I adore Dr. Blake. Hasn't Craig McLachlan aged well?

I'm currently working on a whole Chernobyl blanket but I'm eying up the colours for a Candy Hug too.

ChippingInLovesWoollyHugs · 28/01/2017 19:52

WOW FrenchDucks that's some learning curve you've gone through, your squares are fabulous. Well done!

ChippingInLovesWoollyHugs · 28/01/2017 20:03

MN is driving me batshit. It won't update the posts until I have posted. So, so annoying!

POP Oh well, at least your phone is ok 😊 🤔😖. Have you broken your arm or just bruised it?

Your DH I s impressive! None of the men I know would be able to pick out a darning needle in a line up, let alone be able to use it!

Lucian. I wondered about that, but it seemed a lot less stitches, glad I was wrong 😊

NorksAreMessy · 28/01/2017 20:04

I am just finishing off the last of my Candy Riots, ready to send on Monday.
So, do I then carry on making Candys, or would making some Chernobsies be better?.
Also...can Chernobsies be made with Candy Riot colours?

Sorry for being schtooopid, I am new to this game :)

FiveGoMadInDorset · 28/01/2017 20:05

I am going to do one 12" Chernobsies and then 2 6" Candys and alternate norks

MrsHathaway · 28/01/2017 20:07

I'm using the same colours for Candy and Chernobyl - I tell them apart by size Grin

There are some Candy colours which are off the Chernobyl list, but I didn't buy them. Chernobyl also avoiding overly gendered squares so take care when combining colours.

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 28/01/2017 20:08

Chipping it's just a severe sprain.

Here are his efforts so far...

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Our second thread! Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, all very welcome.
NorksAreMessy · 28/01/2017 20:19

Is there a thread for Chernobsies? So I can read the instructions CAREFULLY and SLOWLY :)

VittysCardigan · 28/01/2017 20:19

MrsH - I read the gender colours/squares the opposite way and thought gender colours to be specific rather than mixed. IYSWIM or squares to be neutral

VittysCardigan · 28/01/2017 20:20

Lucien I love that idea! How many stitches did you cast on?

MrsDilligaf · 28/01/2017 21:03

I've nearly finished my Tunnocks Squares so I've ordered 3 balls of Stylecraft to crack on with...Kelly Green, Lavender and Magenta!!

MrsHathaway · 28/01/2017 21:09

Huh. So I can't count and I can't read?

Blush
FiveGoMadInDorset · 28/01/2017 21:17

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2827081-Welcome-to-our-Chernobyl-project-for-2017?msgid=66519939

That should be the link to the Chernobyl thread norks

VittysCardigan · 28/01/2017 21:19

MrsH - don't be too hard on yourself Smile

We would like 12" squares in bright and cheery Stylecraft Special DK colours.
PLEASE AVOID USING black, bright green, bright pink, browns, greys, citron, sunshine, fiesta, jaffa and any pale pastels, white or cream for practical reasons. This will help squares fit together more easily.
Make squares in a neutral colour theme, or more specifically for a boy or girl. As much as we don’t like to think of colour as being gender specific, these children may.
We will be happy to accept 6" squares if making a 12" one feels too much.

  • Crochet or knitted, 4mm hook or needles. Single colour, mixed colour, simple, complex. No blocking and please sew in pesky ends.
NorksAreMessy · 28/01/2017 21:22

Thanks both

MrsHathaway · 28/01/2017 21:38

Ffs BlushBlushBlush I knew gender came into it somewhere.

Lucienandjean · 28/01/2017 21:52

Vittyscardigan, 26 stitches. I'm a fairly loose knitter though.

Lucienandjean · 28/01/2017 21:55

Thewoolybackswife, I'm completely addicted to Dr Blake. At the moment I seem to spend most of my time watching the DVDs and knitting squares for Candys Hugs! I'm channelling Jean...

TheoriginalLEM · 28/01/2017 21:59

i also have some random colour wool non stylecraft. Are there any projexts that could use them?

PolterGoose · 28/01/2017 22:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheoriginalLEM · 28/01/2017 22:14

Thanks polter will take a look at that one:)