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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:
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162
RedGrapeCornSnake · 01/02/2017 11:56

PM received thank you Knotty.
This is my mornings work. The colours aren't on the list so it's just a practise square but the art of granny squares have come back without too much unpicking and redoing

(Never added a photo before so fingers are crossed it'll work!)

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Our second thread! Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, all very welcome.
PicardsCombOver · 01/02/2017 13:20

RedGrape that's lovely! I'm Welsh though and reminds me of daffodils hehe.
Chipping preference wise I was going to suggest crochet hooks with grips, like a chunky fork handle but that's more to do with a painful condition in my everywhere hands so makes it easier to hold.

SpiralArchitect · 01/02/2017 16:19

If anyone is interested, Wise Badger have Stylecraft at £1.59 for one week only, with the code: SPECIAL

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 18:06

Evening all!

Just a quick update on The Zombie...complete with usual crap photo!

It measures about 28", so it looks like it'll be about 50" by the time it's finished. A big border, and I'm sorted!

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Our second thread! Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, all very welcome.
MrsHathaway · 01/02/2017 18:09

My gob is thoroughly smacked. Exquisite!

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 18:22

I need to make a trip to London on the train next Thursday, and I'll be taking him and a few episodes of PCBH on youtube with me. Wouldn't it be funny if one of you guys spotted The Zombie while I was out and about and recognized him? 😁

MalcolmTuckersOmniShambles · 01/02/2017 18:30

Pop, that is amazing! How long has it taken so far?

I'm a knitter, but while I wait for my yarn to arrive, I thought I'd teach myself how to crochet.

Blooming heck, it's difficult! I'm just doing double stitch having spent an hour or so doing chain stitch, then unravelling, doing it again etc just to get used to it. I daren't look further on in the book!

So I am well and truly in awe of your talent.

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 18:38

Malcom I started it about 3.5 weeks ago (I think), but I've spent at least half of that time high on morphine and unable to do anything productive! So this is maybe about ten days of hardcore crochet. Or three-and-a-bit seasons of PLL (which I save for when I'm crocheting).

FrenchDucksSayCoinCoin · 01/02/2017 18:39

Hobby that's lovely! My twelve inch square happened for exactly the same reason!

Pop that is stunning!

I am going to a crochet workshop on Saturday, it's to learn hearts and flowers rather than squares, but I figure any bit of learning can't hurt...
www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/library/events/eventdetail?id=333505.

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 18:43

Can I ask, doesn anyone bother with using a needle to work in the ends? I just crochet over mine, and I've never had a problem.

TheoriginalLEM · 01/02/2017 20:00

Pop that is fucking awesome, I can't stop looking at it! The colours are amazing and all fit together so well. I absolutely love love love it!

RedGrapeCornSnake · 01/02/2017 20:32

Pop! That's bloody incredible! It's taken me all day to do 2 6 inch granny squares! And also to have a go at teaching my left handed uncoordinated 12yr old to crochet - she's keen but crocheted the first 6 chain stitches so damn tight I couldn't see any gaps, then went so far in the other direction that her crochet was nothing but holes! She'll get there

Spindelina · 01/02/2017 20:38

It looks completely stunning, Pop.

I'm about two thirds of the way through my first ever crochet square - though "square" is probably being a bit generous.

AHobbyaweek · 01/02/2017 20:44

That's amazing pop!!!
I have finished another square (ish).
The pattern looked so pretty but the result is just wonky.

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. Our second thread! Come and find out about Candy's Hugs, all very welcome.
PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 20:55

Ahobby I LOVE your waves!

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 20:59

Sorry...posted too soon. I think it looks mint- but if you're conscious of the slight uneven-ness (is that even a word?) I'd just make sure I was crocheting into the same part of the stitch below? You should see some of my attempts sometimes...many a time I've ended up nearly in tears and swearing that I'll never crochet again...

FrenchDucksSayCoinCoin · 01/02/2017 21:00

Miss! Miss K&P! Hobby used the W word!

It's a lovely pattern Hobby, love the colours you chose too. I am working on a yellow and red number.

Is it bad that I want to buy more colours before I know what I'm doing?!

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 21:19

French it is NEVER a bad thing to buy more yarn. Ever.

AHobbyaweek · 01/02/2017 21:23

I think that's it pop I am struggling with the whole "chain two and then stitch in the same hole" which one?!? And then if I do it differently each time (which I do) then it goes wobbly skewif

AHobbyaweek · 01/02/2017 21:24

I normally cross stitch in my evenings and that has nice even holes!

PicardsCombOver · 01/02/2017 21:30

SpiralArchitect - you absolute git! I've just bought another five balls grr.
POP that is one amazing piece of work :o

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 21:43

"Chain two and stitch in the same whole" malarky...ok...I am REALLY not a good teacher, but I'll give it a go. Someone with actual brains instead of mush, please feel free to explain this better...

After chaining the two, pull the chain up a bit, so the row below sort of "lifts". The stitch you are aiming for should be the one which lifts the most I'll try to post a pic...

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 21:52

Excuse the bitten nails!

See when I pull the chain 2 a little, the "right" stitch lifts up and makes a hole?

PopGoesTheFuckingWeasel · 01/02/2017 21:55

Oh and Redgrape I'm a leftie, but I crochet right handed! So it may not be impossible for her to learn right handed

tapdancingmum · 01/02/2017 21:57

Am waiting for my wool to arrive and will start as soon as it does. I only taught myself to knit (again) the other night so the square might not be the best against some of the others but it will be made with love. The only thing I may need help with is an explanation of how to sew the ends in Smile and I hope it will be good enough to grace a blanket somewhere.