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

[KnottyAndPistey]

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

I can weild a shovel and a bucket. It's the finer things I struggle with.

Exit at my Bitch n Stitch group we have a lady with v bad arthritis, she can't crochet as its too fine a movement, but can knit.
I think she holds the needles differently, ill have an ask next time i go :)

My knitting was pants when I was a wee lass. So probably not improved now. But my mum and my aunt where prolific knitters and I do feel I should try.

Exit a chunky handle on your hook might help? Something that you could improvise?

Waves Amateur crocheter reporting for duty. I'm usually a freestyler but sure I can turn my hand to squares. Are there any yarn donators I could be matched up with?

Another mature lurker here (63), knitter age 50, crochet age 12 months-ish.
I crochet 'knitwise' as my very clever crocheting bf says - I can't hold/thread the yarn conventionally because of painful fingers.
I need to hunt through enormous Stylecraft stash for correct colours and get going.
I also have a dozen or so crocheted squares that never morphed into a blanket (turquoise/grey), would they be of any use to Woolly Hugs?

My arthritic hooker friend had some very superior ergonomic hooks for Christmas. Most of the movement is in the wrist.

exit I have me/cfs and struggle with fine motor skills but find crochet much easier than knitting as you only need to hold one hook rather than two needles and thread. As you only have one stitch (mostly) on the hook it's not too heavy either.

Here are my sunny offerings from today.
Very therapeutic on a dank day :o

Ooooh show off

They are fab.

Right. I shall look into crocheting.

46 years young here and been knitting for 2 years but only just progressed from garter stitch And I hve only knitted for wooly hugs and just progressed to a jumper which has gone horribly wrong so starting again

Evening
had a pit stop, DH just about to bring - almost ready to get clicking.
Hi tatyr - you can pm K&P they will match you up with a donor, or send some through to you :)
P1nkP0ppy - that's how I crotchet ! :) ( taught myself, and could never get the hang of holding the yarn in the left hand).
I have been making squares ( and hats/mittens ) for the woolly hugs refugees - I have been using up bits , and they were happy to accept any squares made with acrylic ( I made hats/mittens with the wool mixes I had). Its there on another thread <a class="break-all" href="//,www.mumsnet.com/Talk/woolly_hugs/2565173-Woolly-Hugs-Our-Project-to-help-refugees-continues-One-square-one-blanket-a-pair-of-gloves-one-warm-hat-one-step-at-a-time-really-every-little-thing-will-help-All-support-welcome?msgid=65519540" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> HERE just pop on and ask :)
How's the lurgy MrsH? - hope you are feeling better
they are lovely Hey

My lacemaking age is about 25 (with a long break - took it up again a few years ago). My knitting age is 1 (I knitted DDs Christmas stocking last year, and that's all I've ever done) and I've never tried crochet. I also sew (machine, embroidery, cross stitch) though it's mostly the useful machine stuff and cross stitch (more portable than lace) that I have time for these days.

I have finished square one. I got a bit mixed up with stitches (haven't crocheted in a while) and it's sort of a cross between double & treble stitch. Probably 'trouble' stitch.

I can't do fancy patterns or lace type ones I'm afraid. Are good old fashioned plain squares ok? I can do half & half, stripes etc. Just nothing showy.

I don't want to let the side down with rubbish.

I'm 40 and have been crocheting for almost exactly one year. MIL (patiently) tried to teach me but I couldn't get the hang of it. Got an introductory book last year, and have learnt between that and online blogs and tutorials. Have today finished my third blanket (love Attic24 patterns) so now have a few more colours to play with. Am attempting a granny square pattern (posted by someone on the last thread, sorry I can't remember who) and am (happily) surprised by how quickly it's growing.

exithave a look into ergonomic handles rather than metal or bamboo - I use the pony ones but I think clover are a pricier brand that are often recommended.

Hope you can make it work for you.

I'm early 40's and have knitted on and off since I was about 8. Got into crochet after a bit ill a few hours ago. Made a hat and then jumped straight in with one of Attic's ripple blankets :o

HeyMacWey - those squares are lovely.

I particularly like the top one with the yellow starburst. Do you have a pattern you can share??

Not much of an update, I'm afraid...you lot have distracted me so much that it's taken me all day to do two rounds!

The Zombie is now 20" big!

Thanks fairy.

It's a Bella Coco YouTube tutorial.

I added a round of trebles and half trebles to make it 6".

Exit - I switched to ergonomic crochet hooks when I had tennis elbow and hate normal ones now. My favourite are the Pony ones, widely available. I also tried the Addi swing hook but didn't get on as well with that one.

Wow pop that's stunning.

What size are you aiming for?

This weekend's offering -i am not very good at combining colours.

I tried to teach dd2 today but she hasn't quite mastered it.

Much better, thanks, book. 24 hours of feeling like death with a general cold for a day or two either side - DH is four or five days ahead so it's easy to track.

I was feverish last night though - sweating like we were in the jungle. I still can't be touched: feels like my skin is made of tiny needles.

Now need to make up for lost time. Found another bright red square (presumably claret; previous was lipstick).

HeyMacWey - thank you. I'll start one of those tomorrow.

Ironically it was via Bella Coco tutorials that I first learnt to crochet 2 years ago. I love her way of explaining things, she really makes each project so easy.

I would start another square tonight but Endeavour is about to start on ITV and I can't focus on a TV program and crochet competently at the same time!!!

That's a talent I've yet to master!!

Pop that is so lovely @IamtheZombie look over here we have a new thread and there is a stunning blanket being crocheted in your honour.

I've sorted my photo problem out now (hopefully) So, herr are my contributions.
My 2nd and 3rd ever c2c 6" squares. You my notice one isn't quite 6" but it will stretch up.
A dahlia square and my tricolour 12" c2c, which (at Pops insistence) is saffron/ turquoise/ spice.
I'm 46, btw, chronologically and about 4-5 crochetologically. I started when I went to a class with MIL as she wanted someone to hold her hand. She never got into it, whereas I did.

Argh! Still no bloody photo. I will get this sorted, maybe.