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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.

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.

999 replies

KnottyAndPistey · 04/02/2017 11:26

We knew her time left with us was short, but the news of Zombie’s death on January 30th was still a sad shock, we send so much love to her family and her many, many friends who love and will miss her greatly, we hold our happy memories of her very dear. Bless her.

Just before Christmas, Zombie donated funds to Woolly Hugs and together we hatched a plan to develop an ongoing project with her, which she loved, 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.

So glad we could establish Candy's Hugs with her and thanks to you wonderful people achieve her ambition of seeing it all well underway before her death. Her legacy of Candy's Hugs will be one of love and strength, of friendship, learning and developing crafting skills, of creativity, of coming together to show compassion, support and give and receive comfort, Such a beautiful inspirational woman. How lucky we were to know her. X

Raising a glass or two to the fabulous Zombie, we go on together Wine

Anyone seeing this project for the first time, wondering about joining in, make this the day you do! This project is ongoing, and a friendlier more supportive bunch of folk you couldn’t wish to meet. 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.

Our previous threads are the first one here and the second one here..

[[https://www.facebook.com/pg/Woolly-Hugs-349028448480855/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1339798112737212
We are keeping a photo album on our Facebook page.]] All welcome to join us over there too. Thanks

Zombie was a bright and beautiful woman so we chose a palette to reflect this which we call Vibrant Riot; it is inspired too by a blanket that was made for her as she went through treatment. She had it with her at the end, we were so glad to know it still gave her love, big woolly hugs and comfort.

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 all on this thread 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 next collection date is March 11th, then April 22nd. 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. All welcome over there.

Thank you so much xx

Star Gin ThanksStar Gin ThanksStar Gin ThanksStar Gin ThanksStar Gin Thanks

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
OP posts:
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TheHatOfDoom · 09/02/2017 20:30

Resurrecting my much neglected MN account to ask this (have been lurking only for months)

Decided I wanted to make some plain (just garter probably) knit squares. So I cast on 33 stitches on the 4mm needles which based on the tension square size given on the ball band seemed to be the right number for 6 inches. And I started knitting. After about 10 rows I measured the width still on the needles and it seems to be coming out around 7.5 inches.

So does anyone have any suggestions for how many stitches to try? I'm this close to giving up and switching to crochet because I could measure a granny square as I went but I have beautiful new knitting needles I got for Christmas and I want to use them...

IAmNotAUserNumber · 09/02/2017 21:17

These are my knits, posted today. The lady in the PO forced them through the thin letter tester - just! *K+P if they come with excess postage please do let me know and I shall reimburse you Blush

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
MalcolmTuckersOmniShambles · 09/02/2017 21:43

It's finished! Finally!!!

Now I can move onto some pretty flowery squares.

Hat, I had the same problem with the square I just made (albeit I crocheted), started off at 6", grew to 7.5" so I then decided to take the plunge and make it 12". Not much advice here, as I'm a complete newbie (although have knitted in the past ages ago), but I would maybe do a sample square and see how it measures up? Perhaps try casting on 28 and see how you go? I also think knitting one row and then purling the next is a bit stretchier than garter stitch or it could be the other way round! Hopefully someone much wiser than I will be along shortly.

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
KnittingNell · 09/02/2017 22:27

HatOfDoom I'm a complete beginner (so you might not want to trust my advice!) but I've just cast on 30 stitches for a practice square and it has come out around 6 inches.

Bearfrills · 09/02/2017 22:36

No kitty love but my 2yo is fascinated with the wool and keeps hurling the balls across the room so they've had to be rewound umpteen times. I made some motifs - puff stitch flowers, butterflies and hearts - and my 5yo has pinched them all.

I'm going into hospital tomorrow to have my baby (squee!) so a two week break for postage suits me fine. I can do some more squares and then post them in a couple of weeks when I'm back on my feet.

PurpleFrog · 09/02/2017 22:36

Hat that is why you should always do a tension square and see how many stitches to the Inch YOU get. It is basic arithmetic:
6 / 7.5 x 33 = 26.4

So try either 26 or 27 stitches assuming you knit the next square with the same tension.

Iwantacampervan · 09/02/2017 22:45

I went to a 'Knit and Natter' in my village today for the first time. I took my wool to knit squares and, in between drinking tea and eating cake, I managed to finish another one. I may try crochet during the next fortnight - although one of the ladies there today is going to bring some of her wool for spinning next week and I might just have to have a go.

SaladDressing · 09/02/2017 22:52

I managed to lose you for a while but thought I'd share tonight's effort whilst shamelessly marking my place.

For those of you with the Jan Eaton book it's my first attempt at Number 95. Smile

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
TheWoollybacksWife · 09/02/2017 22:56

@Jux this is the thread with the list of colours on. Sorry - I'm on my phone and I can't link Blush

TheHatOfDoom · 09/02/2017 23:24

Thanks everyone. Will cast on 25 and try that - I suppose if it comes out too small I can always crochet a border on to make it big enough (assuming mixed knit/crochet squares are ok)

ChippingInLovesWoollyHugs · 10/02/2017 00:27

Hat. Are you using 4mm needles? I have a sneaky feeling you might be using SIZE 4 needles instead. Mixed squares would be fine. Some of the construction crew crochet around the smaller squares before joining them up. Stay & chat now that you've come out of Lurkdom! 😊

Amethyst. Looking at your picture I'd say 30 should be fine for you., but they're better a tad smaller than a tad larger, so you could probably go 28/29 maybe.

Salad. Welcome back 😁

Bear. I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow/today welcoming in the new Little Hugger!! I'll be thinking of you 💐

ProfAnnieT & KnittingNell*. Nice to have you join us 💐😊

ChippingInLovesWoollyHugs · 10/02/2017 00:31

Has anyone seen POP on Facebook?. I'm getting really worried about her, but I don't 'do' Facebook so I can't see if she's been on there at all 😕

MalcolmTuckersOmniShambles · 10/02/2017 06:30

Bear - best of luck for today!!! How massively exciting! Hope all goes well and you're up and about soon. Will be thinking of you! 👶🏻

TheoriginalLEM · 10/02/2017 06:49

@Popgoesthefuckingweasel I hope you are ok.

Could be she is busy constructin?

TheoriginalLEM · 10/02/2017 06:50

Bear i hope today is magical for you xx

MadisonAvenue · 10/02/2017 07:19

Bear How wonderful! Wishing you all the very best for today! We were doing a lot of reminiscing about babies last night as our oldest turned 20 yesterday. Those years have gone in the blink of an eye, so cherish every moment.

SevenTillFour · 10/02/2017 07:49

Good morning all Brew
ChippingIn - you lured me in! Not only do I now have every colour of wool for ZombieRiot, but I have bamboo needles. Will brandish them tonight and try not to take anyone's eye out with them (they are verrrry long).

Bear - best of luck for today!

VittysCardigan · 10/02/2017 07:57

Best of luck Bear x

I have a whole free day ahead of me, bliss. Crap tv & crochet beckon

bookbook · 10/02/2017 08:35

ooh - only been reading while away, but just wanting to wish Bear the best day :)

bookbook · 10/02/2017 08:49

just C& P this from old thread
Bella - my DD has been using the Bella Coco tutorials ( see the link? Grin ) and its fab - I decided to try while on holiday , as I am a knitter, and it's very good!

KnittingNell · 10/02/2017 09:26

Thanks for the welcome ChippingIn!

SaladDressing · 10/02/2017 09:33

Good luck Bear! xx

TheoriginalLEM · 10/02/2017 09:36

Hello knitting nell This thead should come with an addiction warning Brew

Am off sick with a right bugger of a cold so cyrled up on sofa with my dogs "supervisin" Bob is in charge of the axe today Blush It's all very "Hygge"

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
MrsHathaway · 10/02/2017 09:51

Good luck Bear!

AmethystRaven · 10/02/2017 10:00

Thanks Chipping I will give it a try. I was sure it was 6 inches until I had a bit more of it to measure! Never mind, that was a practise Smile

How exciting Bear I hope you are having lovely baby snuggles very soon (if not already, if so congratulations!) Flowers