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

[KnottyAndPistey]

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

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.

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

We had chuggers at the door awhile back. I was out but DH told them all about Candy's Hugs and why it was a better, more deserving charity.

To pp (have lost you now) who is considering crocheting embellishments ... I find them even more forgiving because the size doesn't have to be accurate and they aren't square. Also super quick so good for my short attention span.

Welcome!

Any 4 mm hook will do - assuming you don't have arthritis or other relevant condition in your hands. Sometimes charity shops will have them very cheap. Cheap hooks aren't a false economy, or certainly not when you're learning. You might find it worth looking at the sets that have snippers/measures/stitch markers in them to make the postage seem worthwhile, mind you

Fab, thanks so much MrsHathaway!

I posted on the second thread, couldnt crochet but really wanted to take part. Anyway wool arrived a couple of days ago, I've spent the last 2 days with a friend who can crochet & managed my first square today, with a bit of rescuing in places very pleased with myself!

I just need to start one in Candy's colours.

Elorna - agree with MrsH - try the charity shops. But ask - a lot keep knitting needles and crotchet hooks out of sight - elf and safety or some such nonsense!

Oooh new thread!

Am really chuffed, have had a parcel of the most glorious wool from wool warehouse! Turquoise, sherbet and petrol, I am so excited, thank you thank you lovely person for the donation! So exciting to get squidgy parcels!

Unborn I like the moxy on your DH

I was wondering whether I could donate some yarn. I have such an enormous stash of style craft dk I feel I should give some back somewhere. I am already committed to several blankets so not sure I could do any squares myself at the moment but hope to soon.

Who would I need to send them to? I am going to go through my stash with the list to see what I have.

Reeta that's very generous.
Message Knotty and Pistey who own the thread.
Click on 'message poster' at the top right of the opening post x

Hi I love this idea I'm a beginner and I would like to help but I need to get wool and needles first

Lovely wool arrived today, magenta, boysenberry, and claret! And far more of it than in my first batch. This will keep me going for ages.

The colours go so well together as well.

Thanks Picards

I've only got one that went huge (see enclosed pic in response to your hint hint ). I think I'll take the last row off and then see from there.

I not so accidentally bought the 200 squares book and have decided to tick them off as I go (obviously starting with the beginner ones). One down, 199 to go

This is the flower I've just crocheted to go on my square.

Is it okay to just sew it on or do I have to do something special?

Ooh Raptor you haven't disappointed :D I love Granny squares, did you use claret wool? I've been debating getting this mythical 200 squares book that everyone here seems to have ...

Malcolm That's lovely!!! Did it take long? ... is there a tutorial for it please?

Hi everyone!

I am busy finishing some Chernobyl squares off - so many ends to sew in

I hadn't linked Zombie to Candy's Hugs before last week and spent a while reading through old threads. I've ordered more wool which should come on Monday and then i'm going to try some fancy squares for Candy's Hugs.

tina I got my wool from wool warehouse. It's already quite cheap and someone had a discount code which took another 10% off. I think it was SC83 but hopefully someone can confirm.

Picard I have the 200 squares by Jan Eaton - it's really good!

Thanks Marcipex. Will do.

So here is the finished article.

My first ever piece of crochet. It's something I've always wanted to learn. I tried a few years ago but couldn't get the hang of it past the initial chain! I'm so pleased I was able to do this in memory of Zombie, she inspired me to try and learn again and I shall think of her every time I make a square. What a legacy she has left!

Thank you to everyone who has helped and given advice.

Picard, the flower was really, really easy! I'll find a link to the tutorial for you.

I really shouldn't be allowed out! went to C&H with dd looking for tellow wool. Wnded up with amazing glittery purply variegated yarn apropo of nothing Am going to chrochet dd a scarf but its quite a delicate one. Any ideas for what would work?

Sorry, bit off topic! will crack on with my bobbly hug just now x

Malcom that is beautiful

Picard, here it is! I had lots of fun doing it and it only took about an hour (I'm sure it won't take as long once I've had more practice).

Only piece of advice I have after doing it is to make the foundation chain quite loose, because you are turning and stitching back into it. I thought I'd made it loose enough, but I really hadn't and so it was a bit tricky at the end when I was sewing it together as there wasn't hardly any give in the chain by that point.

I didn't know we'd lost our Zombie :(

Thank you, LEM. Honestly it's proof that if I can do it, anyone can (especially after my earliest attempts)! I've enjoyed doing it so much and can't wait to get started on my next one tomorrow.

You could say I'm hooked...