Zombie and Woolly Hugs. OVER HERE!! Come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs, newcomers and old hands, all very welcome

[KnottyAndPistey]

Welcome to the most beautiful corner of Mumsnet, here the love and support is boundless, these are the folk you need to be around, come and join us, you'll not regret it :) Our inspiration comes from the wonderful Zombie, a true legend who continues to inspire us.

We knew her time left with us was short, but the news of Zombie’s death on January 30th was still a 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

So many blankets with beautiful women going through treatment now because of your love and support. Thank you doesn't even come close. xx

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, maybe a bit unsure, 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 to give hugs and comfort 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

That's good news Crafty

Raptor that square is beautiful!

That is amazing Raptor, something for us all to be inspired by!

Wow raptor!

I need to measure my 3 squares. I think they are close enough to 6 inches. Still just practicing stitches, tension and squares with texture. Not tried multicolour squares yet.

So my oh surprised me for my birthday. The main present was something else, but he told me he got me a little something extra.... He bought me a book on Afghan stitches, some cute cat stitchmarkers and a set of Afghan crochet hooks.

Glad things went well crafty

That was lovely of your DH Hep!

Raptor - lovely square.
Hep - nice extras there from DH - he has obviously been taking note :)
Hope to be back onto Candy's this weekend, I have just about caught up . I may do some 12" for a change as I have been inspired by the beauties on here

That's a stunner, Raptor. Is the pattern available?

Wow, Raptor, that's a fabulous square! I don't even know what a standing treble is!

I have new specs, varifocals. It is a bit weird, and I am having to change my sitting position a little in order to see what I'm doing crochet-wise. It's all a little strange. I managed another square last night, with lots of popcorns, purple and pink. I am trying to finish off wool atm, so everything will probably be for refugees - any wool, any colours, for them isn't it?

Hep how lovely of your dh, and happy birthday . What are afghan hooks? Do you have a pic?

Just seen afghan hooks on Amazon. Exciting world of possibilities opening up!

It's a video tutorial Spin here:

Its all in a nutshell

US terms but she has a very melodic voice...... very soothing She has quite a few nice squares on her channel.

Jux a standing treble is where you start a new colour with your yarn already on your hook instead of starting with a chain 3. the idea is it just blends into the pattern seamlessly, as it's also easier to slip stitch into to make a round. (she does the first standing treble at 6 minutes in, although she calls it a standing double)

And Happy Birthday Hep lovely pressies!

Photo of birthday goodies attached! Afghan hooks are knitting needle length with a crochet hook at end.

Never tried it yet! OH surprised me and did good

Hep I think he's a keeper! Happy Birthday!

I've been wool shopping. I'm working on some Little Hugs so needed more wool for those. I'm totally in love with the Vintage Peach shade, it looks like it'll work in so many combinations.

Thanks for the link, Raptor. So many pretty things! I was trying to be more gender-neutral for Chernobyl, but I'm all for the pretty now!

Evening!
Jux - refugee just need any DK :)
Nice presents there Hep !
Well, have finished a 12" , and decided to do a bright mix , so.... its pomegranate/ sherbet / saffron/ violet /spice

That's really effective Book 😀

nook you have a real eye for coour. That's a great combination!

Cheep, please don't hide them, send them in and be proud. All squares are welcome, regardless if the level of difficulty used when making them. It's the love that counts

Cheep - don't be worried. I spent ages with some wool I had practising before starting these. I used some DK I had, and sent them in for the refugee project. Mine were a bit of a sight - all wonky, odd tension and not laying flat .
And as Witch said - you have made them with love ( and determination! )

Cheep, I sent in my first ever attempt at crochet (which had been unravelled and redone a bit along the way). It was something approximating a six inch square. I enclosed instructions to use it for anything for which it was useful, including as packing material.

If what was needed were perfect squares, we could all save our efforts and get a machine to do it. The point of this whole thing isn't the perfection (or otherwise) of the end product - it's the time, effort and live which has gone into it.

There's nothing that I can see that's wrong with that Cheep. Just do a bit more around the edge and it will be ok. Bite the bullets, put your big girl pants on, take the bull by the horns and just send them in!

Cheep you're being much too hard on yourself! I don't see anything wrong with that! Just do a few more rounds until it reaches the correct size

If what was needed were perfect squares, we could all save our efforts and get a machine to do it. The point of this whole thing isn't the perfection (or otherwise) of the end product - it's the time, effort and love which has gone into it.

This times a squillion.

It's like a handwritten card rather than an email. Or a characterful home made cake which tastes of actual vanilla and lemon rather than a completely symmetrical supermarket offering. Nothing wrong with the email or the madeira, but something very special about the card and the wonky cake.