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

Clearly not enough gin

We need to send you 9 more squares!

I'm so sorry, they must have fallen out

Should be 8 by 10

sorry xxxx

phew that will solve it, thank you

And please, no apologies needed, I don't know how you two do it!! So many squares for so many projects, my brain implodes just trying to imagine it.

Do you need my address again or do you still have it?

Thanks for posting about the Manchester Hugs - it's completely missed that as I don't check Facebook too often, but I'll get going on a square now. Great to think there's something I can do, even if it's just a couple of squares.

Was there a last posting date or just asap?

@diamantegal

Last posting Wednesday 7th June, or before if possible

Manchester Hugs in sage, duck egg and storm ready for despatch, together with some diverted from my Candy stash whose colours are in the "love and light" list.
With love in every stitch xxx

Hi Cheep. If it helps, I'm useless and knit utterly plain squares which take me ages. These Woolly Types have been very kind about the ones I have sent off. No-one, at least to my knowledge, has shouted, 'WTF IS THIS SHIT?!?!?!' and thrown them in the wheelie bin.

I am currently wrestling with my first ever 12" square for Manchester. It seems a Herculean task but I am buoyed up by the thought it might, in a tiny, tiny, tiny way, do some good in the world and also that when I send it off no-one is going to blow their nose on it or sit around roaring with laughter at it.

Just dive in.

See? That's what happens when you have a gin too many and think you're reading the last page of the thread when you're actually reading the first!

I'll go quiet again now.

Morning loves! x

Beautifules Yiayoula

Gah!!!!

Need more caffeine!!!!!!!

BEOOOOOOOOOOOTIFULLLLLLLL :) x

Everyone seen the latest Chernob pic? From the Isle of Wight group, one of our extra groups this year, it is adorable! xxx

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/woolly_hugs/2919211-Its-the-final-countdown-Welcome-to-the-final-stage-of-the-Chernobyl-project-2017?

LOL, K & P , thought you were channelling my West Country accent there !
Beautiful, beautiful Chernobyl pictures

I've just finished reading the Final Countdown thread and am in tears! So many wonderful people making so many blankets for those lovely children. It's very, very moving.

And K&P's description at 09:22 yesterday, towards the end, is brilliant

it was Jux - agree!
posting on the Little Hugs thread as thats where the Manchester squares are asked for :)

Whats the next date for Candy squares please, I sent some off Saturday, and am wondering when the collection date is. I am trying to do more Manchester squares by 7th June.

claire - 3rd June, then next one is 15th July :)

Thanks bookbook

will get mine in the post today. Hope not too late.

Morning lovelies

All dates for all projects are on the web home page

www.woollyhugs.org

Hopefully, if we manage to keep it up to date

5 squares posted for Candy's hugs.
A bit embarrassed that i didn't manage more, but I will continue !
I will be distracted for the next week or so on a blanket for my soon-to-be-new-niece, but I have really enjoyed experimenting with these squares.

Cheep curly edges aren't a problem. Once the squares get hooked together, they start behaving.

If I'm not sure whether a square can be made square (or the right size), I pin it to the carpet (just put a pin in vertically through the carpet and underlay) in each corner, stretching it to 6" (or 12"). Then put a few pins down each side. If this is all relatively easy, then you're good to go. If you are really having to yank it to stretch it out, then it could do with a few more rows. Then very carefully make sure you've taken all the pins out of the carpet!