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

Candy squares again for me, in particular the Willow pattern in lipstick. It's one of my favourite patterns and lipstick always makes me think of Zombie.

We've had bad news today - FIL has cancer and has been given 4 weeks. We're reeling from it all and going from practicalities to tears. We'll get through it all somehow, but it makes me realise how important Woolly Hugs is - it makes you know that there are people out there that care and have made something so beautiful.

Oh Witch -that is horrid That is no time at all to come to any acceptance of the news.
I am just in the middle of a Little Hug with some wool donated by an acquaintance who knew I did these, then I am back on the Candy's and Kinships .

Thanks Book. One day at a time eh

Witch I'm so sorry to hear about your FiL

I've not done squares for this project yet and have been sorting some wool to take on hols with me so I can. It has also become personal for me as well. My DFather was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and we found out on Friday it's Stage IV in his liver. My folks also live 6000 miles away which isn't great either. Bastarding Cancer!!!!

I'm sorry to hear you're going through it too Okkito. Bastard cancer

Oh no Okki -

Okki

Witch

Bastard cancer indeed. My lovely MIL had similar - two weeks from starting to have a sore throat to diagnosis, then six weeks later she was gone.

Oh Okki and Witch it's such dreadful news. My thoughts are with you both, and your families of course.

I'll get some more Candy colours to carry on with this. I have some squares to send this week anyway. Bloody awful that so many blankets are needed though. Bastard disease.

I've bought myself a new book, it's the Sarah Hazell 150 squares one. Some are duplicates of the Jan Eaton patterns but there are a lot of different ones too.

I'm so sorry, both of you. It's a bastard, indeed

for everyone in this awful position

My sister in law was diagnosed with cancer in December and died in early march - it was her diagnosis that prompted me to get involved

I've just posted off some candy hugs, and expect I will have a huge pile ready once posting resumes in September

Thanks all. for Spindalina and Costa and a hefty . Spindalina, I guess you'll be saving yours for a couple of weeks.

I have also volunteered for construction crew (eeeek). 4 months ago I couldn't even crochet 😂

Love and peace to posters here in any way affected by cancer - it's a bastard fucker. Keep on crocheting on (KOCO)

Okki you are even madder than me. I've got my first construction kit too, but I bought my crochet hook back in January .

Hugs for everyone xxxxx

Now we know we have a lovely crew who are on here and not FB, this eve we are going to be selling some fabric bags - perfect for squares and yarn, now not selling these here obvs, but come 7pm this eve, if you would like to be directed to how to buy one (£6 inc P&P) we can work out how! Just don't want the lovely crew on here missing out. xxxxx

I have purchased one. Both my wool boxes are overflowing full. A bag will squish somewhere

How do I edge a C2C square?

MrsH put a good tutorial up a while back, and I kept it -its now the one I use
storerboughtcreations.weebly.com/blog/how-to-put-a-border-on-a-c2c#comments
Okki and Spin - your courage on offering to make up a blanket puts me to shame ...

courage foolishness

Thanks book. Saw the squares you and flutterworc made on FB this morning. They are gorgeous - as is that little hug you made.

I'll let you know how well the construction goes 😂.

How is it going Spin?

I haven't really started yet - got one edge of a Billies blanket left to do.

But I've laid it out and decided where everything is going (was one square short, so I've included one I had to send this week) and my next job is to make up some of the smaller squares to be closer to 6/12".

How about you?

Thanks book. I was indeed rather bossy about c2c but I've since done two c2c baby blankets from scratch and oh that edging makes SUCH a difference to the finishing.

Having an oddly emotional day today so may bury myself in a Construction project.

Thank you Okki - ( did you know flutter is my DD? ) I loved doing the little hug - I bought the wool in the sale - cotton and silk mix, which feels lovely , so I wanted to do as good a job as I could - the pattern is beautiful shells - I got it from a link on here from I think Woolly .
Spin - how on earth are you managing to do that - when I was so near term, I could barely stand, or sit - more like a beached whale! I am in awe :)
MrsH - no need for thanks - I now use that all the time , so was really glad you put up the link .I'm the same as you - it makes all the difference in the finish. Hope you are okay , and today calms down for you.

Good genes, book. I've stayed mobile through no effort on my part - same happened with DD. I have been awake since 3:30 this morning, though

MrsH I hope construction has been soothing.

I town today, I found four 50g balls of Sirdar snuggly baby bamboo for £1.80 each (discontinued colours) that needed rescuing. I've hidden them a little bit.