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

ooh, and I sent all mine to Teddington Towers :)

book I forgot to say that the hedgehog is adorable! I'm surprised your grandson hasn't claimed him!

Hello Norm Teddington Towers is where I intend to send my squares too.

You are all very kind
if anyone wants to brave eyelash wool here is the pattern - good luck! I think I may try to knit with it now Not being expert, at crotchet I couldn't 'find' the top of the stitches to count properly !

www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heidi-hedgehog

Yes indeed, the hedgehog is super cute! He could be a WH mascot is he isn't big enough for the craft sale. He'd be a lovely mascot, and when WH form a team for "University Challenge - The Charities" he can sit on the desk inspiringly - whoops, there's my imagination running away!

Jux I love that idea as long as the questions aren't too hard

Whilst knee deep in peskies last night I took some photos of the little hugs done in the Candy Swirl yarn cakes we were talking about before the summer break, the orangey one (Fruit Salad) I made up with no joins so I could see where all the colour changes sat and the bluey one (Very Berry) I cut it and rejoined so the colours made up full rounds which has made it a couple of rounds smaller in the end. I think it was worth cutting it but that kind of makes the idea of the yarn cakes redundant

Oh no Witch I'm so sorry. Huge hugs from Knotty and me my love xxxx

Love the idea of University Challenge!

That little hoggie is so cute and would be perfect as a Christmas Hug!

We have had a number of requests for Candy's Hugs in the last day or so, hoping to be receiving so blankets back from Construction Crew

And squares from our summer of Woolly Love!

Just want to be able to help everyone

Thank you so much lovely people xxxxxx

Raptor they are absolutely gorgeous!

Raptor they are fabulous! I like them both!

Raptor - same as everyone else lovely and - I really like the very berry one :)
Thank you K&P - I will commence stuffing , and hope it looks something like !
I'm sure we could make a team for UC - surely ?
I will crack on with Candys now I have seen this - I have been doing Kinship and Manchester ones

Thanks book and Madison. That's good news, I can send them with my big little hug.

Jux I love University Challenge! I always impress people on the maths round. I will share my secret: If you can't follow the question the answer is usually 1

Raptor they are both lovely. After my initial infatuation with the yarn cakes they ended up stressing me out a little. I'm doing a little hug in the coconut ice one and the colour changes aren't as ordered as I'd like.

Parcel on it's way to you

Thank you everyone for you kind words. It's been a horrible few weeks - first my FIL, then my cat broke his leg and had to be put to sleep, and now my Aunt has been diagnosed with cancer of the liver. Thank goodness for crotchet to keep my mind soothed!

I blame it all on you Book - I was just a knitter before you talked me into trying crotchet and now I have 3 projects on the go and wool for another 10!

I love the blankets Raptor. I also love the hedgehog as a mascot

guilty as charged Witch -( I am as bad. My knitting needles are feeling unloved and abandoned !
So sorry that everything has been ganging up on you. But glad the crochet gives you a small oasis of calm .

Morning! Today is going to be a good day. No particular reason, but it will be.

I can't wait to finish the shawl I'm making so I can crack of with Candy Hugs

I have a big bag of candy squares ready to send, also Manchester and kinship squares, will get them off asap

Sorry to hear your troubles @Witch - hope today is a really good day

Morning lovely peeps

Hugs everyone

Beautiful treasure there Raptor

UC then - hmmmm, we'd need lots of this

Better get some practice in.

Here is your starter for ten. How many bottles of gin were consumed during the Chernobyl project 2017?

I've got squares to send by the way. Just a few Kinship with the bulk being for Candy's. I'm rounding it up to 50 Candy squares before I send; just starting number 48.

Madison - wow - I was slacking over summer! btw - DGS didn't see the hedgehog- (he was hidden away)- but he started school this week - goodness knows where that time has gone !
Right starter for 10 - my thinking is 1 bottle of at least per blanket , we made what was it - 102 blankets so add a few = 150 bottles by my reckoning
Follow up question 1 - how many clumps of hair are pulled out per tricky square ? :)

That's easy Book - just one, as you can only pull it out once!

Oh book is he enjoying school? Does that mean you're doing the school run on occasions?
Our oldest went back to university this week, he's moved out of halls and into a new flat, private student accommodation - with his girlfriend! They've got a (male) friend sharing too but he's not moved in yet so they've been playing house I think this week, they've bought extra furniture and soft furnishings lol. He sent me a video this afternoon to show me what they've done with the place since we were over dropping some boxes off on Monday night.

Witch I hope that today was a good day