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Woolly hugs

Woolly Hugs is a charity established by a group of Mumsnet users. They knit / crochet handmade blankets and other items for families experiencing difficult times.

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

497 replies

KnottyAndPistey · 17/10/2017 17:05

Surely the best corner of the Mumsnet, all are welcome here and if seen this for the first time, join us, you'll be glad you did. 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.

A bit of background
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

Raising a glass or two to the fabulous Zombie, we go on together Gin

We have several previous threads now, have a look at the Woolly Hugs topic.

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.

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 dates are October 28th and then January 28th. 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.

We start this new thread having sent out 46 Candy's Hugs to wonderful women, extraordinary, thank you.

Thank you so much xx

Thanks
Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
OP posts:
Thread gallery
41
Okkitokkiunga · 08/11/2017 22:12

I'm trying to do no 47 (Queen Anne's Lace) and am tearing my hair out. I've frogged more than I've completed. Keep getting the stitch count wrong on round 6 somehow. Aaaggghh

bookbook · 09/11/2017 08:40

What a great idea Okki :) .
I too love the Jan Eaton book.
Well, no Candy's done recently as I decided to do some hats , and finishing off a Little Hug, and knitting a scarf for another charity appeal....
But, will be starting again tonight , though half my time is looking at patterns!

SpiralArchitect · 09/11/2017 11:00

Brilliant, Okki Smile
(I put my Jan Eaton book next to me on the sofa and stick my phone on one side and the tv remote on the other to keep it open!)

DD has spent her two week half term making a nice pile of Candy's squares while I worked on her Sophie's Universe blanket for her newly decorated room. She still hasn't progressed past the granny square but she's getting plenty done!

FIL's funeral was last week. Still no official cause of death despite him dying in hospital, so we're waiting for histology and toxicology reports to go to the coroner Sad

bookbook · 09/11/2017 21:24

Evening
hope everyone is well
I tend to have my pattern /book on the arm of my chair, trying to escape off the side, or it is on the computer on my lap - not ideal!
Spiral - how dreadful for you all, it leaves you in limbo, so very hard to grieve properly I suspect Flowers
My blanket went off, and arrived , nearly finished the little hug, so sat and did a little 6" for Candy's tonight in plum, lavender and pomegranate

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
NormansNipple · 10/11/2017 13:07

book I saw your blanket on FB it looks fab! Smile I accidentally felted a wool jumper once, it made a nice cushion. Have you seen the felted bracelets with sari material in the Christmas craft sale? They're very pretty.

Okki I love that book too. I can't do the corner to corner ones. They always end up in a too narrow triangle shape.

Flowers Spiral I hope you get some answers soon. How is the Sophie's Universe blanket going? I love them but haven't been brave enough to try one yet.

I'm busy making Christmas gifts at the moment. Then I'll be moving on to Chernobyl. I have lots of ideas for full blankets I want to try out Grin

SpiralArchitect · 10/11/2017 15:41

book Thank you - limbo really sums it up. We might not even know anything until after Christmas... Sad

Norman I am on round 53. I am a fairly slow hooker but it's going well, and it isn't as complicated as it looks, honest!

I have finally got round to doing my squares for the blanket for CTK's family - hopefully I can get those finished this weekend.

Okkitokkiunga · 12/11/2017 20:13

Back on Candy's .... feeling colourful Smile

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
WitchDancer · 13/11/2017 08:00

Blimey Ottiko, you're on a roll! Reminds me a little of the squares that drank gin and were trying to corrupt other squares 😂

bookbook · 13/11/2017 08:51

Morning !
wow Okki - you have been going some :)
I have been diverted to hat making - I started with some for refugees with some lovely stuff I picked up in a charity shop ( ends of those fabulous yarn cakes that are all the rage now ) , then saw the urgent appeal on Saturday. So really chugging along with more hats. I was gifted a big bag of wool from someone I have known for years - she can't knit anymore , so has started sorting her wool stash and asked if I could use it. DD has taken most of the variegated wool to make scarves for her schools refugee appeal- I am sorting the rest out into some sort of order for making hats and refugee squares. So for the next 10 days its hats Grin On the plus side, having made a few now, I don't need the pattern!

AllGoodDogs · 14/11/2017 22:31

Have PM'd you knotty - would love to get involved Flowers

WitchDancer · 15/11/2017 08:00

Welcome AllGood! Are you a hooker or a knitter?

AllGoodDogs · 15/11/2017 08:04

Both!! Crochet more recently - it's so much quicker than knitting!!

bookbook · 15/11/2017 09:39

hello and welcome AllGood :)
I knitted for years, but have converted to crotchet - it very addictive .....:)
I do still like to knit the squares for special blankets though - I can think through a design better in knitting

AllGoodDogs · 15/11/2017 09:47

Yes bookbook I'm pretty basic at both but you can certainly get the detail better in knitting.

MadisonAvenue · 16/11/2017 09:55

AllGood welcome to Woolly Hugs. I taught myself crochet almost a year ago when we needed a lot of squares quickly for the Chernobyl project. I haven't knitted since.

I really need to get working on some bright, colourful squares. I'm working on a blanket at the moment and it's shades of beige and grey; I desperately need some colour!

KnottyAndPistey · 17/11/2017 09:28

Morning all Brew

OP posts:
MadisonAvenue · 17/11/2017 11:46

Good morning K&P I think I'm on my third coffee now....or is it my fourth? BrewBrewBrew...Brew?
My dog has decided now that I set a precedent by taking him out for a walk at 6.30 one morning so now it's become a daily thing, and if I'm not up and getting ready at 6am he comes and lies on my head.
He isn't small.

Hope everyone is well!

bookbook · 17/11/2017 12:18

Morning K&P

I have been digging at my allotment, so now I can sit down this afternoon and crochet !!
I am dithering on more hats , a Billies blanket, refugee scarves , squares
arghhhhhh Grin

bookbook · 17/11/2017 12:37

Madison -no wonder at all the coffee!

bookbook · 17/11/2017 20:38

I plumped for squares :)
and finished a set in plum, lavender and pomegranate.

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
WitchDancer · 17/11/2017 21:47

Whoop whoop! I've just mastered going in rows rather than in a round. I know you lot will feel my joy 😁

Zombie and Woolly Hugs. ALL very welcome to join us, come and find out about her legacy of Candy’s Hugs.
bookbook · 17/11/2017 22:06

Yay! you clever one! :)- Mine go in and out and in and out when I try in rows . I keep trying though .......

MadisonAvenue · 17/11/2017 22:07

I love the colours that you've both used!

book he's a very spoiled dog Wink

WitchDancer · 17/11/2017 22:12

I love the one in the bottom right of your picture Book - is it a Jan Eaton?

Thanks Madison. I am shockingly low on Candy Colours so my combinations may be a bit far out for my next few squares! I need to do about 6 over the weekend to fill my box for posting on Monday. 😁

bookbook · 17/11/2017 22:28

Witch - no it isn't - here it is. I had a few problems for some reason, and fudged it a bit , so stopped at 6" , but I will give it another go with other colours I think.
[[https://mamas2hands.com/2016/10/08/fans-lace-afghan-square/
Pattern Here]]