Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.

[KnottyAndPistey]

Desperately sad news, we are afraid, lovely Swashbuckled’s wonderful son Ted has died in a road traffic accident where he was a pedestrian. He was just 24, it is unspeakable sad, and we send much love to her and her daughter. There are no words really are there? It’s absolutely devastating. Lovely Swash is on a long running thread on Mumsnet and this request has come from lovely folk on there with her.

We are so glad Swash would like a Woolly Hug. For those new on here, this is a long standing tradition on Mumsnet where folk come together to make a blanket for one of our own who has been bereaved. We hope it may give whatever comfort it can. There will be love crafted into every stitch. We want it to be a tribute and full of memories.

So we are now asking for help once again. We shall need crafters and donors of funds and wool, can you help us? We’d be so grateful. Thank you so much.

Important crafting info
Squares to be six inches, using 4mm needles or hook. Please knot off VERY carefully when finishing or changing colour and sew your ends in, thank you! No blocking please, makes it much easier to join squares.
Simple or complex, made by beginner or expert, we genuinely welcome them all. It really is the love and thought that counts.

Ideas from lovely Swashbuckled, have copied some as quotes

Her son’s name is Ted and his friends gave him the nickname “Bear”.
Her daughter’s initials are HLF and Swashbuckled’s are SJF

“He lived with me, just the two of us.
We were extremely close and had an incredible bond.
He has always been so happy, cheerful, polite and loving. We always described him as “pure of heart” as his nature was so open and warm and he didn’t seem to have any of the complications that some of us struggle with.”

“His eyes were navy blue and he had dark brown hair. I think of him in those colours.”

“He was a chef. He led the team at work and the phrase he always used to motivate them on busy shifts was “In it together”. I think of him saying that phrase to me now, as we stick together through the rest of my life.”

“He has a small flat cap collection in his bedroom, which he has displayed with some football shirts.
He loved football and was loyal to his team (although they were in a lower league). His team play in red and white.
He enjoyed watching darts and had recently joined a local darts club. He bought a dart board for his room and experimented with different darts sets and was pleased with his progress.
He was saving up to buy his first house, and loved watching his savings build. He was good with money.

He loved news and politics.

He liked cooking at home too, where he could choose what to make, and experiment with different dishes.
He had just bought a new car, and only had it about three weeks. It was a black Mini Cooper countryman and he was so pleased with it, and proud of it. (It has just been taken back by the dealer, who was very kind.)
We lived together in a stone cottage by a small river. There is a little bridge from the lane that you walked over to the front of our house.”

We’d also love to have a bluestocking referenced square - really important. If you are unsure what this term means pls do a bit of research before undertaking.

So many ideas for themed squares, and we need simple squares too.

The Colours
Blues including navy
Silvers and greys
Taupes
Greens - nature inspired
Cream but only this one please Drops Merino Extra Fine - Off White (01)

Then to create the above ideas, so accents/ not whole squares
Dark browns
Black
Red, just this one please Drops Merino Extra Fine DK 11, Crimson red.

The Yarn we will be Using….
Debbie Bliss Rialto DK only available on Love Crafts
Drops Merino Extra Fine DK, currently on sale at Wool Warehouse
Katia Merino 100% DK
King Cole Luxury Merino DK
Yarnsmiths Merino DK Superwash - new to us and a BIG sale at Wool Warehouse. Loads of colours, looks exciting.

Just from the brands listed please because we know they combine for wash and wear. If you still have any of our wools that have been discontinued or have become less easy to find- Artesano Superwash Merino DK, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK, Jenny Watson Pure Merino DK, Patons Merino Extrafine DK or James C. Brett Pure Merino DK in your stash, please do use them.

Posting will be Teddington, please message if you need the address. If you'd like to include a card for her family , please send with your squares. And please don't forget to include your name!

Thank you lovely crafters, thinking of lovely Swash and her family, and all who love and miss Ted.

I've got some of those colours in my stash, will get started

My heart goes out to SwashBuckled and her family.
I would be honoured to make a square , and will attempt one with 'in it together" on it

Oh that’s a terrible thing to happen, my condolences to all of Ted’s family and friends.

It would be a privilege to do some squares - I’m happy to do some plain ones to offset those really special ones, but will need wool please.

Such desperately sad news.

I'd be honoured to contribute a few squares for Swashbuckled blanket.

Before I order some wool would someone please look at this label which comes from yarn I have in my stash. The yarn was used on a previous project but I can't see any mention of whether it's DK or not!

I want to check suitability before I start crocheting.

If it is DK then I have some suitable yarn balls ready to go.

Thank you.

Apparently my photos are "under review" so should appear shortly.

I’m often in The Bluestocking - under another name. I could do a plain blue square and appliqué a stocking stitch stocking with an initial T on it in another blue.

If others have a better idea I’m happy to step aside and just do some plain squares. I’ll need to order the yarn so not able to start straightaway anyway.

@Fairyfellowsmasterstroke ,

that looks right. Needle size suggests so 😊
use it. Thanks xx

That’s really sad :(

I’ve also found a knitting chart for a galleon. Stranded knitting is not my forte, but I’ll give it a go.

I am absolutely not a crafter but would happily donate some money or buy some wool if somebody can give me some details?

I will make some squares. I'm so sorry, Swashbuckled.

Thank you folks, really appreciate every offer, thank you!

I will do some squares…

This would be incredibly meaningful, thank you @bookbook

Will do - can you remind us where you'd like it sending please

I'd like to donate some money too. Please let me know how I can do this.

@ElizaBlack - perfect and even more meaningful if you are in her thread, so bless you - a big yes pls to the bluestocking, also the galleon. If there are others in the thread who may like to join us, point them over here, lovely @sdtgisanevilwolefgenius will be coming over soon.

Also if there are themes we don't have which you'd like to suggest, please do.

@CosmicMountain and @UpUpUpU - this is incredibly kind, thank you so so much. I will be back in the morning, but have a think if you are happy to send wool direct to a crafter or if you'd like to send us some money and we will do this bit for you.

Count me in - may I have some yarn, please, have PM’d you .
Aaaah, SwashBuckled, I’m so very sorry. Huge gentle hug coming your way , in memory of your precious son.xx

Obviously not in these circumstances,but good to see some familiar WH names here.

Also in The Bluestocking under another name. I'd like to help out if plain squares in these colours would help? I'm a new-ish knitter (only been knitting a few years on and off) and am absolutely crap at keeping track of rows to do patterns properly so I wouldn't want to ruin any squares. Can someone help me with how many stitches to cast on roughly to get a six-inch square with 4mm needles and DK wool? It never quite looks the size it ends up until I've done a few rows!
So sorry for your loss SwashBuckled. 💐

@bowednotbroken has posted a link to here, and @ifiwerenotanandroid will be over soon, from The Bluestocking, I think.

I'd like to do something for my lovely fellow Bluestockinger. Don't know what, yet. My ideas usually outstrip my talents, but it will be done with love.❤

Im unable to help in a practical knitting way, as I wouldn't even know where to start.

But as a regular in the Bluestocking I would like to contribute in some way, so if @KnottyAndPistey can let me know how to get some funds to the right place I'll bung some money in the pot.

(Trust me Swash you don't want me trying to do a square!)

@JaneWithTheUntidyHouse , tension varies with knitter and stitch pattern, but these have worked for me in the past:

Diagonal square
Cast on 3 stitches using cable method
S1 wyib, k1, yo, p1
Increase rows
S1wyib , K2, yo, k to last stitch, p1
When two sides measure 6” - 44 stitches on needle
2 rows straight.
Decrease rows
S1wyib, K2, yo, s1 K2tog psso, k to last stitch, purl 1.

Straight square with border
CO 31 stitches
(Start each row with s1wyib
End each row with p1)
4 rows of moss stitch
4 moss stitch border, stocking stitch centre to 5.5”
4 rows of moss stitch
Cast off in pattern

Plain square
Cast on 31 stitches
Stocking stitch for 50 rows
Cast off

Your single colour squares will be absolutely perfect. Id cast on 33, knit a few rows then measure. It's easier if a square is slightly under rather than over size as they stretch gently. Then knit away until it measures 6 inches.

Absolutely super squares