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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.

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

1000 replies

KnottyAndPistey · 08/06/2025 14:44

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
385
lcakethereforeIam · 29/07/2025 00:41

Keep in touch ❤️.

KnottyAndPistey · 29/07/2025 10:33

I suspect that give it a week or so that Maud will want to come home to you. I’d still love her if that’s the case. ❤️

OP posts:
Yiayoula · 29/07/2025 10:49

Great news about the blankets, @KnottyAndPistey - thank you ! Hope you have a lovely time away.
Nice to hear the surplus squares will be put to good use also.
I’m thinking we would all benefit from a Maud in residence, she certainly merits the honour of a personal square! 🏆

inkymoose · 29/07/2025 19:46

I'm delighted by the blankets' progress. Thank you for keeping us all in the loop! Feels marvellous to be making TWO beautiful blankets ❤❤Flowers

EdithStourton · 29/07/2025 22:32

Boiledbeetle · 28/07/2025 18:50

Gratin is now in the van with the rest of them after they spent half an hour searching for her. She finally turned up. She was pretending to be a cat toy.

She'd have regretted that if Tiddles had found her. Tiddles has been barked at by Colin the dachshund and is in a bad mood.

Swashbuckled · 30/07/2025 12:51

All the squares are so beautiful and so may deserve a special mention. But the bear in a cap! That is so “Bear” (my Bear). It’s beautiful.

❤️

KnottyAndPistey · 08/08/2025 11:06

Huge love Swash.

that bear is beyond adorable. Folk are so astonishingly clever

OP posts:
KnottyAndPistey · 08/08/2025 11:09

We worked at Camp Bestival which was enormous fun. But I came back needing antibiotics. I can’t remember the last time I had these and I wasn’t sure which was worse, the way they made me feel or the infection. But. They did the trick. All sorted. So I’m starting a few days later. But starting I am. Rows 1 & 2 here we go….

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
OP posts:
Myfridgeiscool · 08/08/2025 11:42

Hope you’re feeling OK @KnottyAndPistey
Two blankets worth is lovely news, as for the bears: 😍😍😍

Boiledbeetle · 08/08/2025 12:14

Luckily Maud is ensuring @KnottyAndPistey Is well looked after.

(Am I the only one who wants to know what she keeps in her bag as she hardly ever lets go of it!)

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
KnottyAndPistey · 08/08/2025 13:02

She keeps Battenberg in there. I’ve seen the crumbs. Maud is a fiend for marzipan.

OP posts:
Boiledbeetle · 08/08/2025 14:51

KnottyAndPistey · 08/08/2025 13:02

She keeps Battenberg in there. I’ve seen the crumbs. Maud is a fiend for marzipan.

I can't blame her. Battenberg is lush.

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
KnottyAndPistey · 08/08/2025 17:41

❤️❤️ Good start today. Squares are joined by putting right sides together, then double crochet along the top. It gives a beautiful frame to each square. All squares have behaved so far and the twelve inch ‘In It together’ square is in. A definite good start. 💪

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
OP posts:
FuzzyPuffling · 08/08/2025 18:29

Oooh, oooh there's me! (Or MagpieComplex) One of us, anyway!
Beautiful work, K&P

KnottyAndPistey · 09/08/2025 15:38

❤️❤️

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
OP posts:
ifIwerenotanandroid · 10/08/2025 13:23

Mind Ted's ear! 😁

Your stitching is so neat.😍

ifIwerenotanandroid · 10/08/2025 13:35

Lacking @Boiledbeetle 's fierce grip on the AI, these are the best I could do. Maud has changed into summerwear in anticipation of the heatwave (in some pictures, she was completely naked 😱, something nobody needs to see).

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
FuzzyPuffling · 10/08/2025 14:45

Aw Maud, looking like that, you should be making an appearance ( or several) in Style & Beauty.

ifIwerenotanandroid · 10/08/2025 14:59

FuzzyPuffling · 10/08/2025 14:45

Aw Maud, looking like that, you should be making an appearance ( or several) in Style & Beauty.

She is, but on gerbilsnet. She's quite the influencer over there.

beetr00 · 10/08/2025 15:20

ifIwerenotanandroid · 10/08/2025 14:59

She is, but on gerbilsnet. She's quite the influencer over there.

🤣 😍

KnottyAndPistey · 10/08/2025 15:45

We did this one together. Maud doesn’t have opposable thumbs, so crochet was out. So she helped by watching. Bless.

(I do firmly believe some entrepreneur should run with this. Crochet hooks for gerbils. Whole market out there.)

Still. Yay for Maud!

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
OP posts:
Boiledbeetle · 10/08/2025 18:40

KnottyAndPistey · 10/08/2025 15:45

We did this one together. Maud doesn’t have opposable thumbs, so crochet was out. So she helped by watching. Bless.

(I do firmly believe some entrepreneur should run with this. Crochet hooks for gerbils. Whole market out there.)

Still. Yay for Maud!

Edited

She's learning so much at yours! She's really enjoying herself.

And doesn't she look nice in the new dress Android got her!

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Boiledbeetle · 10/08/2025 18:41

ifIwerenotanandroid · 10/08/2025 14:59

She is, but on gerbilsnet. She's quite the influencer over there.

Isn't she just!

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
ifIwerenotanandroid · 10/08/2025 18:48

I give up. The AI's made a much better job of the Maud square than I did. So that's what her face should've looked like!🙄

KnottyAndPistey · 10/08/2025 18:49

So all horizontals done on Swashy’s blanket. Good progress. It means it’s all in one piece. I’ve put the teddies safely away until it’s done. I can’t risk them escaping!

It currently looks like this…

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