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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
ifIwerenotanandroid · 10/08/2025 18:53

That looks wonderful (love the little galleon!). Pour yourself a stiff drink after that.

KnottyAndPistey · 10/08/2025 19:08

I think you captured her beautifully @ifIwerenotanandroid

Oh yes. I have wine. That glass is the size of a bucket. 😃

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 19:09

I see Maud is taking a closer look at the stiching

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 10/08/2025 19:30

Ohhhh - you’ve even made a square like mine, @Boiledbeetle - you are so clever!

Igneococcus · 10/08/2025 19:50

Ooooh, I can see one of my squares, thank you so much Knottyandpistey for all your work, it looks awesome, and Maud of course. If Maud is fond of marzipan I think I have a stash of Marzipankartoffeln in the cupboard.

Boiledbeetle · 10/08/2025 20:13

Igneococcus · 10/08/2025 19:50

Ooooh, I can see one of my squares, thank you so much Knottyandpistey for all your work, it looks awesome, and Maud of course. If Maud is fond of marzipan I think I have a stash of Marzipankartoffeln in the cupboard.

Maud gleefully accepts your kind offer.

Poor @KnottyAndPistey is going to be up all night listening to Maud, high on sugar, singing cherry ripe all night (it's got in her head and she's been singing it for an hour already, but she only knows a bit of it)

Cherry ripe, cherry ripe,

Ripe I cry,
Full and fair ones
Come and buy.
Cherry ripe, cherry ripe,
Ripe I cry,
Full and fair ones

Come and buy!

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Igneococcus · 10/08/2025 20:18

That was a fast delivery, she looks so happy.

Swashbuckled · 10/08/2025 21:33

These are absolutely amazing! And so beautiful. It looks even more beautiful when they are joined together.

❤️💙❤️

ElizaBlack · 10/08/2025 23:33

Igneococcus · 10/08/2025 19:50

Ooooh, I can see one of my squares, thank you so much Knottyandpistey for all your work, it looks awesome, and Maud of course. If Maud is fond of marzipan I think I have a stash of Marzipankartoffeln in the cupboard.

It's been (ahem) several decades since my O level, but isn't Kartoffeln the German for potatoes?

ElizaBlack · 10/08/2025 23:36

Beautiful joining work, @KnottyAndPistey . It's lovely seeing the squares coming together.
Well done to the Woolly crafters for getting such creativity into a 6" square.

MyrtleLion · 11/08/2025 00:16

I can see one of mine. It’s a beautiful blanket. Thank you for all the arranging and stitching together.

AlexandraLeaving · 11/08/2025 05:40

I wish it had not been necessary, obviously, but this has been one of the loveliest projects I have ever been involved in. So much skill, so much creativity and so much love From so many people. And so much diversity of colour, stitch and style, despite all following a single brief. @KnottyAndPistey you and Maud have done such a brilliant job in pulling and stitching it together. 👏

Igneococcus · 11/08/2025 07:42

ElizaBlack · 10/08/2025 23:33

It's been (ahem) several decades since my O level, but isn't Kartoffeln the German for potatoes?

Yes, it is. Marzipankartoffeln are little balls of marzipan rolled in cocoa, looking a bit like potatoes, little morsels of almondy deliciousness.

inkymoose · 11/08/2025 09:13

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!🙄

Dear Android, your Maud is perfect. She has little imperfections that make her the original Maud, and without the original Maud where would we be? AI is good but it's not that good ❤️Wine

inkymoose · 11/08/2025 09:19

It's thrilling to see the blanket being stitched together so lovingly by @KnottyAndPistey. I can see comfort and love in every stitch. I imagine Bear's presence somehow knitted and crocheted into the blanket through and because of the unbearable loss of his absence, memories of Bear, thoughts of Swashy and Dr Swash all being brought into this woolly creation.

KnottyAndPistey · 11/08/2025 16:56

Not so much time today but verticals show what I mean re framing with this crochet join

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
OP posts:
AlexandraLeaving · 11/08/2025 20:11

inkymoose · 11/08/2025 09:13

Dear Android, your Maud is perfect. She has little imperfections that make her the original Maud, and without the original Maud where would we be? AI is good but it's not that good ❤️Wine

This is very true. As the great Leonard Cohen reminds us: “there is a crack in everything - it’s how the light gets in”.

Boiledbeetle · 11/08/2025 21:57

I see Maud has come down from her sugar high.

Luckily @KnottyAndPistey is bringing sweet stuff to replenish her levels.

I hope Maud doesn't get crumbs on the blanket.

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
inkymoose · 11/08/2025 22:02

Boiledbeetle · 11/08/2025 21:57

I see Maud has come down from her sugar high.

Luckily @KnottyAndPistey is bringing sweet stuff to replenish her levels.

I hope Maud doesn't get crumbs on the blanket.

Oh Maud! Remember that gerbil Love Island is only a TV programme and not real ...

KnottyAndPistey · 12/08/2025 08:30

I tell you something. Those marzipan
potatoes gave her such a sugar high, Maud was ricocheting.

OP posts:
Boiledbeetle · 12/08/2025 09:03

KnottyAndPistey · 12/08/2025 08:30

I tell you something. Those marzipan
potatoes gave her such a sugar high, Maud was ricocheting.

Bless her, she obvioulsy doesn't know when to stop when it comes to marzipan!

I see she is making herself useful though this morning.

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
Magpiecomplex · 12/08/2025 12:49

I have a lot of sympathy for Maud. Marzipan is my secret weakness too.

KnottyAndPistey · 12/08/2025 16:17

Had to fight hard to convince Maud that this Tunnocks is not real. Bless her. Caught her trying to unwrap it!

This is now attached. Hopefully that’s the end of it. 😃

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
OP posts:
Boiledbeetle · 12/08/2025 17:04

KnottyAndPistey · 12/08/2025 16:17

Had to fight hard to convince Maud that this Tunnocks is not real. Bless her. Caught her trying to unwrap it!

This is now attached. Hopefully that’s the end of it. 😃

Erm... she's trying to remove it whilst you aren't looking.

Woolly Hugs. Desperately sad news we are afraid. Making a Blanket for lovely Swashbuckled whose son has tragically died.
ifIwerenotanandroid · 12/08/2025 18:16

Its OK, I've distracted her with some real teacakes - should keep her busy for a while.

... Oh dear. Maudie, really!

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.
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