Some of you will remember our Panda Picnic back in 2021, making bonding squares for the tiniest babies at the Rosie in Cambridge and for their PaNDR ( Paediatric and Neonatal Decision Support and Retrieval Service).

We are delighted to have been approached by another neonatal transport team, this time in the North West – Connect NW (www.connectnw.baby) who cover the 21 neonatal units of the NW Operational Delivery Network (NWNODN) – made up of Greater Manchester, Lancashire & S.Cumbria and Cheshire & Mersey Neonatal Networks.

They are consistently one of the busiest neonatal transport teams year on year carrying out in the region of 150+ transfers a month and an average of 2000 a year!

This fabulous team have heard of our work with the (equally fabulous) Cambridge team and would like something very similar. Their team ‘colour’ is purple so they are thinking along the lines of some purple themed bonding squares, and also some purple hearts for them to leave with mums when they transfer their babies. You can see how comforting that would be. Very special at a time of incredible anxiety.

What are bonding squares? 

Bonding Squares are knitted in matching pairs. One square is placed with a premature baby and another is worn against the mum’s skin, then the squares are swapped round every 12 hours or every time mum visits. They help with the bonding of a premature baby in an incubator and the baby’s mum. Also can help with breastfeeding in time.

We know that with your love and support we can do this very easily! Please read the crafting info carefully

Part One – Bonding Squares Crafting Info

Please read carefully as only items meeting the criteria will go on to the team!

• This is only a job for knitters, so hookers, now is the time to learn if you can’t knit yet! We’d like garter knit or moss stitch only squares as the stitches are perfect, dense yet with the necessary movement to them, ie not too stiff.
• Squares to be 6 inches NO BIGGER please.
• We are using Stylecraft Special DK – Proper Purple (1855) only so it ties in with their colour theme, and we know it will be consistent in wash and use.
• No intarsia, lacy bits, holes, embroidery, loops, flaps, or appliqués.
• Squares must be able to lie flat independently. No curling
• When finished or changing colour, ends must be incredibly tightly tied off leaving a 6 inch tail, use a needle to sew this in please.
• No blocking please.
• Pairs must match, when you send please tie in pairs with a bit of wool.
• Thank you so much for helping!

Posting will be Teddington. Deadline is June 1st for our first collection, after which we will reassess what is needed and the time frame!

Part Two – Hearts’ Crafting Info

We would like to collect crochet, knitted or stitched 3D hearts (so not single sided) these to be no bigger than 20cm MAX and to have a hanging loop. They need to be 3D, so with some padding please. Other than this the style is very much up to you. If using yarn, please go for Stylecraft Special Proper Purple DK as the purple. If using fabric, please go as close as possible to a Cadbury purple, to be similar. 

Each pair of squares and each heart is another family helped. Let’s try to help as many as possible? Huge thanks lovely Woollies, as always you totally rock

G&G

All info about this event and the Link to buy tickets is here!

On Sale from Feb 25 at 7:00 PM.

Venue  The Shoot Room, Park Lodge Shaggs East Lulworth BH20 5QP

Please do not post until we are back after our Summer break! Last posting please November 1st 2026.

This is a wonderful project we have worked on for the last couple of years.

Care Leavers Christmas Dinners were originally set up by the poet Lemn Sissay to help communities provide a Christmas Day for young care leavers (of foster and care homes) aged 18-25, who often spend the day alone.  It aims to be a magical day to be cherished and remembered by those who attend, with care leavers being able to gather together for food, pressies, company and fun on the 25th.. Please see the link which gives more detail regarding The Dinner: http://thechristmasdinners.org.uk/

One of their organisers, Katie coordinates knitters to gift hand knitted hats and scarves to include with the presents given to the care leavers. The Care Leavers project collected around 200 hand knitted and donated hat and scarf sets last year to gift to care leavers in Leeds and Bradford and two Christmas Dinner groups in London.

The aim this year is to gift hat and scarf sets to as many Christmas Dinner groups across the UK as possible.

Here is where we come in….

If you would like to be involved with the project and knit a hat and scarf gift set for the care leavers attending the 2026 Christmas Dinners in the UK, READ ON YOU LOVELY PERSON!

The crafting info is specific and precise, so if you are keen, make sure you are meeting their criteria! This is not our own project so we have to fit in!

We will need folk to commit to a hand AND scarf set.

Crafting Info

• We ask that the yarn used is machine washable, aran weight  in solid, gender and cheery neutral colours. Thinking about this we’d suggest reds, oranges, blues, greens, plums, purples, greys, black?
• We ask that the hat is made WITHOUT the pompom.
• Adult size please.
• Add a Christmas label sending Christmas wishes and letting the recipient know how best to care for their gift.

These patterns all use aran/worsted weight yarn and are free:

– The Barley hat and Wheat scarf, which can be found within the Simple Collection

https://tincanknits.com/book/the-simple-collection

– Boyfriend Cashmere Scarf, which can be downloaded from the following website: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/boyfriend-scarf-8. If you’re unable to use Ravelry, please let me know and I can email you the pdf of the pattern.

– The Basic Family Knit Hat (knit flat and seamed) https://www.yarnspirations.com/en-row/products/caron-basic-family-knit-hat . We ask that you make the hat without the pom pom.

– The Classic Cuffed Hat https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2014/10/22/classic-cuffed-hat/. Again, please make the hat without the pom pom.

– No-purl ribbed scarf from the Purl Soho website https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2014/09/12/no-purl-ribbed-scarf/

– Seedbed scarf: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2018/10/02/seedbed-scarf/

– Christian’s scarf  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/christians-scarf

– Heartwarming Scarf: https://www.yarnspirations.com/products/red-heart-heartwarming-knit-scarf

– Mixed rib hat: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2024/03/02/mixed-rib-hat/

– Lovely ribbed hat: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2020/02/28/lovely-ribbed-hat-in-linen-quill-worsted/ If knitting this it is likely best to knit the adult small as the pattern sounds like it uses fine Aran (worsted yarn).

– Fit ribbed hat pattern (knit flat and seamed): https://www.yarnspirations.com/products/red-heart-easy-fit-ribbed-hat

– Wide rib hat – https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2021/03/12/wide-rib-hat-hand-warmers/?srsltid=AfmBOorsqgVRShFhVrxaFOqBCWrJcWaqDhh8jiaM8XqLONYkXkiebPaI

Unfortunately hookers will have to sit this one out as there is no given crochet alternative. Or maybe this is the time to learn to knit??

They would also greatly accept any knits for  babies, as young care leavers attending the dinner sometimes have children of their own. Ages 0-12 months only this year please. The two hat patterns include sizes for babies but any pattern can be used be it hats, garments, booties, etc. Any colour of yarn can be used for babies knits.

Please remember you are making a wonderful Christmas gift so do take time to write a gift tag, wish them a Merry Christmas, and tie up the set together. No need to wrap, the young people get to choose a colour they would like.

Posting will be Teddington. 

Thank you SO MUCH!!

The Great Woolly Hugs’ York Hugathon takes place on Saturday 2nd March 2024 between 11am and 3.30pm. Our venue is at St Olave’s Church Hall, Marygate Lane, York, England, YO30 7DS. This is very near to the beautiful Museum Gardens, and easily accessed by public transport, The venue is accessible, with accessible facilities.  All further information is on the Eventbrite page, link below.

Please join us! And if you are worried about not knowing anyone,

Tickets will be on sale on Eventbrite from 7pm on December 1st, The link is here….