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Welcome to our Summer of Woolly Love 2022

Welcome to our Summer of Woolly Love 2021!

We go on our summer break from Monday 25th July (posting to us stops for the summer on July 15th) and we will be back on September 19th. It has been another challenging time and we can’t thank everyone enough for all your hard work, compassion and enthusiasm.

We know that many of you love a summer break project, some of you certainly need to be kept out of mischief 🙂 and if you need yarn to take part, please do message us.

Little Hugs for teens in GOSH ICU and the Teen cancer ward at The Royal Marsden.

We would like to make as many squares as possible for blankets for our wonderful teens in ICU in Great Ormond Street. Having dropped off the most enormous collection recently, we need to have more for the Autumn! Six or twelve inch squares please, knit or crochet. Not too lacy, but otherwise style, single colour/mixed colour, complexity etc totally up to you. What we would ask is that you double knot to finish (or colour change) and use a needle to sew your ends in. We have had a recent spate of collapsing squares and these blankets will have a hard life in terms of frequent washing so must be STURDY. If looking to make a whole blanket, it needs to be minimum 48 inches by 60 inches, so single bed sized.We really need these too!

We plan to use our Vibrant Riot palette as it is so super cheery.

Last posting for our Summer of Woolly Love project is Saturday 25th September

If you are looking for even more things to do…

One for the Knitters – the hats and scarves for Care Leavers. We always need more! Link to this project is here…

Our Christmas Cwtch project for 2022 is up and running, the info is here….

And Snugs too, all info is here

AND we know it is JULY, but we know quite a few people like to get ahead with Christmas crafting! The link to the crafting phase is here…

2022. Our Christmas Craft Sale, the crafting phase!

Welcome to our Christmas Craft Sale 2022 

We know it’s July! But we know crafting takes such a long time. We are delighted though to be launching our Christmas Craft Sale 2022, we hope you will join us. THANK YOU! This year, with your love and support  we are delighted to get behind the UK’s leading charity fighting suicide: CALM.

CALM provide amazing support for those worried about someone, with loads of info, ideas, suggestions, plus helplines, web chats for supporters and those struggling. They also have support and information for those who have lost someone to suicide. Reading their website, we are so impressed with the quality, breadth of info and ease of access. Please do find them and remember them. This is the link…. 

We will be sending a third of all profits to them, using two thirds to support our own projects and keep them running, ambitious and inclusive. So every penny we can raise will go to help others, we hope you will support us, either by crafting, buying or even maybe both! Thank you so so much.

So let the Crafting Stage begin!

We are aiming to make and sell small/lightweight Christmas craft items, and to keep postage costs to a minimum we ask that ideally anything made can be sent on to a buyer in a large envelope. We are open to larger items too obviously, that is just a guide. Some suggestions for you, but we are very open to others too…

  • Stocking fillers, although obviously Father Christmas is REAL, this is just to help.
  • Christmas tree decorations, bunting, garlands, general decorations. Always very popular, as are totally bonkers quirky things, yes we are thinking gin wreaths, woolly slugs and sock pigs, who knew??!  😀
  • Stockings
  • Cute cuddly things
  • Small gifts – Little bags, purses, brooches, hair accessories, key rings, gift bags, tags,
  • Clothing items such as gloves, hats, scarves, – if making clothing PLEASE inc the ball band or let us know so we can pass this info on to those who buy. xxx
  • Lovely lovely things!
  • Woolly, fabric, embroidered, beaded, ALL crafty crafts welcome!!

Last posting for crafts to be Saturday 8th October 2022 please.

Earlier is very very helpful. thank you. 

Posting will be to Teddington, please message for the address is needed.

The Event itself…

Our Christmas Craft sale and Auction will take place ONLINE on a Facebook Event page as before, between Monday 17th – Sunday 23rd November. 

We will set up the event page after the Summer break. Some items will be up for instant sale on this event wall during this time, others through auction on our Auction Site which will help folk not on Facebook, or those who prefer to take part in this way.

We are keeping it all crossed that this Sale will be a huge success, with your love and support we have every confidence, huge heartfelt thanks.

Thank you so much EVERYONE!

 

Woolly Bugs and Camp Bestival July 2022

Woolly Hugs and Camp Bestival

Woolly Hugs is headlining (in our hearts) at Camp Bestival this summer. Well we are ACTUALLY having a charity stall! Please come and find us if you are attending! Tortie will be in attendance.

We really need your help please beautiful people!

As well as spreading the woolly message and rallying more crafters to our ranks, we shall be running some craft activities and a game for visitors, and are looking to have a few craft items to sell. A bit like a craft sale but at Camp Bestival. Raising much needed funds for our own projects particularly Chernobyl this year. Going for a woodland/animal theme. We also need lots of these cute crocheted Woolly Bugs for prizes and for sale. Last posting for Camp Bestival is Friday 15th July,  to Teddington, please write bugs on the outside!

Woolly Hugs present the The Bugs!

 One for the Crochet crew. This is the base as devised by lovely Ali Oxford. Suggestions for personalising are as below. Safety eyes only please, or embroidered. We can email a PDF if that’s easier, email us on admin@woollyhugs.com

Woolly Bugs can be made in any yarn and colour. You can use plain or variegated yarn. Personalise your bug with accessories – spots, spikes, hats, wings, hair, etc. You could make them into real bugs – ladybirds, bees, etc. Let your imagination run wild. Please ensure that all accessories are securely attached to your bug

Accessory Ideas

Craft Sale items with a woodland/animal theme. All to be small please! Sewing, knitting, all the things

  • Bunting
  • eco facepads
  • lavender bags/ bugs
  • pocket friends (tiny little cuddles)
  • drawstring bags, adult and child sized
  • brooches
  • keyrings

Vague ideas below….

Where our Spring Sale funds will go, please read…

“We are helping our teams relocate people to safety, providing urgent medicines, food & water, care products for children on palliative care. We have already setup two aid delivery co ordination points, one on the Polish Border the other on the Slovakian Border. Only today we received a desperate request for help to provide specific care items and food for 36 families with severely disabled children stuck out in the villages. They are in desperate need of a mobile ambulance to help move these children, many of whom are immobile. This is how we work, together with our people on the ground but we do so quietly, discreetly and without seeking publicity.” CCLL
Please come to our craft sale so we can maximise our donation to these wonderful people in Ukraine. We’ve long supported the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, now they need our help more than ever. Please like and share, we need to engage as many people as possible!

The Great Woolly Hugs’ Hugathon. Edinburgh. Saturday 12th March 2022

TICKETS AVAILABLE THROUGH EVENTBRITE ONLY, PLEASE CLICK HERE!!

The Great Woolly Hugs’ Hugathon in Edinburgh takes place on Saturday 12th March 2022 between 11.00am and 3.30pm, at St Columba’s by the Castle Church Hall in central Edinburgh, just off the Royal Mile, close to Edinburgh Castle. If you are coming, look out for the big blue door, it really does stand out! The full address is below.

Our Venue is fully accessible. Access to the venue is via a gentle and wheelchair-friendly ramp from the street pavement and there is a lift to the level of the hall and garden area downstairs. There are accessible bathroom facilities.

Tickets cost £15 each.

Tickets will include a special Event tote bag with NEW DESIGN COURTESY OF CAROLINE BALL with mystery goodies inside! We will have ‘early bird’ tickets for anyone with a Scottish postcode on sale from February 1st at 7pm, then 24 hours later tickets will be on sale for evvveryone

Our Hugathons are a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow Woolly Huggers who share a love of crafting.They are very friendly and inclusive. It is a great time for chatting with your fellow Woolly crew and sharing ideas. If Tortie behaves we will let him come too! We’ve included some testimonials from folk who have been to one before, which might be useful if this is your first time.

Our Chernobyl Project palette 2022

During the Hugathon we will attempt to get as many 6 inch squares made. In Edinburgh we are focussing on our Chernobyl Project 2022.   We will provide all SSDK, but please remember to bring your 4mm hooks/knitting needles, you will need them! If you have any squares already made for THIS project, please bring them, it may be that we can get some kits out for construction.

We will also be running a rather fabulous Lucky Dip (£1 a go) and our legendary Gin Raffle (£1 a ticket)  We will also be running a DeStash table. If you have crafting items to donate to our DeStash table please do bring, remember one person’s destash is another person’s treasure! And finally we get to debut our Yarn Bingo game, you will not want to miss this!

We have use of the kitchen area, and will provide the wherewithal for making tea and coffee for a donation. Bring a packed lunch, snacks and drinks, we won’t judge if that is alcohol 😀

COVID. We have visited the venue this week and undertaken our risk assessment. Covid is here to stay and we must all be mindful and work within the local guidance. Tickets for this Event will be limited, we will provide hand sanitiser, the hall is well ventilated and we are going to ask that folk undertake a lateral flow test before coming and do not come if it is positive. Under current Scottish regs at an indoor event like ours, masks are not required when sitting down, eating and drinking, but are required when up and moving around, so folk must comply with this.

Do join us, we’d love to meet you or see you again. And if you are worried about not knowing anyone, let us know and we can get you seated and chatting as quick as a flash.

From folk who have been to a Hugathon before…

Walking into a room of people you might have never met could be daunting … but at the Hugathon you are surrounded immediately with love, purpose and wool! What better way to spend a day? Alexsis

 

A warm woolly welcome to all. I travelled there alone, anxiously entered, not knowing a soul. Within a few mins I felt so welcomed and part of this wonderful group. A room full of like minded people, wool galore, cakes, tea, coffee, and probably gin 🤪 Julie

 

A wonderful experience meeting friends and like minded people. Like sinking into a warm bath of friendship I’ve always known but never met before. Jen

Attending the Woolly Hugs Hugathon was an amazing experience, putting faces to the names you had made friends with online in the pursuit of a common goal to spread yarn love around the UK and the World. Paula

 

A fabulous day meeting ‘strangers’ I have known online for years. Sharing yarn, craft skills, cake and laughter. Returning home full of love for the wonderful Woolly Huggers! Jo

It was lovely to meet all the folk I have made virtual friends with online . It gave me a real sense of us working together helping to make something beautiful and worthwhile . It was also lovely for the chat , laughter and to admire the amazing craftmanship going on around me , and how everyone was happy to share their expertise Steph

The hugathon is where the WH virtual community crosses over into a face to face community, meeting others who you may have got to know online. It’s so lovely to be able to sit and work and natter together, comparing notes and making friends. It epitomises the spirit of WH, crafters working together to benefit others. Alison

 

I’ve only been to one but it was brilliant and had gin 🤣 Anna

How to get there…

Lothian Region Transport buses run along nearby George IV Bridge and Lothian Road. The venue is also close to Princes Street and George Street, further bus information can be found at the City Council website.

The venue is also reasonably close to Edinburgh’s Waverley station for rail services.

Parking is limited in the area:

Metered On-street parking: Johnston Terrace 8:30am – 6:30pm Mon-Sat (charges apply)

Closest NCP Parking: Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2EW https://www.ncp.co.uk/parking-solutions/cities/edinburgh/

St. Columba’s by the Castle, 14 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2PW ( Big blue door!)