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2016. A Woolly Year in Review
As 2016 comes towards its close, we’d like to thank all for their brilliant support this year, for every stitch, every penny, every moment, every word, every resource, every Post office queue, everything! Your love and compassion seem boundless, never failing to amaze us with your generosity and spirit. We ask so much, but everywhere we look, Woolly Hug folk are being utterly marvellous. We seem to say this every year now, but it has been an extraordinary year. We easily get overwhelmed looking at the whole Woolly picture, it is an awful lot to take in!Donors and crafters alike, what you do means so much to our families, our coming together for our Woolly Hug blanket making is very special indeed. Thanks to you too, our ongoing projects are stronger than ever. From here in the UK to as far away as Kurdistan, Lesbos, Syria, Malawi, Belarus, Ghana and the Philippines, children and their families are feeling love, warmth, support and comfort through our Billie’s Blankets, Little Hugs, Kinship Hugs, Christmas Hugs and Children of Chernobyl blankets. An astonishing 300+ blankets have been sent as part of our Refugee project this year alone, with about a quarter made using separate squares folk send, everyone contributing what they can (huge thanks here to our wonderful Construction Crew!) scarves, jumpers, cardis, mittens, bootees, and over 1700 hats have gone too, the quantity is truly humbling. So much love and woolly warmth going to folk who really need support, our thoughts are with all the families. Thinking too of all the families who have received our Angel Hugs in incredibly bleak and devastating times. Love in every stitch we say and it really is true.
We were completed chuffed to bits when in June we finally became a full charity, so thrilled that Woolly Hugs and the wonderful work everyone does for others was recognised. Was a very special day, and involved much joyful shrieking from us we’ll not deny
😀And none of us stopped there, raising funds for other charities, recently Hope not Hate and The Alzheimer’s Society, just awesome, thank you.
All of this and JK Rowling’s retweet too.
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👍With your love and support we go on, we know we can’t help everyone, but together let’s help as many as we can, all info for all ongoing projects is on the website. There is even a section with tutorials for the complete novice if this is your resolution for the New Year! Our Chernobyl project 2017 is going to be bigger than ever, if you want to get a head start, crafting info is there too! And we have two brand new projects already lined up for early next year. No one can do any of this alone, we hope so much you will be with us. 2017 then, you ready? Let’s crack on!
Much love, heartfelt thanks and huge hugs from us xxxx
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Christmas Craft Sale 2016
Welcome to the start of 2016’s Christmas Craft sale!This year we have chosen to split the funds, primarily we want to help the amazing work the Alzheimer’s Society do. They give wonderful support to those worried about and affected by dementia as this can be a desperately sad, lonely, bleak and isolating place to be.
We’d love to be able to do something to help, we really hope you will join us.
The Alzheimer’s Society aim to provide friendly expert advice on their Helpline, they run an online forum to enable individuals to talk to others affected by dementia, and also organise community-based services. Brilliant. If you would like to find out more see here…
We would also like to use a third of any funds raised to support our own family blanket projects.
Will you join us? There are several ways to get on board, as a crafter, a donor to help others craft and ultimately we will need folk to buy our treasures!
Crafting info…
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.
- Stockings
- Small gifts – Little bags, purses, brooches, hair accessories, key rings, gift bags, tags,
- Clothing items such as gloves, hats, scarves, shawls
- Lovely lovely things!
Woolly, fabric, embroidered, beaded, all crafty crafts welcome!!If you make something to wear, please include washing info for that item, so that the purchaser can look after their treasure for the time to come.
Items from last year can be seen in our Christmas albums on our Facebook page, Woolly Hugs.
Last posting for crafts to be Monday 14th November please. Please PM for the posting information.
Donor info…
If you would like to contribute funds to help others craft we would love to hear from you. Our Paypal is admin@woollyhugs.com
The Event itself…
Our Christmas Craft sale will take place ONLINE between the evening of Wednesday 23rd November and run through to Sunday 27th November. It will be organised through an Event page as we have done before. In addition we will be auctioning a range of items through our website which will help folk not on Facebook, or those who prefer to take part in this way.We are on Facebook as Woolly Hugs and Twitter as @Woolly_Hugs both good ways to keep in touch too.
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. K&P xx
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Easter Craft Sale 2016
The crafting stage!
We are looking to make and sell small/lightweight Eastery/Spring/ Generally gorgeous items. Sewn, crocheted, knitted, any crafty crafts, the how is up to you! Some suggestions for you but we are open to others!
* Easter decorations – chicks, eggs, sheeeeps, rabbits.
* Easter/spring bunting/ garlands, decorations
* Brooches, keyrings, purses, accessoriesLast posting for crafts for the Easter sale is March 5th 2016.
Please message for posting information. Thank you so much.
Our Sales will take place through our Auction site on here and an Event page of Facebook. We are Woolly Hugs. Thank you!!!!!
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“She met the world with love.”
Our original Crafting Phase
There cannot be a single soul who has not been shocked and
horrified by the devastating attack and murder of MP Jo Cox. Truly awful, at times like this one struggles to find the words to make any sense, there just aren’t any. We feel desperately sorry for Jo’s children, DH, parents, family and friends, and are thinking of all who love and miss her.In one of the most beautiful and courageous pieces written her husband Brendan has said she would have wished now for their children to be bathed in love, this really resonates with what we hope Woolly Hugs is all about.
Jo represented the good things in the world, all that is the opposite of bitterness and hatred, let us do something now for her, for her husband and their children, by sending love, compassion, strength and support. We hope it will bring them a little comfort. We are thinking of them. [thanks]
We are very fortunate to have one of her good friends on board, we asked if she could help us, and she will, and will be able to pass on the blankets to the children when the time comes, we can’t thank her enough, she says “With your permission, I will pass the message on that they are being made. I know they have taken great comfort from the love everyone’s shared in the last few days and this will be equally welcomed. You are brilliant. Thank you xxx.”
So this is our plan, can you help us?
Firstly, we would like to make a blanket for both of Jo’s children, big enough that they can snuggle with their dad and find warmth and comfort.
Secondly we would like to make a blanket for Auction in the run up to Christmas, and have chosen one of Jo’s charities to be our recipient. Brendan said it would have been Jo’s wish that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her, so we have chosen the charity called *Hope not Hate.* It seems right.
Thirdly, may we encourage folk to contribute to our existing Woolly Hugs’ Refugee Project, all crafting info is here.]] Jo campaigned tirelessly for refugees, this seems very appropriate. We know we cant help everyone, but one square, one blanket, a pair of gloves, one warm hat, one step at a time, really every little thing will help. Thank you.
Crafting information for the three blankets
All yarn to be Stylecraft Special DK, which is very easily available, this is a good retailer. Please make sure your square fits into one of these palettes. It will make it much easier. Thank you.
Vintage, above: Duck egg, sage, storm, parchment, pale rose, pomegranate, raspberry, grape, cloud blue, sherbert.
Traditional, above: Parchment, cloud blue, denim, sherbert, aster, petrol, lipstick, claret, burgundy.
- Squares to be 6 inches, using 4mm hook or needles.
- All crafting abilities _genuinely_ welcome, simple, complex, squares made by beginner or experienced are equally welcomed. It really is the love and thought that counts.
- When finished *please sew in those ends* but don’t block your work.
- Then PM for details for posting.
- Last posting to be July 27th.
We are on Facebook as Woolly Hugs and Twitter @Woolly_Hugs which are both good ways to keep in touch. Do join us there if you would like to.
“She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now, one that our precious children are bathed in love and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her.”
As always heartfelt thanks for your support.
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The Blanket for ImpatientWino
Oh, my, it’s AMAZING!!!!! The colours are incredible. I have sat and ran my fingers over such clever and beautiful squares, I’ve sobbed and smiled and have wrapped it round me and S and I sat and spotted the animals!
I honestly cannot believe the effort and skill and the time that people have taken to make this blanket for us, William’s anniversary is only a few weeks away and I felt so close to him today whilst looking at it.
The bunch of daffodils is just so incredible. I’m so so grateful to the lady that made them, as they aren’t around all year it will be great to be able to concentrate on their brightness in December. They are going to go in a glass vase that belonged to my late wonderful grandma and will take pride of place of my shelf.I feel such warmth and love from people that has gone into this gift and honestly it bowls me over. The kindness and support I have received from mumsnet and woolly hugs has been incredible (and in fact better than from some of my own family and friends)
William and his loss have taught me so much about myself and others this last year and though my heart aches terribly I’m trying to pick up the pieces and find a way through this new life. S is our world and give us a reason to keep smiling through our tears.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Woolly hugs will always have my support. E xxx
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