Little Cotton Rabbits

You must be mad....

I recently followed a link to a blog where the relative insanity of knitting cakes and pies was being pondered on. Well, she does have a point, it is a slightly bizarre thing to create but then so many things are bizarre these days and at least they're too soft to be used as a dangerous weapon. A couple of people have asked me why I knit cakes and I suppose the simple answer is that it's fun and people want them.The first ones I made were a bit ropey and it took many different attempts to get the shaping as I wanted it but it was satisfying being able to finally produce something that looked like the vision I'd had in my mind. The nice thing  is that the design is still evolving and so it never gets boring to me. I was totting up the other day and I've actually made over 250 in the last 5 years!

Anyway reading the post that questioned why anyone would possibly want to make knitted cakes made me remember something I made last year and co-incidentally it is the right time of year to be showing these. There, if you want to ponder the real insanity behind knitted objects then get an eye-full of these babies! 

Although I'm fairly happy with the pattern I never went into production on these because I couldn't see anyone really wanting a knitted Easter egg (chocolate ones are infinitely preferable in my opinion). But sometimes it's just nice to have the challenge of making something you've not made before and creating anything from scratch is, well, life affirming. Something the elderly people who created this knitted room would definitely understand.

Anyway, the Easter school break is upon us (arggggggg!!) I'll be out of the loop for the next 2 weeks, will try and keep up with any emails but be patient with me! See on you the other side of the abyss!

Welcome Sonny

Just a quickie today to congratulate friends on the birth of little Sonny. This little bunny will be hopping along for a nice newborn cuddle!

Abel and Cole

I know I've mentioned it before but reading blogs is an inspiration on all kinds of levels - creative, personal and lifestyle. One of my favourite blogs is written by Rebecca and reading her blog and others has definitely made me more aware of the impact of modern living on the environment. Here in suburbia we don't have a very big back garden  and even if we did work over it and try and grow some veggies they wouldn't last long with the Tobster around. Growing some of our own is something that I hope to do in the future but for now I have just been wanting to get away from buying my fruit and veggies from the big supermarkets with their green beans from Kenya, stawbs from Israel and so on. I've been frequenting farmers markets around here but the local one is only monthly.  So when I received a leaflet through my door from Abel & Cole it seemed like destiny and I decided to give them a try. They pledge to supply quality organic produce, which is ethically produced, with zero airmiles, in reusable packaging, free delivery and supporting UK farmers ....

I've now had deliveries every week for the last 5 weeks and I am a convert. After being used to sanitised veggies, marshalled in perfect little rows in plastic trays and swaddled in layers of clingfilm it took a little getting used to a box full of mixed and slightly-muddied produce but now I quite like it - I just store them dirty and wash them before use. The nice thing is that you know what you're getting and can substitute things you don't like. You can also order single extra items either as one-off orders or weekly.

The day my delivery arrives on is now known as chopping day. This week I've cooked up a big vat of minestrone soup with the goodies from this week's box - Swiss Chard, carrots, jerusalem artichokes, potatoes and courgettes.

I'm certain that these veggies taste so much nicer than those I was previously buying from half way across the world and it's making me try new veg (have never cooked with jerusalem artichokes before!). If you are looking for organic food that is affordable, ethical and delicious please check them out - I'd certainly recommend them.

Mosaic Monday

I have joined a fun new flickr group called Mosaic Monday - you simply create a mosaic of your flickr pics each monday and post it in the group - it's great fun. Why not join in?! (all instructions on the group home page)

Here's my mosaic for this week

and this is last weeks. 

Whilst we're on the subject of flickr groups, the finalists have now been chosen for the Softie Awards. If you have a minute please pop over and vote for the wonderful monster made by Raspberry - we're all hoping she'll win the creepy yet cute category. Good luck Alice!

calling all knitters and stitchers!

As I've mentioned before, the main reason I knit is not to have lots of rabbits sitting around the place, nor even to make a bit of dosh (although that is a welcome side-effect). The main reason I knit is therapeutic.Living with small children is challenging enough (as many of you know) but throw a hefty dollop of severe autism into the mix and the world turns over leaving you hanging on by your fingernails. I'm not sure that it is anything that you ever fully come to terms with as it's ever-present and ever-changing. Just when you think you're doing ok with it, it shifts like smoke on the wind and you have to adapt all over again. But knitting has really helped me avoid the depression pit! It gives me something of mine that can be fitted into my small spare moments (unlike a yoga class) and creating anything is an energising and fulfilling process - even when the recipients aren't as appreciative as you'd hoped for...

Anyway, a few months ago I wrote a little bit about how knitting has helped me to deal with Toby's autism and submitted it to the UK hand knitting page on knitting as therapy. Through this a wonderful lady named Betsan Corkhill contacted me. She's on a mission to collate evidence about the therapeutic benefits of knitting and stitching with the aim of having it recognised as a valid form of therapy

"Just imagine Doctors prescribing a dose of stitching twice a day!  "Impossible" we can hear you say, but I think, through our research, knitting and stitching could form the basis of significant therapies in the not too distant future."

She already has many interesting personal accounts of how knitting has helped to overcome illness, depression and many other similar challenges. Her website is called Stitchlinks and she's asked me to ask you to get in touch if you, or anyone you know can contribute, so please drop by and add your story.

PS: as you can see Toby has thoroughly tested the chewiness of little cotton rabbits products - they passed with flying colours!