Little Cotton Rabbits

My first swap

Yesterday a package arrived for me and was eagerly torn open - to reveal...

this lovely needlecase and great vintage buttons - the goodies from my very first swap with the charming Jackie of Wren's Nest. I love the idea of swapping with a fellow crafter and am very lucky to score such beautiful things on my first swap. I've been gathering all my various boxes and tins of sewing stuff together and have started to put together a proper work box. I was lucky to inherit this wonderful wooden sewing box from my Great Granny but I don't know how long she had it. As a student I used it as an art box and stored all my gouache paints and brushes in it but I've not painted for years and it's been stuck in a forgotten corner of our attic. Now I have my needlecase and pincushion (from Raspberry) it seems appropriate to return the box to it's original function. It makes me feel like a proper crafter - I just need a work room now!!

WIP of a seasonal nature

I know that nobody wants to be reminded how many shopping days left until Christmas - I'm no angel and am more disorganised with my pressie buying than usual. Still even I have succumbed to the impending season of cheer and have been trying to finish off stockings, Christmas cakes and bunnies.These two girlies are in a partially dressed state but I thought I'd share them with you anyway because I like their little fat tums over the tops of their tights!

I have however found what will be on my Christmas list this year. I always take A to see Father Christmas at a nearby Garden Centre - he arrived by Helicopter this last weekend (I don't know what happened to the reindeer - not 21st century enough I s'pose). Anyway, maybe I'll sit on his knee after A and ask him nicely for Ollie because I just love him so - check him out and his brothers & sisters too at Sweet Nellie - they are so gorgeous.

Monkey business

 

Had a nice family weekend - woodland walks, roast chicken & apple pie - that kind of old-fashioned spending time together kind of affair. It's been wonderful to see Toby growing in confidence since he started school. A few months ago we would only take him out on walks where there was a good enough path for his special needs buggy. He's always much preferred to ride than walk and as he can be very unpredictable and has no sense of danger with roads and rivers etc, I've been happy to let him sit in the buggy - it's seemed safer. This weekend though we opted for a woodland wellie walk rather than our usual sojourn along the canal tow path and Toby did brilliantly. He seemed so grown up toddling along on his own and he was especially excited by the wind in the trees and the falling leaves.

On the knitting front I was suddenly seized by the desire to try something new. I've had a play with different animals before - sometimes with pretty disastrous results: poor old Charlie Cat - he's never been quite right!

But at the end of last week I was inspired and thought monkey! I'm still working on tweaking the pattern and may have to make a few more prototypes but it's getting there I think. Looking at it now this photo is a little gruesome looking - a row of decapitated heads! Sorry! I'll be working on bodies and hopefully will have a finished monkey template by the end of the week.

Bunny Slippers

Just a quick post today as Toby is off sick from school with a bad cough and cold.  Thanks to everyone for your comments on sleepy bunny. A couple of people suggested slippers and I just couldn't resist having a go. Somehow bunny slippers seemed the most appropriate! Thanks by the way to everyone who has emailed me recently. I am trying to reply as soon as possible but it may be a few days.

Sleepy bunny

A term which could apply equally to me but at the moment I'm meaning this sleepy bunny

I was mulling over ideas for new rabbits and wanted to explore trousers (don't we all?!). Then in the middle of the night earlier this week something Rebecca said about her girls taking their little cotton rabbits to bed pinged into my mind (anyone else get weird revelatory ideas in the middle of the night?) the answer was PYJAMAS!!! I'm not sure if these say jammies or whether the top needs to be stripey too but I'm hoping you'll all give me your feedback. If the consensus is that jammies work then I'll make some more, otherwise it's back to the drawing board!

Thanks so much for all of your supportive comments over my copyright hassles. Hopefully it's all resolved now. I don't think most people who copy other people's designs really think about the implications. Maybe it's easier to justify when they know nothing about the person who originated the design or maybe they genuinely believe they are not doing anything wrong. Creating something handcrafted is a very personal thing - we're not companies mass producing goods and so copyright infringement affects us personally. Legalities aside I think it's more of a moral issue really - you just have to ask yourself "how would I feel if someone did it to me". Anyway, enough said, climbing down off soapbox now, have a great weekend all!

A quickie for the weekend

Just a quickie before the weekend. I am still here (and mostly sane) have a few war wounds - mostly glue in my hair and ringing ears from all the pop music. The house is a tip but kids are happy, so who cares?!

Have been a knitting nomad all week and finished off some cakes on a pastel theme. Counting down to Monday and visualising an empty house, Ludovico tinkling the ivories and my box of yarn - ahhh bliss! In truth I think the hoover will be calling and I will no longer be able to ignore the washing mountain, still I can dream. Have a great weekend everyone.