Little Cotton Rabbits

january

Sorry to have been absent for so long but it's been a bit of a peculiar start to the year here. January is the month when most of Toby's annual review meetings take place and so it's a time to focus on where he is making progress and where he needs more help. It's always uncomfortable to measure his progress as it's extremely subtle and gradual and sometimes he seems to go backwards instead of forwards. He is so very different from most 12 year old boys, being completely without speech and preferring his lego to any other activity and Maisy mouse, Richard Scarry and Baby Einstein videos to any other kind of TV. Still the paperwork and meetings are completed now and we'll see what this year brings in terms of his development.

It's also been a bit unsettling health-wise for me. I've had 2 potentially serious health issues recently, resulting in a few hospital appointments. Happily a series of tests have revealed that the first thing was nothing to worry about but the tests for the second thing have shown that I do have a problem with my eyes. I've been diagnosed with pigment dispersion syndrome which means I need to have my eyes regularly monitored as there's a significant risk of developing glaucoma. I'm in the process of reading up about this and I've been told it's best to avoid strenuous activity and exercise (which is not much of a problem for me!) but if anyone out there has any personal experience of the condition that they'd be prepared to share I'd love to hear from them. The positive side of this is that now I'm aware of the problem hopefully it means that I can take steps to minimise further damage to my sight. Anyway, that's the naff bit of January out of the way. There have been plenty of good bits too...

 

 

There's been lots of woolly stuff going on including knitting a bunch of animals which I hope to have ready for Easter, working on 2 new patterns which I hope to have ready for testing soon and lots of other bits of knitting and crochet including my frothy scarf which is getting quite long and the tiled blanket which is growing nicely. The lovely yarn above is from Jamieson and Smith and I'm playing about with some ideas for new bunny clothing - but more of that another time.

With all of the mild weather we've also been enjoying the woods and Amy has come with me on quite a few walks recently - it's been lovely to spend some time with her as these days I don't see much of her as she is usually in her room listening to music or on the computer.

 

 

And happily Toby did remember how to open presents this Christmas and he is having lots of fun building very tall towers from his new lego

 

 

Thanks for dropping in. I'll be back soon with some proper news of knitty stuff x

happy new year

Just popping in very briefly to wish everyone a very happy and healthy start to the new year.

It's a little tradition for me to remember some of the best bits of the last year in pictures. These are the things that made me happy and as in previous years it is always the same mix: home, family, making woolly things, growing stuff, nature, peace and quiet :)

 

Here's wishing you a year full of the things that make you smile

J xxx

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PS: we're still in the school holidays here and as we've also been away with family for a few days I've fallen very behind with answering emails. I'll reply as soon as I can x

7 years

Hello again. It's nice to be back now that the children are at school again. It's been longer than I planned since I popped in here and I had intended to write another couple of blog posts over the school summer hols but circumstances conspired to keep me away from the computer. I will write up a post soon about my summer knitting exploits but today is a special day as it is my blog anniversary - it was exactly seven years ago today that I first dipped my toe into bloggy waters.

At the time I didn't have any long term plans for the blog. All I wanted was a distraction from worrying about Toby (who was having his very first day of school), a way of connecting with other people who like to make things (because it appears that none of them live very near me) and maybe a way of selling a few knitted things so that I had an excuse to keep making them. I count myself extremely lucky to have had all 3 of those wishes come true and so much more besides. I've made real life friends through this little blog, built a small business which does indeed allow me to justify buying lots of yarn and knitting each and every day and I have a lovely place to come to escape from some of the worries about Toby's future.

But all this would not have been possible without you - all you lovely visitors who pop in and say Hi, offer encouragement, support and generally just make me feel happy and part of a like-minded community.

As a small thank you I am giving away the two bunnies above (called Candy and Coco). To be in with a chance of winning one of them just leave me a comment below and tell me something you like to do with your free-time. I'll pick 2 winners using a random number generator a week today (Tuesday 10th September)

I'm also giving away a free supplement to my bunny girl/seasonal dresses knitting patterns. This is for the dress design on the bunnies above and includes charted and written instructions (please note that you will need one of my patterns as the supplement is just the design notes rather than the full instructions for the dress construction). If you'd like a copy you can download it for free here.

Thanks again for continuing to visit with me and for all of your lovely comments over the last 7 years, I hope you'll stick around for a while longer x

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As always after the long summer holidays I am woefully behind with replying to emails. I hope to catch up over the next week, sorry if you are waiting to hear back from me.

 

snippets of summer: garden

I'm afraid I'm not getting much computer time at the moment - young master Toby has other ideas for keeping me busy. Today though he is elsewhere so I thought I'd pop in and show you some snippets of recent days in the garden.

We've been...lazing in the hot sunny weather and blue summer skies and then scrambling about like mad to gather in washing and toys in the sudden heavy downpours, marvelling at the dramatic clouds as the storms blow over, eating chilled nectarines from the farmer's market and homegrown salads picked fresh from the garden and enjoying the rampant growth of everything in the garden and all of the attendant wildlife.

As I mentioned keeping Toby occupied and safe is a full time job as he needs constant supervision to keep him out of mischief (thank goodness for CHIPs summer club and respite days that have given me some time off). Sometimes though the mischief is of the playful kind - I snapped this yesterday evening when I was making a cup of tea, I turned my back to empty the pot after warming it and turned back to find him wearing the warm cosy as a hat and sniffing the teabags (sniffing everything is his new thing at the moment). He found it very funny!

 

I hope to pop back soon with some snippets of summer knitting. All of the hot weather hasn't made me feel much like plunging my hands into wool but I have still managed to add to my large basket of stuff in progress :)

See you soon, keep well and happy x

summer hols

The school summer holidays have arrived here. Amy is excited and busy making all sorts of plans to be out with friends, while I'm doing my best not to feel panic at the thought of 43 days to fill with activities for Toby. Previous experience though has taught me to take each day as it finds us and go with the flow as much as possible, so in some ways I feel prepared and he does have a few CHIPs club and respite days booked in so I'll definitely be putting my feet up with my knitting on those days. As usual we're holidaying at home but I'm happy with that. With the new room at the end of the garden and the weather being so hot and sunny it feels just like being on holiday in the Mediterranean but without all the hot and bothered hassle of actually getting there :)

The warm weather paired with lots of watering has really helped the plants grow here. My little mixed bed of herbs, vegetables and flowers is doing very nicely...

 

 

 

 

and I'm really pleased with the rusted iron plant support which is forming a frame for dwarf french beans to climb.

 

H has worked so hard and completed all the paving and laid new grass.

 

 

 

And the room itself is now completely finished and getting lots of use. It feels like a little haven of peace and a place for year round holidays for us all.

 

 

 

So that's us for the holidays, what are you up to?

Whether you're venturing afar or staying at home I wish you happy times. I plan to pop in from time to time so hope to see you soon x

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PS: If you're a bunny knitter and have made one from my patterns then please come over and join the little cotton rabbits ravelry group. At the moment we're have a fun and friendly contest :) with the theme of bunnies on vacation.