Little Cotton Rabbits

December days

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The arrival of winter always brings a desire to slow down, to cosy up, to hibernate a little. Winter storms have rolled in bringing cold winds, lashing rain and grey skies but here inside it is quiet, and still, and warm, and there is comfort and peace in the simple pleasures of reading a book or knitting a pair of socks. I'm up early each day to catch the sunrise, or at least a lightening of the gloom, and the quiet moments in between Amy going off to work and Toby getting up are a favourite part of my day, as I enjoy my early morning cup of tea and the freedom to spend a little time on anything of my own choosing.

Out in the countryside all of the Autumn leaves are down, dashed from the trees in the recent early winter storms and now lying damply underfoot. There are always a few weeks at the end of Autumn when you really need to know the route out in the woods as the pathways are hidden under deep drifts of leaves, so it's easy to loose your way. There is mud too, so much mud, and Toby and I slip about almost like skaters as we make our way along our familiar pathways.

The outgoing migrant birds have flocked and flown for warmer places far away. The birds that over-winter here are just arriving. All summer long there's been no sight or sound of a blackbird in our garden, but all of a sudden there are six of them, all squabbling over ownership of the topmost branches of the plum tree.

The foxes are back in our garden too, after spending the summer months elsewhere. A sure sign that the weather has turned and that they need extra supplies to grow their thick winter coats and bulk up a little to better cope with the colder weather to come. For the first time we are winning the trust of a dog fox, he accompanies Katsue (the small vixen with the injured foot who started visiting in springtime) and every day gets a little bolder and comes a little further from the bushes. We've called him Kai and he is very handsome, hopefully I'll get some more pictures of him once he's more relaxed.

Well, I'm going to sign off here until the new year. We're having a very quiet and simple Christmas, the tree will go up tomorrow and then there will be good food, quiet candlelight and lots of cosying - plus plenty of sock knitting.

Thank you so much for visiting here with me, it's lovely to have your company and I deeply appreciate all of the kind comments and messages that you send my way. I hope that you have a peaceful few weeks, and that you're able to spend time with those you love best. I wish you and yours a merry Christmas (if you are celebrating), and a very happy start to the New Year, J xxx

 

sweater dresses, new patterns

 

For the 9 inch animals...

 

 

 

 

 

 

And for the 7 inch animals...

 

 

Hello there, I'm just emerging from my cosy little corner, where I've been ensconced for the last few weeks knitting away every spare moment in my days, and I'm happy to let you know that I have a couple of new patterns ready to share.

This is an animal outfit that I've wanted to work on for a while and I think my teenage self would approve, because in the 1980's sweater dresses were the height of fashion. I had a maroon machine knitted one with a white Fair Isle design, probably from C&A or Top Shop, worn with maroon tights and maroon suede pixie boots and I thought myself most sophisticated when wearing this to go into town on a Saturday morning!

So this pattern is for sweater dresses/sweaters, worked from the top down, with 4 different yoke designs, each of which can be worked either as a longer length flared dress or a shorter and narrower sweater.

There are instructions for working the lower body and sleeves either flat and then seamed, or seamlessly in the round if preferred. The yoke for each design is always knitted flat in order to accommodate an opening at the back of the neck, making it easy to dress your animal, and there's a functional button fastening at the back.

Also included is a single colour version with a simple textured yoke.

There is a version to fit the 9 inch animals and one for the smaller 7 inch animals too, if you'd like a copy of either pattern they're now available on Ravelry and Etsy.

I'm so thankful to the people who have helped me test out the pattern, they've already made some lovely sweaters, and I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else makes from these patterns. If you do give the patterns a go, please do share your makes on Ravelry or the Facebook group.

I am still working on a Coats and Cardigans pattern for the small 7 inch sized animals, and some new 7 inch animal patterns too, so those will be coming up once I've had a little more time in my cosy knitting corner.

Well, that's my news for today. The weather is turning colder here this week and winter is arriving out in the countryside, so Toby and I will be bundling up on our walks from now on. I'll hopefully be back soon with some pictures from our walks over this autumn.

So 'til next time thank you as always for visiting with me here, and for supporting me and my family by buying my patterns, and for the kind words you send my way in your messages and comments. I hope life is treating you kindly in these unsettling times,

J x

 

A month for memories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October is a bitter-sweet month here in our household. We celebrate five family birthdays, two for both of my children who turn a year older, eight days apart at the beginning of the month, and three for family who are now just memories (my lovely Gangan and Gampy, and my father-in-law). It's not then surprising that this month brings with it so many feelings of nostalgia and is brimming with memories from both my own childhood and those of my children, and I go about my days feeling grateful that I have such a deep well of happy memories to call to mind.

But then October is traditionally a month of reflection for many, with multiple festivals relating to remembrance spanning many different cultures. It is a liminal time between the bright, warm days of summer and winter's cold and dark, a time for settling in, for gathering together what is needed to get through the harshest months of the year, for cosying up and for reminiscing. Here it's a time for sweeping the chimney, stacking logs, batch cooking casseroles and soups and unpacking blankets and winter woollies from summer storage, and I busy myself with gathering together everything that comforts on cold, dark days.

Out in the countryside Autumn brings such melancholic beauty, with misty mornings and the colourful seasonal changes. It's also an exciting time to be out in the woods and one of my favourites, due to the arrival of fungi underfoot. So it's that time of year when I write my traditional toadstool blog post. Getting out into the woods and lying on my tummy in the wet leaves in order to photograph their fantastical forms is one of my great autumnal pleasures. I am always delighted and surprised to see something that I've not seen before and even the types of toadstool and fungi that I do recognise are always different and amazing.

Coming back into the warmth and cosiness of home after getting chilled and damp in the woods is also a delicious pleasure. And curling up with my knitting as I start to warm up again is a comfort and delight. Pattern writing is happening in the quieter moments of my days and I hope to share some new patterns with you over the remaining months of this year, pictured above are some of the coats and cardigans I'm working on for the small 7 inch animals, and there are a couple of other clothing patterns in progress too. And in the evenings, when I've run out of brain power, simple and rhythmic sock knitting in autumnal colours is a soothing end to the day.

I'm reluctant to state it (just in case I jinx things) but we are beginning to feel on more of an even keel here. Toby is currently, for the most part, content and happier than he's been for quite a while. I know that change is inevitable and always waiting around the corner but I hope this feeling of calm lasts, at least for a little while longer, as it's brought such relief and comfort to me and is very much needed.

I hope that things are calm and comfortable where you are, thanks as always for visiting here with me, 

J x

 

Settling in to September

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The past few months have been some of the most tumultuous so far in our journey with Toby. We'd spent a long time researching and making plans for his life after college, and things looked for a while like they would work out as planned and begin to be a basis to build upon, encouraging him to be more independent of us, with an eye to the future as we age. So many times H and I have turned to each other with a hesitant smile and said 'hope is kindled', only to have those hopes dashed, sometimes within days.

Challenging times however do bring their own gift, and that is to remind us of what really matters in our lives. Facing difficulties brings into sharp focus what isn't really important and what is worth clinging on to. For my part I have been reminded that:

• Toby's happiness is everything, when he is happy we can be too,
• walking in our beloved and familiar woods is more peaceful and relaxing to me that the most expensive, luxurious holiday abroad, they feel like home to me and to Toby too,
• The word 'problem' really just describes the space between our expectation of a thing and the reality of it. If we accept the reality and let our expectations evaporate we have a chance at being happy with the outcome.

Toby has been happy and settled recently. He's been enjoying the two outdoor activity days at the small holding and the community allotment project and on the five days that we have him here at home he has enjoyed choosing what time to get up (usually after 11am as he does like a nice long lie in) and he's had a great time on our walks out in the countryside.

The main downside to our new normal here is the lack of work time available to me. But I'm beginning to adapt and have started to pattern write again, (albeit very slowly and sporadically) and I do have lots of ideas for future patterns.

By the way, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you, I don't think I've ever been more grateful to all of you who buy my patterns, because in doing so you enable me to support my family and to be here at home taking care of Toby whilst still earning enough for us to live off. I'm also hugely grateful to the people who spread the word about my patterns with their friends, family and knitting groups and to those who mention me on social media too. I was delighted and flattered to be included in Elise's round up of Fall knitting and crochet projects. If you don't already follow Elise Rose Crochet on you tube then you are really missing out, she makes such wonderfully entertaining videos and her enthusiasm for all yarn crafts is both inspiring and infectious, her you tube channel is here.

Well, I'm off to squeeze in a little pattern writing before it's time to make dinner. Thank you as always for visiting me here and for the words of kindness and support that you send my way, they make life a little brighter and I'm very grateful, J x

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Harvest time photos taken at Tewin Orchard and surrounding fields, September 2024

Late summer socks, in colours that remind me of the orchard, knitted in the 'Cliff walk at Pourville' minis, one of the Monet mini skein sets from The Knitting Shed.

Sunset from my bedroom window :)

 

 

A summer round-up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello hello, long time no see.

I’ve been holding off writing until things felt settled with Toby’s new routines in the hope that I could be all positive and upbeat. And for a few weeks at the end of July it did indeed feel like we were heading into calm waters, but just recently things have got a little more choppy again.

We did have 3 day care sessions of roughly 6 hours each in place for Toby to attend at 3 different lovely settings, and he did seem to be gradually adapting to them, but last week he hurt a member of staff at one of them and so obviously they can no longer have him, so we're down to 2 sessions per week, one on a Monday and one on Wednesday. He's so big and strong and coupled with being easily upset and unpredictable this makes it very hard for others to care for him whilst keeping everyone safe, and there is simply a dire lack of suitable provision for those like Toby with more severe learning disabilities and challenging behavioural issues.

This does mean that we’re having to rethink everything in a way that works for us all, and it’s taking some getting used to. My brain keeps saying ‘don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time to get things done in September’  and then I have this weird, almost dizzying sensation when the other side of my brain reminds me that there is no more school or college, there will be no extra time, this is how things are now. It is most disconcerting.

It also means I’m having to plan out how I can keep running little cotton rabbits as a business, as working on patterns, answering emails and blogging will all have to be fitted in to less time than I had originally planned for. I’m currently making lots of lists and ranking my weekly parcels of time into high and low value blocks so that I can work out what I can get done and when.

All is not despair though. As always Toby is very happy to have his long lie-ins and daily walks with either of us, and he’s been very calm and happy on his full days here at home, so that remains a thankfully big positive in all of our lives.

These are some pictures from some of our walks together, despite many years of trying Toby still does not like me stopping to take photos on our walks, so I have to squeeze them in whilst he's naturally distracted. The countryside around us is still very green, though signs of a seasonal change are starting to creep in, with more seed heads than flowers out in the meadows and the first fungi springing up in the undergrowth. We’ve had the usual August mix of sunshine and heavy downpours, so some glorious skies and a few double rainbows have been beautiful overhead sights.

Knitting here has been restricted to one scarf and a few pairs of socks, mostly because my brain has needed very simple projects during this transition time. I'm hoping to start pattern writing again this coming week and will keep you posted of any progress.

Lastly Bluebell, our one remaining hen, succumbed to old age at the end of last month, she was nine and three-quarters, a most respectable age for a chicken, we brought her and two others to live with us in March 2015 when they were point of lay, so a few months old. We’ll not have more I think, there’s a feeling of wanting to pare down and simplify life as much as possible here, but I will miss having animals to tend to, especially as the foxes seem to have currently disappeared from the garden, as they so often do at this time of year.

Well, I will be back here on the blog, not sure when yet, but hopefully at least once a month or so, so until then I hope all is well in your own little corner of the world, thanks as always for stopping by to visit with me, J x