general stuff

I want to tell you a story…

Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)

Thanks so much for all of the suggestions on grated cheese removal – it definitely looks like getting a dog would be the best solution! I shall have to start buttering up my husband! Still there will be a lot less hoovering going on now Toby is back at school and a lot more knitting and blog reading!

One of the things I am most grateful about these days is that having a blog has led to contact with some of the world’s nicest people. I am regularly amazed at the warmth and generosity of people. Recently I received a wonderful story written about the adventures of the missing little cotton rabbit. Reading it for the first time left me teary (in a good way) and it is now a bedtime institution in our house – with Amy tightly cuddling the bunny that the story is about.

Jill, the autor and illustrator of this story has very kindly agreed to let me tell the story here on the blog and so over the next 3 days I will post it in installments. I’m sure, like Amy and me you will find it beautifully written, wonderfully illustrated and completely enchanting, so if you’re sitting comfortably then we’ll begin…

Littlecottonrabbitreading

A little Cotton Rabbit Story.
Written and illustrated by Jill Westgarth

Jug_copy

Little Cotton rabbit was waiting. "Knit me! Knit me" she thought.
All the rabbits, bears, pandas and foxes hiding in the wool were excited.

Wool_copy

"Pick
me! Pick me!" Little Cotton Rabbit wished so hard her nose began to
twitch (which isn’t easy in the middle of a ball of wool!)

Socks

Julie
began to knit. She knitted and knitted. Very, very soon Little Cotton
Rabbit had ears, eyes, a nose and a very happy smile.


Feet

"Pink
shoes! Pink shoes!" Little Cotton Rabbit wished so hard her toes began
to tap (which isn’t easy when your shoes are being knitted!)


Bag

Julie put her clever fingers into the bag of wool.

"Dots! Dots! Polka dots!" wished Little Cotton Rabbit.

Very, very soon Little Cotton Rabbit dreams of pink shoes and a dotty dress came true!


Family

Little Cotton Rabbit sat with all the friends Julie had knitted. They waited. It was such a special day.

"Pick
me! Pick me!" Little Cotton Rabbit thought. She sat very, very still
(which isn’t easy when an adventure is about to begin!)

Littlecotton

Julie looked for a rabbit to send to America.

"Pick
pink polka dots!" thought Little Cotton Rabbit, "with pink shoes!" She
wished so hard her nose twitched and her toes tapped (which isn’t easy
when you’re trying to sit still!)


Package

Julie
wrapped Little Cotton Rabbit up in crinkly tissue paper and tied a
beautiful bow with ribbons to keep Little Cotton Rabbit safe. Very,
very carefully Little Cotton Rabbit was put into a white comfy parcel.


Sleep

Little
Cotton Rabbit snuggled down in her crinkly package. She tried to be
brave (which isn’t easy when your comfy parcel is being squashed with
things called labels!)


Parcels

All
the little cotton friends were ready for their adventures. Little
woolly giggles snuffled from the parcels as Julie left them in the Post
Office. Julie felt sad. So did all the little cotton friends. "Bye"
said Julie and went home. Her fingers were itching to start knitting
more Little Cotton friends.

Package2

Very,
very soon, little woolly snores could be heard as the friends fell
asleep. The Post Office worked hard to send all the parcels on their
way.

Little Cotton Rabbit wasn’t asleep. What was America? What would it be like? Little Cotton Rabbit was very, very excited.

"Bye Julie" she said in a little
woolly voice. Pink shoes, dotty dress, how happy Little Cotton Rabbit
was (which is easy when you’ve been knitted with love!)

(to be continued tomorrow…)

36 thoughts on “I want to tell you a story…”

  5. aaaaaawwww… what a cute story…^__^ you really are an inspiration to everyone Mrs Julie, Mom of Toby and Amy, and creator of Little Cotton Rabbits, with pink shoes and dotty dress….^___^

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  10. I cannot WAIT for installment two – it’s such a lovely story. What a great gift! It reminded me of ‘Nothing’ by Mick Inkpen. Have you read this to your children? It features a little cloth cat! I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. I was bought it (aged 22) as a pressie from John when I lived alone and loved it so much!

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  11. what a fantastic story. Can’t wait for the next instalment.
    I can definitely recommend a dog for the hoovering up. Ours works a wonder.
    I can also definitely recommend getting one for autistic children. My son is like a different child since we bought a labrador in the summer.

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  15. Hi Julie!!! OH how WONDERFUL!!! Can’t wait for the next installment!!! What a precious gift you have received!!! THANK YOU for sharing!!!
    Lala :o)

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  16. WOW!
    Look what a year can bring:
    An offer to do a book, published in a magazine, a shop that sells out in 2 minutes every month, waiting list of hundreds….
    …..and now your very own STORY!
    I think Little Cotton Rabbits is on the verge of something BIG!

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  17. This lovely story has brightened my morning.
    I do hope that a children’s book editor is reading along with the rest of us and would like to publish this tale. I think it is significant that another name for a story is a “yarn”.
    Patiently waiting for the next installment.
    Colleen

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  23. Julie, this is just SOOOO sweet! Between your darling animals and Jill with her writing and illustrating talents, I think you two should team up and create animals with story books for each. And I would buy them all for my granddaughter! By the way, just how do you get on a waiting list to purchase one of your little creations?

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  24. Julie – what a delightful story and the illustrations are brilliant. I can definitely see a series of children’s books. I would buy them just to keep for myself as my two are 16 and 18. Can’t wait to hear the next episode. In fact I might just read this aloud to Sophie tonight. Even 16 year olds like little sweet stories!

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  26. Julie, thanks for sharing that beautiful story. And congratulations to the author — it’s wonderful! As the recipient of one of your packages, I know the excitement of anticipating it’s arrival. Now I’m looking forward to more of the story and hopefully a little bunny. Wouldn’t it be great to have one of your little bunnies and a story book! My grandchildren would love them.

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  27. How sweet, my daughter sat and read it with me, she is nineteen I hasten to add! The little cotton rabbits have really come to life.

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  30. OhMyGosh!!! How fabulous for you and Amy and Toby. What a wonderful friend you have found! Wouldn’t that be just the coolest gift? The story and the rabbit bundled together!

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