…by knitting,
more mittens (could be that there's a slight obsession going on here!)
I even like how they look in-side-out
and some bunnies in Orkney Angoras St magnus yarn, (50% angora, 50% lambswool) a truly delicious yarn from lovely people
…and by listening (and singing along loudly and very badly) to Polly Paulusma's Running with Scissors. She has such an enviable voice and I like her rather dark and quirky lyrics.
All in all it's been a quiet week of settling back into routines. Toby is much happier and I'm building up my energy reserves so I'm ready to plead, beg or battle with social services for an increase in our paltry 6 hours a month of respite care.
Thank you so much for all of the kind, supportive and encouraging comments recently. They mean so very much to me and I am deeply and truly grateful for them and for your visits here.
Thank you x
little cotton rabbits 
I love the little rabbit heads, thank you for the yarn recommendation. I would live to knit mittens, maybe one day……
LikeLike
Julie:
I came across an interesting link and didn’t know if you had seen it…
http://news.yahoo.com/video/hamptonroads13newswvec-15750696/local-man-creates-app-for-autistic-sons-27843258.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fhamptonroads13newswvec-15750696%252Flocal-man-creates-app-for-autistic-sons-27843258.html
Check it out… It is in regard to autism and how the father used his ipad to work with his austic son.
Good Luck!
LikeLike
Glad the recharging is going well. I will eventually build up the courage to make a pair of those mittens!!
LikeLike
I’ve been resisting buying some of the Orkney Angora’s St. Magnus for a good while now, I don’t think I should have read this post …
Gorgeous mitts Julie 😀
LikeLike
You are one. amazing. knitter. My new goal is to knit something where my front looks as good as your back!
LikeLike
Sure you can never have too many nice mittens! Mind you, I think one of the bunnies would appreciate a second ear…
LikeLike
Your mittens are stunning! My local wool shop has a ravelry knitalong for colour work but I’m far too intimidated to even try! Happy New Year Julie – I hope you manage to get somewhere with social services. Lots of love Lucy xx
LikeLike
Such beautiful mittens! Especially the ones with blue in them. Gorgeous!
LikeLike
Beautiful beautiful mittens.
LikeLike
So pretty! I can’t believe how tidy even the inside of your mittens are. 🙂
LikeLike
Your knitting is fabulous. Orkney Angora’s St. Magnus wool is very special, lovely to work with. Best wishes to you and your family for 2012.
LikeLike
I always want to pick up my knitting and buy more new yarn after a visit here! 😉
Your mittens are beautiful and I love those little heads, I can’t wait to see the finished bunnies!! That does look gorgeous yarn.
So glad Toby is more settled and good luck with social services.
V x
LikeLike
The mittens are lovely x x x x
LikeLike
There is nothing wrong with an obsession…I think many of us have them…that’s why we talk to each other here, because we all understand!!
Good luck with social services xx
LikeLike
I love the mittens.Hope you manage to get more respite care for Toby.He is happy going , more frequently the better for him.I think the important thing is that is gives you and your OH get. time to spend with Amy
LikeLike
Your knitting is SO beautiful! How I wish I lived near you — my color work is minimal and self-taught — I’m sure it needs some help! ;-D
LikeLike
It really makes you wonder how they came up with ‘six hours per month’!
LikeLike
Oh, the gorgeous mittens. Oh, oh,oh – the gorgeous heart that made the gorgeous mittens. I am happy, just looking at them, inside and out. You are a magician. I wish I had a tenth of the magic. loves.
LikeLike
Wow! Those mittens make me wish for snow!
LikeLike
Those mittens are GORGEOUS!!!
So glad you are getting your tanks refueled. I hope and pray you are able to get more respite care. Amazing what we have to fight for……
I love that you said you are singing along badly. THAT’S ME! I beller right along making the photos on the walls cover their ears. 🙂
LikeLike
How on earth do you get your mittens looking like that in the INSIDE? Wow….
Glad things are settling down for you after Christmas – wishing you loads of luck getting social services to get their act together!
LikeLike
Your mittens are beautiful, and the little bunnies look adorable, as usual. Why on earth are you only getting 6 hours respite? Most of our parents get at least one weekend a month. Fight for your rights, Julie. Good luck xx
LikeLike
So beautiful!
LikeLike
Your mittens are gorgeous! And of course the beautiful bunnies ^..^
LikeLike
What’s a little OCD between friends 😉 Beautiful mittens!
LikeLike
OOOh NEVER RUN WITH SCISSORS!!! I love the inside of your gloves….what skill to be able to knit like that. One day… perhaps in the next life.
Sadly amount of support varies acroos the country. So wrong.
Keep knitting! (or dancing to the music)
LikeLike
beautiful mittens! Hope you get some result with the respite care – good luck.
LikeLike
Julie, I just happened onto this site regarding SCD (specific carbohydrate diet, and thought you might want to investigate the autism aspect. Leaving no stone unturned.
http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/autism/autism.htm
Your mittens are truly beautiful. Such incredible technique.
Hope you are able to get more respite. Love to you and your family.
I don’t need a reply. I know you are busy.
LikeLike
I love the bunnies. Soooo cute. I would like to ask you a question. When you knit and you change wools often as you do,do you have to do a tension swatch and change the pattern. Only I want to knit a pattern for a babies cardi which is in cashmerino and I want to knit it in 4 ply. I am askin you because I note that you knit your infamous bunnies in all different wools. I hope you can help. Many Thanks and I love your blog xxx
LikeLike
Your patience is legendary… in life and knitting!
LikeLike
Eeeeaaaap! I love knitting but how do you you have the patience for that faisrisle six times over? They are exisite.
LikeLike
If my knitting looked like that on the back – I would wear them inside out! Beautiful mittens
LikeLike
really loving your knitted lovelies. have just found your site and it is a joy. x
LikeLike
Oh if I had those mittens, I’d have to wear them inside so I could look at them all day. Love the bunny heads that look like they’re growing out of the yarn. You know we all really care about you and your family, along with all families that have something difficult to deal with. There are so many bad things in the world and you’ve managed to bring some of the good people together with your beautiful skills. Be strong and be hopeful.
LikeLike
The mittens do look beautiful inside (and out) – the way you knit them. Mine on the inside – not so lovely. 6 hours a month! Shameful for a caring society (so-called).
LikeLike
I feel your pain. I have a 17 year old daughter with autism. She is not as severe as your son, but it is no picnic by any means. I have bought and printed most of your patterns. I love the mittens. I am having problems finding fingering yarn that is nicer than acrylic baby yarn, but isn’t wool, silk or alpaca. Allergies make them off limits for me. Getting ready to make some cupcakes for my oldest daughter’s tree(next year of course…)
LikeLike
I love the mittens, but your rabbits are still my favorites. Almost as cute as the real thing ; )
I just saw a 20/20 clip that my friend posted on FB and it made me think of you and Toby. It’s a wonderful story, maybe a good pick-me-up when you guys are having a rough day? Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNZVV4Ciccg&feature=player_embedded
– J
LikeLike
The mittens are gorgeous. I hope you have the opportunity to someday publish the patterns of your animals. They are wonderful and I would love to make them for my special kids.
LikeLike
Christmas for autistic children starts when they go back to school in september…It used too annoy the hell out of me because my children were surrounded by it on TV IN THE SHOPS ETC..My solution was to keep the TV off and encourage book reading,painting playing cards ect .long walks lots of running and jumping ,baking ,making lots of distractions .the nearer xmas got the worse it became .I tried talking to the teachers they were unsympathetic.Now they are 21yrs and 26yrs old .I taught the eldest to crochet snowflakes and it distracted her and built her esteem up .The tree was beautiful dressed with them .the youngest was encouraged to paint Superheroes and give the paintings as gifts.Distraction from xmas hype .Keep trying ,play to your sons strentghs and hope as he gets older things will improve I was told tom would never talk !! he does now eloquently with thought.Keep at social services They are a pain but your emotional pain is much more !.oxo Clare.
LikeLike
beauuuuuuuuutiful mittens!! i was once mitten obsessed too, and taught a class in latvian mittens here in maine. you should check them out-lots of little scalloped and braided edges that you might enjoy! a happy new year to you and your family-love your blog!
LikeLike
Such gorgeous mittens Julie. Really hope you get somewhere with social services.
LikeLike
Those mittens are to die for
LikeLike
OOOOh..lovely lovely mittens! Must have a go at those to add to the “Power-Mitten Stash!”. Glad to hear that you belong to the “Sing Like No-one’s Listening” club… it’s a re-charge tool if ever there was one! Glad Toby is settling a little, love to Amy… and Fingers Crossed for the extra respite time. Sometimes…(well..most times…)the official reasoning behind these decisions makes me wonder……
LikeLike
Fab mittens, Julie – a gal can never have enough. Fab knitting, too. Have you seen Kate’s Sheep Heid blanket – love it! But to knit it in a tube and then steek it – yikes! I quite fancy straight knitting it and then juts picking up the stitches for the border.
LikeLike
Hello Julie, just came across your site, I’ve been thinking about taking up knitting again, haven’t done any since schooldays. I love your site and patterns. Inspired use of colour!
LikeLike
Hello, Julie.
I am in complete awe, both of your knitting, which is beautiful as ever, and with your endless patience. I find your blog totally inspirational and when I have had a hard day, reading about your life makes me feel very ungrateful and unworthy, and gives me strength to try harder. I wish there was something that I could give you in return, but I imagine that the things you most desperately long for are not within my power to give. Thank you, sincerely, for sharing your stories so openly when it must be hard sometimes to even write them down. I have lurked quietly reading your blog for several years but just had to tell you how inspirational you are to me.
LikeLike
Your site is absolutely lovely!
LikeLike
What wonderful mittens – you are a knitting genius. Take care of yourself and good luck with getting more respite care.
LikeLike
so, so pretty!! I could only wish mine would turn out so beautiful….and then I would be afraid I’d lose one!! Best wishes for peace and getting more care.
LikeLike
Your knit work is so beautiful and magical…makes me want to pick up my needles once again…but with a new grand daughter to take care of..I don’t know when I will find the time…It might be easier to buy some of your items..is that possible?
LikeLike
The wrong side of stranded knitting is so under-estimated – I often prefer it to the right side! Your bunny heads are so beautiful – I want to reach out and stroke them. Thanks for the link to Orkney yarns – another site to check out!
And good luck with Social Services … I’ll keep everything crossed for you.
LikeLike
Your mittens are adorable! It’s such a pretty pattern! x
LikeLike
I wish you well in getting more respite care. I hope you get it. It makes me mad how we just leave people to get on with things and provide no help. I have an elderly friend of 83 who is carer for her friend of 85 who has alzheimer’s. They are not related at all. It never ceases to amaze me at how little help is offered. Any at all has to be paid for and is about half a dozen hours a month. Any respite care has been given by the voluntary sector. The NHS spent all their time deliberating who should pay as she is on a boundary between two boroughs. What is more, this lady is partially sighted herself. I wish we looked after the carers I really do. As they are so mercenary in their approach and reasoning, why don’t they realise how much money carers save them?
Anyway, wishing you peace of mind and some practical help. You are not forgotten.
On a lighter note, all your knitting and crochet work is just so beautiful. Wish I had half your skill!
LikeLike