Today I am knitting lace, eating clementines and brazil nuts, listening to the sweet voice of Kate Rusby and feeling a deep sense of well-being, calm and gentle joy. Because today the postman has brought a brown envelope containing not more forms but some actual good news. Thanks to some extra evidence that we submitted a couple of weeks back the decision regarding Toby's entitlement has been changed in his favour and we will no longer need to go to a tribunal. I am so deeply grateful that we've had the support of Toby's head teacher and the very eminent clinical psychologist who originally assessed and diagnosed Toby's autism. They both took time to write very succinct and compelling evidence about the severity of his condition and these two letters have obviously made much more impact on the decision than anything we as parents submitted. Anyway, it's resolved and a great weight has been lifted from me – today I am relief personified 🙂
While I'm here I'll show you some pictures of what else I've been knitting lately.
There have been socks on my needles! My first ever pair knitted in a soft dove grey and a second pair in a mustardy yellow. Both of these pairs from a lovely simple pattern- Laule'a by Cabinfour using worsted weight yarn (which means they knit up quickly). I've used lovely soft Rooster Almerino aran in 'shimmer' and 'custard' which I had in my stash.
In other news I had a very nice mention on the Love Knitting blog the other day as part of their '5 minutes with…' series. If you'd like to read it you can find it here.
Lastly, I'll leave you with some of the glorious skies that I've snapped over the last few weeks and put on Instagram. The last few days have been flat, dull and grey but when it has been clear the sky has been beautiful.
Thanks for popping in and visiting with me. The School Christmas break starts this coming Friday at lunchtime and so I don't expect I'll be around as much but I will be back to wish you a very merry Christmas so see you then x
little cotton rabbits 
Very glad to hear you got that news. I love the lace knitting. When my first child was born I was knitting a beautiful lace blanket. She was due 14th February so I was very relaxed about getting it finished in January. It was way too ambitious for an inexperienced knitter, knitted in sections, all swept together by a lovely wide border. In the end, baby Sadbh decided to arrive on 24th January and when the nurses in the Maidstone hospital asked if I had a blanket I produced the unfinished pieces which my partner had brought in. It was quite funny. Whenever I see lace knitting I think of that and I know I am going to have to make one properly sometime. I did finish the original one but I didn’t have enough cream wool so the border was done in blue. It was a lovely pattern but I wonder if I will ever find one the same as it again.
The socks you are working on are beautiful. Best wishes.
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That is excellent news Julie, I’m so happy for you and your relief comes right through the screen to me!
Enjoy your lovely relaxing day.
I love your sky pics and as always your beautiful knitting!
V xxx
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Oh Julie, I’m so very, very pleased for you all, it must be a huge weight off your mind. Thank goodness for those two people who made the difference for you. It’s a good time of year to receive good news I think! Well done on the interview on Love Knitting, it’s lovely to see you there. Fab yellow socks as well, I’m a bit obsessed with that shade of yellow at the moment, it’s just right. Enjoy the rest of the week. CJ xx
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I am so happy that you have at last some kind of resolution and wish you a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.
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You has been visited by the Christmas Spirit with you great assessment news…gifts take on strange forms as we get older 😌 So relieved that you get to breathe easier. Merry Christmas. 🎄☃🌝💌📮💝
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Julie, I am so pleased to hear your good news! Wishing you and your family a lovely Christmas x x
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How wonderful. What great teachers. Best wishes and a Merry Christmas!
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Oh fantastic news and just in time to relieve everyone for christmas. I hope you have a lovely time.
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What a wonderful Christmas gift, so glad, Julie! Very admiring of the socks, I am cautiously knitting my way UP through my first pair. Blessings for a peaceful Christmas.
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that’s wonderful news Julie, so happy for you xxx
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Wonderful news. I hope you are able to enjoy your Christmas and that the new year brings you peace and happiness
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Hi Julie, I am so relieved for you on your recent good news, I feel thankful for you! You and Toby certainly deserve this help.
I listened to the music of Kate-Rusby and it is lovely, thank you for sharing the information. You sock’s are beautiful and I can feel the softness: )
I have so enjoyed knitted up your pattern of bitty bunnies and bears for my granddaughter. Thank you she will love them for Christmas. I will be posting on instagram soon. So much fun to make.
Merry Christmas, xoxoRobin
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Wonderful news..God bless.
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That’s really wonderful news about Toby. my younger brother (only by a year) has severe autism, but it took a lot to get the help we really needed, a lot more than it should have, and I can imagine the weight you must have been feeling as a parent as I saw it a lot in my mum only a few years ago.
Have a wonderful Christmas 🙂 jenny xxxx
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So happy for your news. All the love and support you have given to your son, and the work to include these professionals is coming to light. We are with you in spirit as we follow your writings, but it is good to know that in real life, you are not alone. Meryl Christmas.
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So very happy for you and your family, especially for Toby.
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I suspect this is the best Christmas gift you could have wished for. I’m overjoyed for you and for Toby.
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Such welcome and well-timed news -what an immense relief – the very best Christmas present for you all! Thank you for another lovely post – your words, knitting and photos spot on as always. Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful and healthy 2016.
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I am so glad that you got the good news for Toby. Hope you have a great Christmas! xx
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Oh Julie, I am so happy for your good news. Knitting has often helped me through bad times, but knitting in good times is even better. The lace is lovely and so is the sky. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
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So happy for you and your family, with the good news about the tribunal. An early holiday gift, for sure. And that lace and the socks are knitting up beautifully.
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Oh such wonderful news for you all. Toby’s head teacher and clinical psychologist sound very special people doing an amazing job supporting you and your family!
Love your photos – and your socks looks so soft and squishy.
Love Leanne (NZ)
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Wonderful news Julie for you and your family and it comes at precisely the right time of year.
Thank you for such a great blog with so many lovely knitted things and inspirational photographs.
All good wishes for Christmas and the new year!
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Such good news for Toby! I feel your relief. We are about to move our adult daughter from one state to another and will have to start the paperwork and justification all over again. Trying not to think about it until the new year. First comes the pure joy of Christmas. I hope your will be merry and bright.
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I’m very happy for you! What a wonderful Christmas gift. Best wishes
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I’m so please you’ve had some reassuring news Julie. I’ve made some of your teeny tiny teddy Christmas decorations. I gave one to my next door neighbour for her tree, she was delighted. Thank you Julie
Love from Carole Williamson from Rossendale, Lancashire xxx
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So glad to hear the news about Toby. I’m feeling your relief! LOVE your lace, the two pair of socks and the wonderful pictures. Thanks so much for sharing your life with us. Happy holidays to you and your entire family. You are SO talented. I enjoyed reading the interview too. I’ve had a few of your darling patterns for ages, and will definitely be knitting some adorable creatures one of these days when I have more spare time.
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Your good news is long over due. How hard you had to work for it … it should not be that hard. I can only begin to imagine the stress you and yours have been under the last few months. Enjoy Christmas with your family and have a good break. You continue to give many people a lot of pleasure – not only by sharing your life but also sharing your patterns many more come to hear of little cotton rabbits. Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
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So happy things have worked out for your son, and provided you with peace. Thank you for sharing your life and love of knitting with so many. Hope you enjoy your Christmas and create many new happy memories.
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Yay! I’m so happy for you. What a wonderful Christmas present for you all. xx
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Yay for good news!
Your knitting is absolutely gorgeous and I want to go knit some lace now. 🙂
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Oh, I feel your relief at opening that envelope. I have been there in similar, but different ways, and it is simply life-changing. Sometimes we don’t realise we are holding our breath until we are allowed to let go.
Love the socks!! I’ve been knitting socks for 13 years now and I wear nothing else! (So spoiled by wool socks lol).
Thanks for sharing your news and your knitting (as always!)
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Good news indeed! Best wishes to you and your lovely family!
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Whoop! That’s really great news Julie, so pleased for you all. A terrific outcome and just in time for Christmas… what a great present. Hope you have a wonderful festive season!
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How wonderful news! Best wishes for you and your family and thank you so much for sharing your knitting. I knit your tiny Christmas stockings and they make people smile when they got it – that’s great!
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Such good news ! Never thought you have never knitted socks! I’ve started to knit some almost 2 years ago and I think it is the perfect project to learn some basics and interediate techniques very useful for other projects, and even there is socks cheaper bought at stores every pair of socks finished feels so much good ;o) Have a nice week !
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Hello Julie, absolutely delighted for you and your family. Now you can relax and enjoy Christmas. With very best wishes. X
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I am very happy to read the good news about Toby, you must be so relieved! Christmas can come now, it’ll be merry… Ilove your lace and your socks, and your skies, too. Anne
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Wonderful to visit here and read your good news 😀😀 Beautiful and soft looking socks….those sky pictures are fabulous ☺ Loved reading your “5mins with” your little animals and clothing are so cute ☺☺ merry festive time to you and family and good times for Toby
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Wonderful news! Talk about an early christmas gift!
Enjoy your holidays with your new-found joy.
Mary Kate
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What wonderful news- as Mum’s we want the best available for our children.
I’m so happy that your hard work and trials have paid off!
What a lovely Mum you are 😊
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Fantastic news – I’m so pleased for you all. I know that feeling of relief, it is the best ever! xxx
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I’m so pleased to hear your good news. Hopefully you can relax and enjoy the festive period.
A very Happy Christmas to you and the family!
Katie x
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So glad for you – Tribunal would have been ridiculous. And we also got our brown PIP envelope on Friday with the result we hoped for. I was properly faint with relief! Onwards!
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Great news and wrongs righted! Now you can have a Christmas free of that worry. Thanks for your wonderful patterns and lovely blog and best wishes to you and your family for a wonderful New Year.
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The relief you feel is obvious in the way you’ve written this post. I’m so pleased that you have avoided the worry of a tribunal hanging over you.
I wish you a peaceful Christmas.
Sue
x
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What wonderful news. So happy for you.
Loving your socks. This year I knitted my first two pairs of socks.
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Dear Julie, I am so pleased to read your news. You can now think about much more enjoyable things – like Christmas, which, I suspect, is very special in your home. I am very happy as I have made a hedgehog from your pattern! It’s not quite as beautiful as yours but I know it will be loved by a friend who looks after poorly hedgehogs. When I was younger I used to knit so many things (including lace) but now it’s a bit more difficult. The hedgehog was just right for me. Enjoy your Christmas and all good wishes for 2016.
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Great news!! What beautiful lace. What are your plans for it? Wishing you peace at Christmas and a happy, healthy 2016.
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That is marvelous news… so good that things can actually go right! Comforting for you and reassuring that Toby will receive what is best for him…
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Dear Julie,
I am so, so happy for you that such good news have reached you. Just before Christmas. Peace and serenity will be with you over the festive season.
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thank you for the beauty of your sharing and creativity
blessed and peaceful holiday wishes
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I’m so happy to hear your good news! There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a burden lifted!! And just in time to make your Christmas holiday more peaceful and relaxing. Your pictures are lovely! Blessings to you and yours!
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Thank you so much for your lovely blog and I’m so glad to hear your good news! Merry Christmas wishes to you from the west coast of Canada!
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Delighted to hear your good news – what a weight lifted! Very sad that you have had to endure the worry – it shouldn’t be so. Have a great Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year.
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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I am soo glad to hear this Julie! What a relief! It must also be the best early Christmas present for you all! I know how horrendous it is having to fill out so many forms and have so much uncertainty hanging over you all, as my auntie also experienced the same thing with my cousin. That ended up going to a tribunal to and he had to go to court in order for them to see his needs, and be able to keep the care package that he already had. The whole process was extremely unsettling both for him and his parents and was totally unnecessary. X
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Julie I am so happy for you and your family! And especially that you got the news before the holidays so you could relax and enjoy the time off. I am so glad you’re experiencing some relief from all the worrying and paperwork and now can use your energy for taking care of yourself and your family instead as it should be!
I also wanted to thank you for your lovely stocking pattern I have been knitting them and my two girls have been enjoying them immensely. They have helped make our home a little more festive. The pattern was easy to follow. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I wanted to wish you a wonderful Christmas and a very happy 2016! ❤
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Just catching up Julie… Wonderful to hear you’ve had some good news. Hope you had a peaceful Christmas and I look forward to catching up In the new year… Maybe over a coffee.
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Just recently stumbled onto your blog and I love it! Both my children are on the autism spectrum, so I feel a certain kinship with you just there. Plus not only am I finding that I love to knit, but I have been taking similar sorts of nature pics on my walks. Neither my knitting nor photography skills are anywhere near yours, so you will be one of my role models!
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