Hello and thanks for dropping in to visit here despite my long absence. I hope you’ve had a good few months and that life for you is finding a balance in these strange times.
The summer break here has been a little challenging at times, things have been difficult for Toby with all of the unpredictable happenings and changes due to covid 19, so we slowed things right down and just parcelled each day up and put it away, moving on to the next one with the hope that it would be a better one. We’ve had a gentle pace and a very limited routine to our days but that has helped him to settle and calm. He’s enjoyed lazy morning lie-ins with breakfast in bed and our daily walks (come sun, rain, wind or storms) have been a time of meditative contemplation. As we’ve walked quietly together along the peaceful woodland paths, I’ve matched my pace to his, stopping for minutes at a time when he’s in sensory shutdown and can’t move, and trying to keep up with him (but mostly failing) when he is overwhelmed by the desire to run. The walks have been the highlight of our days.
There’s been a lot of evening knitting time for me while he’s watched his videos and played with his books and duplo, and as a result I have a lot of pattern plans on the go. I’m currently working on a set of removable shoes for the animals (for both the regular sized patterns and the small version); the badger pattern is coming together slowly and I’m also working on small versions of all of my animal designs. I’ve been playing around with this lion idea too, and though it’s not quite right yet I hope to have this ready soonish as a free supplement to the existing bear pattern. I’ll keep you posted here of developments.
In other news,
- I’m very flattered to have been nominated for Noteworthy Knitting Blog in the Crafties, 2020 which is organised by Lovecrafts. If you’d like to vote for me I’d really appreciate that, the voting link is here.
- September 3rd was my 14th anniversary of starting this blog and so I’d like to hold a little celebratory giveaway, but need to get myself a little organised here first. More news of that in a later post.
- The Facebook group has been a great source of pleasure for me over summer, I’ve loved seeing everyone’s projects there and at the end of August we topped 3,000 friendly members. I’m pondering how to celebrate that with an exclusive giveaway over there but haven’t yet worked it out, but that will be coming up too. If you’re on Facebook and would like to join us and share your projects, you’ll find the group here
Well, that’s all the news from me, I mainly just wanted to break the silence and say Hi. Now that Toby is back at school (for his final year) I’m hoping to be able to pop in here regularly and I’ll keep you posted on pattern writing progress and the giveaways.
Thanks as always for taking time out of your day to join me here, I really appreciate your visit 🙂
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PS: I’m sure someone will want to ask, so here’s a little info about my notebooks.
I like to write all of my patterns longhand as I’m working them out, so always have several notebooks on the go, jotting down ideas, trying things out, changing them and trying them again – it’s a long slow process 🙂 The notebooks themselves are from MD paper – the pages are in a lovely paper that takes the ink well, and I like to personalise them with stickers from the wonderfully talented Nastia Sleptsova.
little cotton rabbits 
Wow, fourteen years of blogging, that’s amazing, well done you. I’m glad you had woodland walks and evening knitting time in the long summer, I’m sorry things were difficult for Toby, I know how hard the change in routine must have been for him. I hope he has settled back into school now and that he has a good year. CJ xx
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Tem sido um ano estranho para todos nós. Felizmente a inpiração começa a voltar
Coisas de Feltro
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Hi Julie, glad you had special time with Toby and everyday a different adventure.
I cannot believe 14 years I have been following your super blog with all the super wee critters, clothes etc not to mention all the beautiful pics f your woodland walks etc. congratulations.
I am delighted you have been nominated fingers crossed and of course have cast my vote!!!!!
It’s certainly has been a real funny old year with lots of ups and downs not really sure what normal is now?? Will we get it back.
We have been busy since February!! Having a new kitchen fitted so hasn’t been easy but just about complete thank goodness, another challenge faced!
Hope Toby has settled back in school also your daughter at uni.
Take care and thank you so much for the absolute pleasure your blog and little cotton rabbit facebook brings, some of the critters and outfits, colours are just superb.
Love Ellie xxx
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Crumbs 14 years blogging Julie that’s amazing. I have your rabbit pattern and still not made it yet. But one day I will make it. Take care and I love your blog posts so much
Love Carole
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I think I’ve been following your blog for at least 10 of your 14 years. Can’t wait for the lions to arrive❤️
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The lion looks amazing ! Looking forward to seeing the pattern !
I think everyone has slowed down a bit this summer – probably not at all a bad thing . Hope you and your family have a good year
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I’ve read every blog post. Where has time gone? Thanks again for sharing your lovely design and knitting talents with us all. You’ve brought much joy to many. And your beautiful woodland photos make me feel as if I’m there with you on your walks. Eagerly looking forward to the new patterns. Sad school resumes, I hope you have some time for yourself and some much needed respite.
Love and best wishes,
Bonnie
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I have joined your Facebook group, and have loved seeing the photos and fun knitted friends that everyone is working on. We have had a very sad summer, lost 3 people close to us, so this has been a welcome respite in this crazy world. Thank you!
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What a mum!! You’re just lovely.
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I am in the midst of making my first bear after making numerous rabbits and a monkey. Your placement stitches for ears are brilliant. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent agonizing over ear placement on other critters. Thanks for a wonderful series of lovely knits!
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Love all your patterns Julie and look forward to more new ones all the time.
I make many and donate them to the local children’s hospital for them to enjoy as much as I enjoy making them.
Thank you, and hope Toby will have a great school year
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Fourteen years Julie, I can’t believe it!!!
I love your cute little lion, such sweet little face. 🙂
Glad you and Toby found some rhythm to your days with your walks and evening routine and I hope he settles well into school.
I still can’t believe it has been 14 years!!!
V x
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Hi, love you blog and patterns. I tried to send a receipt of the sweater pattern that you were offering a flat version of and haven’t heard back. Can I try again, please? Thanks
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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I hope your all keeping well,cant wait for badger pattern to come out and shoes it will be lovely thank you for free dress pattern take care.
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Thanks so much CJ, when I was writing ‘fourteen years’ my brain did a double take, it seems to have flashed past so quickly! It will take a little while for Toby to settle but so far so good. I hope you and your family are doing well, I’m looking forward to having some time to catch up with your news over on your blog xxx
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É bom que as coisas estejam começando a se acalmar de novo, espero que sejam para você também Cristina 🙂
It is good that things are starting to calm again, I hope that they are for you too Cristina 🙂
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EEEEP! Lions!!! OH SO CUTE Julie! I’m so excited — they’re darling!!! I’ve been off to vote and spent WAY too much time checking out the other blogs (too many with annoying pop-ups — and it seems like if they haven’t posted in over a year, they shouldn’t be nominated LOL). You’re such a wonderful Mum — I’m sure this season of covid has been very trying, but you always make the best of it. Looking forward to all of your new animals. XO
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Congratulations on 14 years. I think I’ve followed you from the beginning. I’m still one of your biggest fans. Beautiful work as always. Be well.
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Congratulations! Love your designs and you can’t beat a good notebook.
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Voted for you in the Crafties! You so deserve to win! You are such an inspiration and the fact that you have stuck with blogging for fourteen years is incredible! And that lion!! I am currently knitting your bear pattern with some newly gifted hand dyed yarn! Again, thank you for sharing a little bit about your life and am glad to know Toby got to go back to school.
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The lions are fantastic! Looking forward to seeing more of them….
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Congratulations on the nomination and the blog anniversary! Glad you’re finding some rhythm with Toby and getting in some down time for knitting. This crazy world has us all on edge, and it’s so refreshing to see your lovely photos and hear about the ways you’ve found some peace. I love the little lion – you’re so clever to find new ways to adjust the patterns you already have! I was just making an inventory the other day of all the patterns I have and a the new ones that are coming up so that I don’t miss any. Unfortunately I haven’t had much knitting time so haven’t been active on the facebook page but at least looking at the lovely patterns and your sweet photos gives me some hope! =)
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The lion faces are spectacular. I just read Library Lion to my classes today and it made me laugh!
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