playing hooky

May 17, 2010 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)49 Comments

For the longest time I've been meaning to learn to crochet. I've looked at courses but it always seems difficult to fit them in around family life. Anyway for some reason on Saturday the vague desire to have a little crochet in my life became a pressing need and so I turned to the internet. Ravelry is fabulous as a resource and I found tutorials, free patterns, videos and advice. On saturday evening I made a little sample strip to get me started and give me a feel for the hook but I really wanted to actually have something to show for the effort so I started on this great free pattern from Attic24.

My first ever crochet project is riddled with errors and I've used the wrong stitch (double instead of treble english – all that terminology is still a foreign language to me). I also wish I'd not started in that dark purple as I like the muted gentle tones of the rest of it. But all of that is outweighed by a childlike pleasure in learning something new. I'm having a lot of fun although my hands are hurting more than with knitting – I must be awakening some new muscles!

Anyway, it feels good to have made a start and this old dog is happy to be learning new tricks!

general stuff

five minutes peace

May 14, 2010 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)21 Comments

This has been one of those whirlwind weeks when it seems like there weren't enough days between monday and friday. So I'm making the most of the last peaceful hour before school pick-up by savouring some quiet knitting in the afternoon sun and listening to Chill.

I'm hoping the weekend days will last a little longer than this week and that there's a cup of tea in bed on the menu! Have a lovely weekend where you are.

getting growing again

May 8, 2010 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)29 Comments

Vegetabley things are going on again here and I feel so proud of all my little seedlings as they burst forth from their little compost beds.

It's a very magical thing to take a tiny dry brown seed and nurture it into a little plant and even better when you know it's going to be producing delicious things to eat in a few months time. After starting in earnest last year I am now completely hooked on growing veg and have quite a selection of seedlings ready to plant out for this season:

mangetout peas, dwarf french beans, tomatoes large and small, summer cabbage, tenderstem broccoli, oak leaf lettuce, courgettes and basil which will all be joining the carrots, parsnips, spring and maincrop onions, cos lettuce, potatoes and rocket that are already in the beds.