what we did this summer…

September 10, 2018January 7, 2026 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)27 Comments

Well hello again, long time no see! The school summer holidays finished on Tuesday of last week, when Toby went back to school but to be honest I was feeling a bit exhausted, so I took the rest of the week to curl up in a quiet corner and knit socks. The long school break over summer always requires a lot of energy but this year it has been especially challenging, both physically and emotionally. It sounds like I’m complaining, but I’m really not – it has been a good summer for us. It’s just that by the end of 7 weeks of full on Toby time I feel like a yo-yo and am looking forward to just being able to sit without needing to jump up and get a snack, run a bath, find a toy, swap a dvd or any of the countless little things that Toby constantly needs doing for him.

He has also kept me busy with lots of walks and our new favourite activity – cycling. We’ve found a special needs adapted cycle hire centre about 10 miles away and have had great fun cycling a side-by-side tandem around the sailing lake there. I do the steering and braking and Toby just helps with the pedalling – though it feels like he’s ‘glass cranking*’ going up the hills and only putting any really effort in on the downward slopes when he just wants to go madly fast!

*glass cranking – a cycling term meaning to rotate the pedals without actually applying power, but trying to hide this from those you are riding with.

On the emotional side Amy had her A level exam results, which were initially a bit of a nasty shock for her, as she fell quite a long way short of her predicted grade in one subject. After conferring with her teacher and putting in for a re-mark she now has the grades of A, B, B – not quite what she’d hoped for but good just the same. It’s a useful learning experience for her and hopefully she’ll put her disappointment to good use and resolve not to leave anything to chance as she embarks on her degree course in two weeks time.

Oh, it feels so odd writing that! It’s going to be a big change for us all at the end of September with Amy going off to Uni and living on campus (in a rather lovely en-suite bed study room with a kitchen shared with 6 others). She’s only an hour away by car so is able to come back for the odd weekend if she wants to. I’m not yet sure how to feel – cohabiting with a strong willed teenager who doesn’t want your advice thank you very much; leaves the new bathroom that her Dad spent weeks re-decorating in a soggy mess; helps herself to the last of the ice-cream and wakes the whole house up at crazy o’clock in the morning can sometimes make you feel like you won’t miss her a great deal, but I suspect that all of that will be forgotten once she’s left and I’ll be very much missing her wry sense of humour, her company on movie nights, her frequent hugs and the sound of her beautiful singing through the ceiling as I sit here typing at the computer.

When she was born I remember feeling completely inexperienced and unprepared as a parent, despite all of the preparation and classes, and I feel the same kind of bewilderment now she’s about to begin her independent life. The difference is that her future is now firmly in her hands and no longer in mine. We raise our children with the hope that they’ll grow into capable, independent individuals and will no longer need us, but I’m not yet sure how to dial down my impulse to protect, to educate and to shield her from the worst that the world can inflict. It will take some getting used to I think.

Change is all around here and the seasons are shifting into autumn. I’m so looking forward to some solitude in the woods over the coming weeks – they are at their most beautiful under a golden autumn sun. And being able to wander at my own pace; to sit and listen to the birds in the treetops; to stop and get down on my hands and knees to look for toadstools and maybe take a photo or two will be something I very much enjoy.

Well, thanks for popping in to visit. I’m looking forward to posting regularly here again very soon, hopefully see you again then.

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Pictures above were taken at Hatfield house, July 19th 2018

New Patterns

August 9, 2018September 5, 2025 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)43 Comments

Hello from the middle of the school summer holidays! This is a flying visit because free time is currently in short supply for me here but things are generally going well. Toby is being kept busy and the weather has been glorious, though a little hotter than we are used to. The reason I’m popping in today is to mention the two new patterns that I’ve released this morning. It has taken me so very long to finish these off – I’ve been working on them off and on for over 18 months. Originally I had designed the dungarees to go into the boy sheep pattern, but for various reasons decided against that. Then I was planning to dress the upcoming badgers in the dungarees and pinafore with T-shirts but decided against that too. It seems better that these clothes are stand alone patterns, as they will fit any of my animals. I had planned to launch them before the summer holidays started, but before they were completely finished life got in the way, as it is often apt to. Anyway, they are done at last, so here they are.

The first pattern includes a pair of dungarees (overalls), a pinafore dress and a little toy which fits perfectly into the pocket (bunny or bear). The garments are knitted flat in 5ply or 4ply yarn on 2.75mm (US 2) needles and the little toy is knitted flat in 4ply yarn on 2.25mm (US 1) needles.

The second pattern is a set of 3 sweaters. All are knitted top down with raglan sleeves and follow the same basic pattern with tweaks. The T shirt has narrow stripes, the long sleeve sweater has wider stripes and the cardigan is flared and knitted in one colour but you can switch those around if you prefer. There are instructions included for knitting them all flat with seams or in the round if preferred.

Here are links to the patterns on Ravelry:

Ravelry dungarees pattern, Ravelry trio of sweaters pattern

If you do give any of the patterns a go and use Ravelry please upload your pictures to the little cotton rabbits group so we can all admire them. It’s so exciting to see what others make from my patterns and I do hope you enjoy knitting them.

I hope to pop back soon with news of other knitting stuff and some pictures of what we’ve been up to here but in truth it might be another few weeks before I get the chance to, I look forward to catching up with you then.

garden stuff · general stuff · wildlife

Long hot summer

July 14, 2018January 7, 2026 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)32 Comments

If you asked me when it last rained here I honestly wouldn’t be able to come up with an answer – certainly it’s been hot and dry for weeks. I’m old enough to remember the summer of 1976, in which the UK baked under endless blue skies and ended up with water shortages, drought and damage to crops and wildlife but being a small child at the time all that sticks in my mind was that we weren’t allowed to fill up the little padding pool in the back garden. We’re a way off from water shortages here at the moment but it has been so very hot and dry that crops, plants and wildlife are being affected.

Happily the robin family that have been nesting in our garage are OK and are enjoying regular deliveries of wax worms through the post (btw if you’re looking for fresh live food for wild birds then I’d not hesitate to recommend The live food warehouse – their service has been brilliant, always next day delivery and free postage on orders over £5 – and this is not a sponsored mention, I’m just so pleased with them, having tried some other suppliers previously and been disappointed). The third batch of chicks have hatched and should fledge sometime next weekend. We think there are at least 3 but I’ve not managed to get a good look yet and don’t want to disturb them. Mum and Dad robin are doing a great job though, having already fledged 9 chicks so far already this season.

Toby has been struggling with the heat – sleeping less well than usual, so we’re all feeling a bit tired and frazzled and hoping for some slightly cooler weather – around 23c would be perfect if the weather gods are reading, oh and a little overnight rain would be good too. Most of my plants are suffering but I’m managing to keep watering with the dregs from the water butt and whatever the chicken doesn’t drink each day. Not that I’m complaining about the weather, it’s been glorious especially early in the morning and during the evening and we’ve been eating all of our meals in the garden. After breakfast and getting Toby off to school I’ve been heading to my favourite spot for morning knitting in Toby’s swing chair. It’s a lovely shady spot until around 11ish when I have to find somewhere else to knit as it’s too hot in the full midday sun.

Talking of knitting, I’m making some progress with knitted things but don’t have much to show yet other than lots of scribblings. I think I’m ready though to knit up samples for photographing and then I should be able to start to put this new pattern I’m working on together.

Well, that’s all my news. I just wanted to pop in here and say hello because it had been so long since my previous post. Hope all is well in your corner of the world and you’re enjoying whatever the seasons are bringing your way. See you soon x