Thanks so much for the lovely comments on the previous post. The ‘Holland’ piece has obviously been a source of comfort for a lot of people – I’m certainly very glad it was written. Thanks too for sticking around while I was ‘off blog’. I’m up to date with my paperwork now, which is a nice feeling, however fleeting!! I even managed to squeeze in some knitting time –  not toys but a pair of Eunny Jang’s wonderful Endpaper mittens.

Taking this break from knitting toys has given me a bit of breathing space to consider where it has all evolved to. For the last year I’ve been going at the toy knitting like there’s no tomorrow, but of course there is and this knitting pace is not sustainable if I want to continue to enjoy what I’m doing. For me, that is the one true aim – making the toys is my ‘thing’ and definitely an antidote to raising a severely autistic child.

Since starting this blog I’ve had so many lovely comments about the
things I make, all of which I deeply appreciate and treasure and I
guess I felt that I owe you all an explanation and an apology for the
current lack of toys. So I’m sorry that there will be no Little Cotton
Rabbits for Easter this year. Instead I’m building up a stock which
will mean that there will always be a slow and steady trickle going
into my shop even if I have a knitting break now and then.

I’ve also been pondering my patterns again but I’m not ready to release any yet so I’ve put a new link to some toy patterns from other designers – including Ysolda Teague who designs toys with the most beautiful shaping and Fuzzy Mitten who has a great range of different creatures. See the list below on the left (I’ll add more in future).

It’s not all bad news from here though – Edgar and his friends are waiting in their box (in fact they keep trying to break out!) and will pop into the shop in early April and I’ll aim to have a new batch every 4 – 6 weeks following that (barring school holidays of course!).

Also this is my 199th post and so in keeping with tradition I’m having a giveaway in the next post – a chance for someone to win a Little Cotton Rabbit of their choice. To enter the draw please pop back and leave a comment on the next post.

"I saw a mouse,
Where?
There on the stair
Where on the stair?
Right there.
A little mouse with clogs on
Well, I declare
Going clip, clippity clop on the stair…"

Ok, so he doesn’t have clogs on and he is only a prototype, but you get the idea!

Lyrics from ‘A Windmill in Old Amsterdam’ by Ronnie Hilton, 1965 which is one of my favourite childhood songs along with Mungo Jerry’s ‘Pushbike song’ and Flanders & Swann’s Hippopotamus Song "mud, mud, glorious mud…" Ah, memories!!

Colour is such an important influence on mood and since this winter has been pretty dull and there’s not much colour out in the garden just yet I thought I’d gather up some of the yarn I’m currently knitting in and stick it in my lovely new basket from Snapdragon (they have some gorgeous things and Jane has a lovely blog). Although it’s making me feel cheery, H is not all that impressed with my spring yarn display – he says it makes the living room look like a wool shop – yep, good isn’t it?! Sadly for him he remains unseduced by appeal of yarn and doesn’t understand that you can never have too much of it!

I hope there’s some sunshine in your weekend!