cushions revisited

June 13, 2011 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)37 Comments

Around a year ago I decided it was high time I learnt to crochet and thanks to Attic 24's lovely free patterns I dipped my toe in the hooky water so to speak. I have come to love crochet – it has a different pace to knitting and whilst my crochet standard isn't up to that of my knitting, I'm pleased with my efforts so far.

I started making this set of cushions last May and after making three my enthusiasm kind of petered out and the last one got stuffed in a bag half finished. At the end of last week I decided to unearth it again and try to get it finished. I've still got about 6 rounds to go but so far it's working out well I think – a bit of a mishmash but then I'm still learning and getting better as I go. I like the simple repetition of this project and it's nice to be using my great-grandmother's bone crochet hook.

These are completely cheaty cushions by the way, I'm only making one side which I'm stitching onto some old cream fabric cushions that I already had – a quick way of having some nice new cushions without having to make the backsides!

I'm still working on my one a day blanket too and there's lots of knitting going on – an update of that next I think!

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PS: Thanks so much for the kind words on the previous post. As a parent, going with your instincts is the best way to go. I think I lost my way because recently there have been so many people involved with our family and Toby and all of that well-meant advice (some of it conflicting) just ended up overwhelming and confusing me! Toby himself didn't help because as soon as I thought I was understanding a trigger to his behaviour or an obsession, he'd change.

Still, co-sleeping is clearly helping at this moment in time and this whole episode has helped me remember that flexibility is the answer to staying sane – hope I remember that when Toby changes tack again!

shoots

May 18, 2011 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)58 Comments

I really enjoyed reading everyone's nostalgia on the last post – thanks so much to everyone who took the time to reminisce with me.

Here things have been hotting up in the garden and all my veggies are getting ready for planting out.

I love growing things from seed – it's like magic really, especially with something prolific like a courgette.

You take a tiny wizened seed, poke it into some damp compost and after a week or so you have the most perfect little seedling – looking just like a child would draw one. After a little watering and tending for a couple of months you have a huge bushy plant popping out fat and delicious courgettes.

Lettuce and leaves are quick to reap rewards from too. I sowed some rainbow chard and oak leaf lettuce around 8 weeks ago…

and look at them now!

My little courgette seedlings have me feeling all inspired and so I've been playing around with charts and have knitted a new seedling dress design…

I hope to have a bunny to wear this along with a few friends ready by the end of the month.

autism · crafts & knitting

one a day update

May 4, 2011 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)50 Comments

I'm rather pleased to have turned the page of my calendar over to May. Not that April wasn't lovely, with unseasonably warm weather and the real start of spring but it did only contain 7 school days for Toby and he does find the lack of term time routine very hard. And, when he's around I am not able to be a person in my own right.

I was thinking about this over the long 4 day weekend that has just gone, I live a double life of sorts. When Toby's at school I can potter around and do housework and some of the things that I enjoy, like reading and knitting and just sitting peacefully with some music. When Toby is in the house I am constantly watching over him, keeping him from harm and doing everything for him that he can't do himself – I am more of an extension of him, bound by his needs and whims to do his bidding or face the consequences of huge outbursts and violent behaviour. I suppose it may sound a bit harsh to an outsider for me to wish the school holidays over with, but I am relieved none the less to have a little peaceful time on my calendar again!

Despite full days, I have still found a little time at the end of them to carry on with my one-a-day squares.

At the start of the Easter break I had this…

and at the end, this…

It's pleasing that there are people out there with a much better handle on maths than me, as I now know that I can make 210 absolutely different squares from my 7 chosen colours. Though now I'm rather wishing that there had been a nice orange to include – the only orange in the same yarn (Amy Butler Belle Organic wool cotton DK) was a little too violent for my liking, but overall I'm pretty pleased with how it's coming along.