The Tale of the Rabbit's Trousers

It's funny how ideas evolve isn't it. They take their own time and develop in their own way. You never know where they are going to end up.

A few years ago I designed my own pattern for two knitted rabbits - identical apart from the ears. The pattern developed over many months. I hadn't designed a knitting patern before and it was a steep learning curve. The project got put away when it seemed impossible only to be brought out again a few weeks later. Finally I was happy with the result and I started to knit the rabbits to sell on Etsy.

I had boy rabbits and girl rabbits................

Some had upright ears, others floppy ears..............

I sold the rabbits along with baby hats and shoes and just as I do now with the patterns, a proportion of the profit went to Leukaemia Research. They sold well, but there is a big difference between knitting for pleasure and knitting to sell. I couldn't keep up, and arthritis and RSI started to develop in my hands and wrists. So, the obvious answer was to sell the pattern. I have since designed many knitting patterns, and I'm happy to say I've learned a lot and they don't all take me several months any more!

Then back at the start of this year a lovely lady called Abby asked me if I would knit her a rabbit and a hat for her baby that was due later in the spring. She wanted the rabbit to have dungarees and a hat that matched the baby's hat. I said I would. It was lovely to knit a rabbit again... especially knowing it was just one... I didn't have an order book full!

The rabbit's hat had a button just like the baby's

and was the same colour. It's the Harper Hat pattern in my Etsy store

A week ago Abby told me that she had had her baby and sent me a photo of him, all dressed up ready to leave hospital wearing the hat and with the rabbit by his side!

I love the fact that the rabbit is almost as big as he is!!!!!

It made me realise I ought to offer the pattern to everybody. Other people might want a rabbit and a baby hat to match!. It's written out in the post below this one.

Whilst I was typing it up, I had an idea. I enjoyed making this rabbit. I would enjoy making more - not too often, just as often as the hands allowed and so an idea was born. An idea which I think was actually instigated by my son's girlfriend Laura over at Louy Magroos (As I've just opened a second Etsy shop selling quilt and sewing patterns, we were discussing what I should do with all the quilts I will eventually accumulate, and she suggested I raffle them off via the blog, with donations going to my Justgiving page) - Sooooo, that is what I intend to do with rabbits! I shall make one every so often, and offer it as a giveaway, suggesting that the winner add a small donation to my Just Giving page

I LOVE my new idea! I hope you do too!

I'm sorry this was such a long post! If you've actually stayed the course and reached the end, I hope you were sitting comfortably with a cuppa in your hand!