August Crafting

 This summer holiday I had set myself the task of completing some of my WIPs and other projects that have been in the pipeline for some time.

These chickens had been hanging around unfinished and I am pleased to say that I have not only completed them, but that one has already sold in my friend's shop.

 I had temporarily fallen out of love with this project, but whilst in Norfolk I crocheted 12 more squares and I now nearly have enough to make a cushion.  I have stitched the fabric cushion cover that will be the base for the crochet and hope to have all the squares completed this week.

Having recently made a Battenburg cake using my loaf tin, I decided to buy a proper tin.  I had considered buying one of these before, but they seemed quite pricey.

Now having used it, after previously faffing around with a loaf tin, I am pleased with my purchase.  It was so easy to use and made a better sized cake.

As you can see I got carried away with the red, white and blue theme for the Paralympics! :)

On the same theme - a big thank you to Rae for my lovely All Things British Swap parcel that arrived on Saturday and a big thank you to Laalaa for arranging yet another fun swap.  I previously posted about the parcel I had sent to Rae here.

I am taking part in Annie's A Make A Month 2012 and for August my monthly make is this black and white crocheted cat.

I have been meaning to make him for some time now.  He is crocheted in Rowan Cotton Glace and the pattern is from the book "Super-Super Cute Crochet" by Brigitte Reed.  I adapted the pattern slightly as his body seemed too long and I also changed the feet and tail and added whiskers and a mouth.  His eyes are buttons I had bought from Textile Garden when they were at Unravel 2012.

I still have a lot of homegrown lavender so I decided to knit some heart-shaped sachets, using oddments of DK wool.

 I have been asked on Flickr if there is a pattern for these so I knitted another sachet to check that I could understand my instructions and I will be making a separate post featuring the pattern.

Unfortunately that is as far as I got completing my WIPs as on a shopping trip I was distracted by all the Christmas goodies and I came home with these!

 So instead of finishing off my scrapbook pages I made some cards!

Also I couldn't resist this magazine.  I love the tea cosy and cushion patterns on the front. 

And I'm still collecting material for my quilt!  I keep changing my mind about the design.  Our bedroom is decorated in duck egg blue and cream, but I am tempted to make a quilt in all whites and creams.  I once saw such a quilt on a Scandinavian blog and it was beautiful, but I wonder if it will look too plain in our room.  It would mean that it would fit into any colour scheme when we later redecorate.  I still can't decide! :)

 I have crafted some other items for a swap, but they are a secret for now.

I am back to work later this week as it is the end of the summer holidays, but hopefully I will still find time to craft and maybe I will complete some of those WIPs!! :)