August

Having spent much of my adult life working (and sometimes living) in academic institutions I've always loved August as a time when the normal routine lets up and one can do a few different things.  Sadly, these days M's routine is relentless so some of my August treats can't happen, but I still get that feeling of lazy days to be followed by the new year excitement of September.   

We've more or less put the house back in order now, and H is heavily involved in going to summer organ recitals and the Three Choirs Festival which starts in Worcester today, so there's a sort of holiday feel.   There was something to do every day last week so I used the time when it was my turn to be the stay at home person to catch up with some making and finishing off UFOs.

I got the needle felting stuff out to make a Scottie for Judith at Relatively Retiring (you can see him on her blog as I forgot to take a photo and I can't find the photo of the one I made before, either), and having made one dog, I made another - a St Bernard inspired by the lovely ones we had many years ago.

I've kept the needle felting tools out in case I feel inspired to do some more!   Taking the scottie round to Judith was a good excuse to spend time sitting in her garden in the sun drinking coffee, too!

Knowing I'm going to see an old school friend soon,  I knitted a little sweater for her new grandson - hope it fits!  And having got the knitting basket back out,  I finished off the cardigan I'd knitted for little E.  Hope this will now fit as I've been ages getting it sewn up - it hasn't got funny buttons all over it, those are the pins I've used to block it!

And now, as promised, Here's the lovely Little Cotton Rabbit I bought from Julie - you can find out more over on her site here.  These are so delightful - look at his little trainers and cute face.  They are so much in demand and Julie is not overwhelmed with spare time (to put it mildly) so she runs a sort of lottery each time she has a batch available and this time my name came up against Harper.  I was thrilled, and daughter is jealous.  They are beautifully knitted and have such character.

Several nice things are happening next week (dv), and I'll tell you about them in due course.  But I must just mention that I am going to the Festival of Quilts at the NEC on Thursday (11th), by myself this time as I want to look at buying a new sewing machine.  Anyone else going that day?