Hippy Quilt has Ears!

Posted on 28 July, 2013 by patchworkfairy

Well this week I have been quite a lot busier crafting wise. I have been making things for my camping holiday as every year I go away for a few days with my old friend and our assorted children and grandchildren. I go in my Dandy camper, this is a cross between a trailer tent and a camper and can be put up in 15 mins! It has a proper bed, a settee and 2 proper windows so I have just made some new curtains, cushions and bunting for mine and finished off the hippy type quilt I have been making. I posted about making the top from a jelly roll a few week’s ago in this post here. Now it has a fluffy inside and a soft fleecy backing! The fleece is from IKEA and is quite heavy so I should be really warm on chilly nights in a Welsh field! I don’t know about everyone else, but I tend to rush things which are for myself and end up with something which isn’t quite how it was intended to be. I make so much for selling which has to be perfect that I get sloppy when it’s only for me.

quilt with fleecy backing sewn into pointy ears

my hippy quilt with it’s ears!

Hence when sewing on the fleece backing I ended up with it sort of twisted and misaligned as I came to the end of the row (I never pin in place when it’s my own stuff!)

Anyway fortunately I had a brilliant idea and made the extra fleecy at each corner into a feature – the quilt now has ‘ears’

I have been thinking recently that I should be more careful with things I make for my own use as it doesn’t make a very good advert for my business really!

Well I’m off to continue packing – it’s a thunderstorm outside at the moment – I really hope it’s not like this tomorrow on the Lleyn Peninsula!! My plan is to be sunbathing and swimming this coming week whilst my husband gets on with all the jobs here that need doing! 🙂

But first it’s over to Handmade Monday for a look at what everyone else has been doing! See you next week with some pictures of my glamped up Dandy!

The Glastonbury Effect!

Posted on 21 July, 2013 by patchworkfairy

Well sorry I missed last week’s Handmade Monday but I was away with my DH having a much needed break! We have been in the Forest of Dean for a couple of days and then spent 5 days in a cottage in Glastonbury! Plenty of scope for coffee and cake adventures!

I love Glastonbury and used to come here 3 or 4 times a year with friends, but because of health issues I haven’t been for 3 years now, which is why my lovely husband suggested it as a holiday for us! Glastonbury always had a recharging/de-stressing effect on me when I came here touching me spiritually, deepening my sense of oneness with the earth and my ability to tune into the magical/otherworldly realms. Since becoming ill and having to take pain meds I have felt a loss of connection to my spiritual side and even an inability to enjoy meditation as I used to do, so I was very much looking forward to experiencing a rekindling of these lost attributes by being once again in Glastonbury.

We had a view of the Tor from our bedroom window! Sadly I can’t walk up it any more but maybe one day I will manage it again.

Glastonbury Tor

Well I enjoyed my time away, I feel rested and more relaxed, but I didn’t experience the ‘Glastonbury Effect’ – not any of the ‘connections’ I used to feel at the sacred sites such as the Goddess Temple and Chalice Well. I drank the well water and walked through the healing pool, I enjoyed the sensation, but it seems that nothing can get through the blanking effect of taking heavy drugs long term, no tingling excitement or special awakening occurred. I did read some very interesting books though which the hosts left in the living room and from these I remembered some of what I used to do naturally. So now I will be working on reawakening my chakras, trying to reconnect with my higher self and deepening my connection to natural world around me to see if I can regain some of my sense of goddess spirituality.

The cottage was wonderful though, comfy bed, interesting garden with a raised patio in the garden overlooking the Abbey grounds. We had some nice cider and wine sitting up there! Not much intake for me though – another consequence from taking the drugs 🙁

I took my sewing bag with me, expecting to have plenty of time to do some knitting, crochet and hand sewing to make things like the hexagon patterns for quilts, but didn’t actually do any! Amazingly, it was too hot to sew or knit or crochet!!! Everytime I sat down in the garden recliner or on the sofa to read or craft I fell asleep! They had amazing garden rolling recliners which are the best thing I have found for back/neck support in a comfy reclining position. They were so good I ordered one online which my son picked up and had waiting for me when we got back last night!! The holiday ones, Tuscany Recliners, were from Greenfingers online store but they have sold out so I got a Malibu rolling recliner from Argos which is very similar. If you have any back, neck, knee or hip problems and can’t get comfy outside I really recommend trying one of these! http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/searchTerms/ROLLING+RECLINER+.htm

Floral binding and Rainbow Wool!

I did also manage to feed my fabric addiction in a beautiful little craft shop in Lydney, and a wonderful emporium called Sew Vintage in Wells. Here is the ready made quilt binding I bought and some lovely wool I just couldn’t resist.

So now I have even more of a stash and haven’t made any progress at all with making things!! Oh well, par for the course for fabric fanatics!

Now I’m back home I have decided to make some summer resolutions!

make time for daily meditation and mindfulness
work on my craft projects whilst listening to some beautiful music
keep my craft room workspace tidy but have some pretty things in there to uplift my soul whilst working
keep up to date reading craft blogs and writing my own

That shouldn’t be difficult, should it?!! Think I’ll start by popping over to read the other blogs at handmade harbour!!

Swingy Seat Covers and Cloutie Bunting!

Posted on 7 July, 2013 by patchworkfairy

Oh gosh I am too hot! Yes I one of the very annoying people who hate hot weather, give me a ‘might need a cardi’ spring day anytime!

Anyway, thank you very much for all the lovely comments and sympathy left on last week’s memorial post to Jess, it was lovely to read them. We are adapting to life without her slowly. I think I have ‘seen’ her twice already, which was slightly startling but not scary in any way.

I have done a lot of sewing this week. It is my sister’s 50th birthday tomorrow and I made bunting for her party and two cakes! I also recovered her swingy seat cushions and made matching patchwork cushion covers out of the leftover scraps of fabric.

garden seat with green and brown covers and bunting hanging on yhe top rail

Swing Seat new Covers and Cloutie Bunting

The coloured garland hanging on the seat is my ‘cloutie bunting’. I did make some fabric flag style bunting as well, but the cloutie bunting uses up all the scraps of fabric leftover from any project sewn onto a strip of fabric or tape – like the fabric clouties tied to tree branches as a Beltaine/May Day celebration.

As well as sister’s 50th I also finished a pram quilt for my daughter’s best friend’s daughter!

Patchwork quilt for Pippa’s 1st Birthday

I am now almost up to date with presents and so now have to start making items for our stall at the Handmade Christmas at the 02 event. It seems a long way off but if I don’t start building up stock soon I won’t have enough to sell for 3 days!

I am now going to have a cold glass of wine in the garden whilst the bbq cooks – ‘spose hot weather isn’t too bad sometimes 🙂

Later I will settle down to watch ‘The Returned’ – one of the best, scary series I have seen in a long time, and I will also be perusing the crafty blogs over at Handmade Harbour, see you there!