ATC August 2015

Posted on 23 August, 2015 by patchworkfairy

This week I thought I’d share my ATC which I made as part of the ATC August 2015 swap over at Very Berry Handmade! I haven’t got a lot else to show as whilst recovering from surgery my days are mainly taken up with exercises, resting with ice packs and sleeping!

So what is an ATC swap? It stands for Artist Trading Card and is a small, handmade card which is crafted to a theme. It can comprise all different crafts as long as there is some stitching involved. The them this time was a bit more flexible than previous swaps as it was ‘My Favourite………’ I chose to add the word ‘crafts’ on the end and so made a card with a mini quilt, some crochet, a mini Quillie, a little greetings card and some freehand embroidery.

i had a lot of fun making the card, it distracted me from the immediate aftermath of surgery and focussed my mind on something other than the pain! It’s not my best work as I just wasn’t in the best state to craft it but I decided it was ok enough to send to my swap partner in France! I had collected all the things needed to make my card into a little box before surgery and so everything I wanted was within my grasp once I was back home. It will be a while before I am back in my craft room, but part of that. Is my fault as it’s so messy in there it’s dangerous when you are walking with two sticks!!

Little card with mini patchwork quilt, some crochet and a little greetings card.

ATC My Favourite Crafts

Linking up with Lucy Blossom Crafts!

Post-Surgery with a bit of crochet!

Posted on 16 August, 2015 by patchworkfairy

Just a short post from me today. Been into hospital and had my total knee replacement surgery! I am so glad to be home 😀. I took my crochet in but only did some whilst waiting to go to theatre as afterwards it was enough of an effort just to get myself to the bathroom and back!

Now I am resting most of the day with little walks and knee exercises inbetween. I have been so glad of my soft Liberty fabric patchwork quilt, my warm colourful ripple blanket and a new bright owl fabric cushion I made last week before I went in. All of these have helped add a little bit of comfort to a rather painful time!

Yellow owl fabric cushion and crochet granny square in pink, cream, green and peach variegated cotton with two lilac rows.

My growing granny square and owl fabric cushion

The crochet is going to be a big granny square summer blanket using Rico Creative Cotton which is soft and not splitty at all

Well that’s all for now, time for my nap!😀

Linking up with Handmade Monday as usual over at Lucy Blossom Crafts

Caravanning and Competitions!

Posted on 10 August, 2015 by patchworkfairy

Gosh what a lot’s happened in last couple of weeks! I’ve been away camping, or caravanning, as I should say now, for a few days as I do every year, with extended family and friends. Here are my two grandsons early one morning.

My two grandson enjoying breakfast at Granny’s Cafe!

This year I had a new (to me) little caravan which was very nice and cosy! We decided to change up from the Camplet because even that was too much for me to help put up now. My little lightweight Freedom caravan is only 450kg and means I can just roll up, park, stick the kettle on and I’m there! This year however there was a large kerfuffle with the awning which came with the caravan as I left the instructions at home ! With the help of some friendly campers, my poor husband and our friends finally got the awning up in the dark! Next morning I discovered a full set of instructions in the awning bag ………

i couldnt help help making a few little comforts for my new ‘van just before I went…

My indoor-outdoor bunting

I had some very pretty fabrics from the Abakhan secret sale and managed to knock up two new cushions and the bunting just before we went. The bunting was made using waterproof fabric so I could hang it inside or out! With 100 purple solar fairy lights and a ceramic table top solar light changing thing my little patch looked very pretty and welcoming! Can’t wait to go away again and OH and I had been planning a little trip in early September for our wedding anniversary but last week I got a call from the hospital as they had a cancellation … So I am going in this Thursday for my total knee replacement 😱 it has put an end to my summer plans with daughter and the grandchildren but at least after it’s done I won’t be worrying every time I hold my new granddaughter in case my knee gives way. It was awkward on holiday as I couldn’t really walk about with her or jog her up and down and somehow babies always seem to know when you sit down with them, even if you are still jiggling them about!

To finish off my exciting fortnight, once I got back home I discovered I had won a competition in a craft magazine and a box full of Sewline products was delivered! It’s full of fabric glue pens, air erasable fabric pens and similar. All very useful and wonderful to have. I will have plenty to keep me busy after my surgery and am planning to set up a little craft station downstairs during my recovery period.

My box of Sewline goodies!

So that’s a quick round up – not sure if I’ll be in hospital next Sunday so might not make it in time for Handmade Monday again, but hopefully I will manage a quick update at least. Hope everyone is enjoying the summer holidays, whatever you are doing!