Sandy C's Sew Craft

23/12/2023

Hello everybody, Sandra’s son Peter here. Sadly my Mum passed away earlier this week at Florence Nightingale Hospice in Stoke Mandeville following a short stay in Hospital and valiantly fighting Cancer for 4 years.

She was an awesome Mum. Kind and caring, encouraging and honest, loving and fun.

She loved animals, feeding the garden birds and supporting animal charities.

She loved sewing, arts & crafts and was super talented at it. Making bags, dresses, kites and all sorts of things.

She loved music and encouraged me to follow my dreams of playing guitar, which is my job now.

And she was cool, she loved Rock and Heavy Metal. Her favourites were Metallica, Alter Bridge, Joe Satriani and more.

She gave me her cuddly sewing bear called ‘Sewfie Bear’ to keep me company during lockdown. I gave her a voice and personality and we used to video call everyday.

She was the best and always put others before herself.

Christmas this year is going to be different but I know she would want us to carry on and be happy.

I love you Mum, miss you 🙂

Peter, Bryan, Sewf and the gang x

Sandra Cottrell
7th July 1955 - 18th December 2023

21/06/2022

So quite some time since I posted. I started out struggling with the new chemo and lost my drive to do much sewing. I was keeping myself occupied with crossword puzzles, word searches, colouring etc. but I finally got back to sewing when one of the district nurses suggested making bags for people that have 24hour chemo. Patients wear the chemo and pump for 24hours and they are provided with a bag to carry the equipment. I found out the dimensions required for these bags and have adapted my drawstring bags accordingly. It has taken me sometime to sort the design with lots of unsewing and re-thinking going on but I have finally got there. The bag can be attached through belt loops on trousers or can be worn over the shoulder.
I am feeling really well at the moment although I don't know how things are progressing, I have a CT scan at the end of June that will show if there is any progress, so I am enjoying feeling well and staying positive.
Here are a couple of photos of the one completed bag I have made.

14/03/2022

Just been looking at my page having been absent for quite some time. Lost my way a bit really and though I have sewn some stuff I haven't been very consistent. I'm still going through the 'cancer' thing, they found a shadow in my liver which they have done a biopsy on and apparently I have nodules in my lungs which they are going to assume are cancer and put me on chemo again. The effects of the biopsy were quite tough to get over but getting there now.
I made a zipped bag for my sister in law, it was what I needed to help me get back into the sewing again and I am trying to do some in a larger size but had a few stumbles with the design. The one for my sister in law was quite small and vey fiddly but got there in the end even if a bit wonky. Here are some pics of it in the making. Don't have one of the finished item though.

04/11/2021

14/09/2021

Been trying to get decent photos for my page today. Here are the ones taken today. Hope you like them. Tell me which products you like and would you buy them?

24/07/2021

24/07/2021

Not been on for quite a while. Finding the chemo hard work and though I've not had too many side effects it has given me a blood clot so now on blood thinners too injections every day. Kept myself busy with sewing as usual but struggling with tiredness so not managed to get myself together much. Been doing simple sewing and my bags which I can do standing on my head and also been trying to photograph everything so I can get them listed but the photography is proving difficult and a challenge. The bags are okay but the skirts are a challenge. Still I will get there in the end. Here are some photos of what I have made.

19/06/2021

I’ve been sewing on and off over the past few weeks but this lot of chemotherapy is making me struggle a lot. I have spent time changing drawstring skirts to elasticated waist skirts and put them in my shop. I have now closed my shop on nuMONDAY as I can’t seem to get any interaction with anyone and no interest in my products so after about three years trying it has been pointless. I will have to re-think what I do and may just try through this page. Very difficult to sell anything these days. Will carry on sewing though as it helps me a lot.

08/05/2021

Three mini tote bags done, yet to be ironed and one mini crescent cushion completed. The feather bag has two compartments. Love these fabrics so wanted to use them up. What do you think of them?