2021: Wrist Surgery
Sew It Goes: Stitching Up a Scrapbook Spread
I apologize if this layout makes you feel a little queasy—I know I’d be feeling lightheaded if this weren’t my own hand! But don’t worry, no scrapbookers were harmed in the making of this spread. My wrist surgery wasn’t caused by too much crafting (though I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s an official diagnosis somewhere). Instead, I believe the culprit was the 12 tons of decorative rock I moved by hand, wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow, in August and September of 2020. The good news? My yard looked amazing, and I even made a scrapbook page about the landscaping results—which you can check out HERE!
Paging Dr. Scrapbook: The Layout Breakdown
This spread documents the full “healing journey”, from pre-op to post-op, and through three stages of recovery. I’m happy to report that I’m now fully recovered, with no lingering effects—except maybe a heightened appreciation for ergonomic crafting tools!
At first, I wasn’t sure whether I should even scrapbook these photos. They were originally just progress updates for my son, so he wouldn’t worry too much about me. But when I printed 700 other photos, these made the cut (pun intended), so I decided to give them a proper home in my album.
Stitching It All Together
On the left-hand page, I created a title block using my Cricut machine. To add a rugged, worn look, I used a jagged-edge tearing tool for the distressed borders. On the right-hand side, you’ll notice a familiar hospital memento—my wristband (blurred for privacy, of course).
Instead of traditional adhesive, I decided to really “suture up” the design by sewing the borders of my photos directly onto the background page. And here’s the fun part—I picked a sewing pattern that actually mimics the stitches in my wrist! Talk about scrapbooking with surgical precision!
I’ve used this stitched scrapbook technique a few times before, most notably in my son’s Senior Album (though thankfully, no medical emergencies were involved in that one). If you’d like to try this technique, here are a few scrappy survival tips:
🩺 Use a sturdy needle—cardstock is tougher than fabric, and needles can break easily.
💉 Have extras on hand—because nothing stops progress like a snapped needle.
🏥 Consider a “scrap-only” sewing machine—I actually bought a cheap one at Walmart just for paper piecing, so I wouldn’t risk sending my good machine into cardiac arrest!
Final Thoughts
This spread might not be the prettiest in my album, but it tells a story—a reminder that even through the rough patches, we can stitch our lives (and scrapbook pages) back together. Have you ever made a scrapbook layout about an unexpected life event? Let me know in the comments!
Categories: 2021
MASCrapping 