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A Bustle & Sew Publication Copyright Š Bustle & Sew Limited 2019 The right of Helen Challenor to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means, without the prior written permission of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Every effort has been made to ensure that all the information in this book is accurate. However, due to differing conditions, tools and individual skills, the publisher cannot be responsible for any injuries, losses and other damages that may result from the use of the information in this book.
First published 2019 by: Bustle & Sew The Cottage Oakhill Radstock BA3 5HT UK www.bustleandsew.com
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Welcome to the June Magazine Hello everyone! Here we are approaching the mid-point of the year - how can it even be June already? My garden is full of colour and bloom, whilst Daisy is enjoying regular trips to the river for swimming. We haven’t quite made it down to the beach yet this month, but are planning a visit to Devon later on. And .. some exciting news - Daisy is now officially a Big-Sister-in-Waiting! as a little labrador puppy will be joining us here at Bustle & Sew HQ later in the summer. We haven’t quite decided on a name yet, suffice it to say that there are vigorous discussions taking place between myself and The Engineer, with lots of (not very helpful!) input from some very excited grandchildren! Meanwhile, there’s lots to enjoy between the covers of this month’s edition - we chat to two very talented makers, find out more about the story of linen - and how to care for this amazing fabric as well as sampling the tastes of the season with Rosie’s Recipes: Berries and Cherries. I do hope you’ll enjoy this issue, and if you’re a subscriber then please look out for the July Magazine arriving in your inbox on Thursday 27 June.
Helen xx
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Tips for Stitchers When you’re using your sewing machine your thread creates a groove in the eye of the needle that is unique to that type of thread. If you later change to another type of thread without changing your needle, the groove will not match and your thread may snap or shred. In order to avoid this, stick a label on the needle box to identify which needle was used with which thread. Additionally, if you’re stitching with metallic threads it’s a good idea to choose a needle with an extra large eye that will help prevent shredding.
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Between this month’s covers … Tips for Stitchers
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Lovely Idea: Mason Jar Terrarium
Page 44
June Almanac
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Loving your Linen Closet
Page 45
Dancing Ballerina Hoop
Page 8
Turban Style Head Band
Page 48
Lovely Idea: Oriental Vase Flower Pots
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A (very) Little Guide to Tape Measures
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Meet the Maker: Jessie Chorley
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Meet the Maker: Erin Kroeker
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Poetry Corner: The Glory of the Garden
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Choosing the Right Needle
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Dark Botanicals Cushion
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Tomorrow is Another Day
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Lovely Idea: Ballerina Peg Dolls
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Embroidery Stitch Guide
Page 57
Transferring your Pattern
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In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
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Great British Food: Fish & Chips
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Templates
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A Very Little Guide to Fabric
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Mouse and Balloon
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Tastes of the Season: Strawberries
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Rosie’s Recipes: Berries and Cherries
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Tastes of the Season: Edible Flowers
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Jungle Hoop
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A (very) Little Look at Linen
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June Nature seems humming with life in the summer and the season is marked by country shows and long established fairs and carnivals, though beneath all this festivity there is a sense of urgency - that we must enjoy this kindest of seasons while we are able, as the turning of the summer solstice before the end of June leaves the days shortening and July and August already in anticipation of autumn, and winter. According to Shakespeare’s contemporary, Nicholas Breton, June sees the muster of mowers and haymakers, the stacking of hay-cocks in the fields and preparations for the harvest, the full leafing of the oak and the shearing of sheep, the partridge in season and venison pies and apples on the menu and the brewing of cordials from roses and herbs. Early summer continues the lovely blooming of late spring and the name of the month of June is
derived from Juno, both the Roman goddess of marriage and motherhood and a Latin term for a young woman ready for marriage.
“Where the bee sucks, there suck I, In a cowslip’s bell I lie;… Merrily, merrily, shall I live now, Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.”
June can also be a wet month however, and in the world of English proverbial wisdom it’s not only likely to rain this month but can be positively beneficial if it does. “A dripping June brings all things
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in tune” - all things that is except haymaking and positively the harvest for which dry weather is a positive essential. Along the hedgerows and lanes of southern England, where I live, bloom a multitude of wild flowers now that weedkillers are no longer routinely sprayed along the verges and councils have grown wise enough to leaving mowing until after these summer blooms have withered and set their seeds. The more established the hedge and bank the more species of wild flowers can be spotted, though even recently established hedgerows and verges become spangled with wild flowers this month. Just as yellow, white and blue were the predominant colours of spring, so pink, cream and red fringe the roadsides in June. The most common is perhaps cow parsley, whose massed flowers foam like breaking waves along the
"Small is Beautiful keep it small and close to your heart until it’s the time to delegate” talks to us about her proudest moment, where she finds her inspiration and how she started her business, Jessie Chorley is a passionate collector, maker, tutor and shop owner who mainly works with found paper, books, fabrics and items of pre-worn clothing. She spends her days in her shop in Hackney, East London, where she sells all the beautiful items she makes.
I completed my art foundation in Bangor North Wales and then went on to Goldsmiths College in London to complete my BA in Fine art textiles practice. When I graduated in 2005 I had strongly made up my mind that I wanted to create a life as a maker and to support myself through the items that I made and designed. Since I was a small girl I’d always dreamed of running a shop or a cafe and in 2006 that dream came true when I opened my first small studio and showroom. At the same time I also sold my products on a table top stall at the upcoming Broadway Market 7
in Hackney. During this period I took commissions and gained a large customer base, learning a huge amount about running my own business. These early years were a good foundation for the business I run today. Much of what I made and designed back then have become some of my core stock that I still make today, always developing and changing slightly over the years.
I take a huge amount of inspiration from the materials that I gather and choose to work and surround myself with - these are mainly found fabrics, papers and vintage linens, vintage books and worn and pre-loved haberdashery. I also find inspiration whilst searching for these items and love to visit the museums I’m lucky to have nearby.
The Glory of the Garden Our England is a garden that is full of stately views, Of borders, beds and shrubberies and lawns and avenues, With statues on the terraces and peacocks strutting by; But the Glory of the Garden lies in more than meets the eye. For where the old thick laurels grow, along the thin red wall, You’ll find the tool- and potting-sheds which are the heart of all The cold-frames and the hot-houses, the dung-pits and the tanks, The rollers, carts, and drain-pipes, with the barrows and the planks. Rudyard Kipling 8
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Great British Food: Fish & Chips
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A (very) Little Guide to Fabric Choosing the right fabric is possibly the most important part of your project, since if you don’t get this right, then nothing else will work out properly. That’s why it’s essential to understand the terms used to describe the make up of a piece of fabric especially if you’re ordering online.
which run across the fabric at right angles to the warp threads are the weft threads. The right side of a piece of fabric is the outside or finished side - the side that you want to be visible when your project is finished. It’s very easy to tell which side is the right side on a printed fabric, though can be harder on a plain fabric. It’s pretty obvious then, that the wrong side must be the inside or un-printed side of the fabric the side that shouldn’t be visible when your project is complete.
The selvedge (or selvage) is the finished edge of the piece of fabric. It’s very tightly woven and won’t fray. It may be printed with the same design as the fabric itself or it may be a solid background colour with dots or squares of the colours used in the design spaced along it. (These are very handy for matching different fabrics together). It may also feature an arrow pointing towards the top if the fabric has a directional design.
And finally, if you imagine a line drawn across your fabric at 45 degrees to the selvedge, then this is the bias. A woven fabric will have some stretch when it’s cut in the direction of or “on” the bias, which is why bias binding is so good for fitting around curves.
The threads that run parallel to the selvedge, ie lengthwise, are the warp threads. Those
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The mouse’s arms are sewn on after you have attached her dress. 12
Rosie’s Recipes: Berries and Cherries
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Tastes of the Season: Edible Flowers Here in the UK, the enjoyment of edible flowers is a relatively recent development - certainly in my childhood my parents would have been horrified to find flowers in their salads, firmly believing that they belonged in a vase on the dining room table. Today we’re much more adventurous in our tastes and edible flowers are a tasty (and colourful) addition to the summer menu. Edible flowers can be used to add colour, flavour and texture to both savoury and sweet dishes, as well as cordials, oils and butters. A wide range of annuals and perennial edible flowers can be grown in the garden from early spring to late autumn. But do be sure you’ve accurately identified what you’re picking and eating - if in doubt don’t eat! Be sure to pick younger flowers ad buds on dry mornings, before the sun becomes too strong so the colour and flavours will be intense. Use them immediately for best results or refrigerate in a plastic bag for a couple of days. Dried or frozen flowers are best used in infusions or cooked. 14
Choosing the Right Needle The starting point for any successful sewing project is a good needle that is the right size and sharpness for the task you are about to undertake. It should also be shiny but the plating does wear off needles over time so as soon as your needle feels sticky and appears even slightly tarnished it's time to replace it with a new one. The eye of your needle should be large enough to take the thread without difficulty and the doubled thread should easily pass through your fabric. If you find you're having to tug, then try a larger size of needle. Very fine needles are great as they run through your fabric with ease, but if you're like me with less nimble fingers (I'm getting a bit of arthritis in mine as I get older) then small needles can be tricky to hold. IIt's worth experimenting with a pack of mixed sizes to see which suits you and the work in hand the best. Needle sizes are ranged by number - the lower the number, then larger the needle, so a size 1 needle is larger than a 2 or 3 and so on. There are four common types of needle used for embroidery (embroidery) needles come in sizes 1 to 10. They have sharp points to pierce your fabric easily
and long eyes to take one or more threads of stranded cotton or wool. These are the most commonly used needles for embroidery projects. Apart from the long eye they are the same length and shape as ordinary sewing (sharps) needles. The most popular sizes used to embroider are size 7 and 9. needles come in sizes 13 to 24. They have rounded, blunt ends, which slip between the fibres of fabrics such as heavy even weaves for counted embroidery without splitting them and, as you might guess from the name, are ideal for using on needlepoint canvas where a sharp point would catch. Their oval-shaped eyes are generous in size to allow you to use thick yarns. needles are identical to tapestry needles except that they have sharp points. They're useful for sewing fabrics like twill and for thicker yarns and threads that may not thread through the eye of a standard crewel (embroidery) needle. (quilting needles) come in sizes 1 to 12. They have sharp points and are short for quick, even stitching such as running, back and stem stitch. They're also great for working French knots as they're easy to manipulate.
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