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A Bustle & Sew Publication Copyright Š Bustle & Sew Limited 2012 The right of Helen Dickson 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 2013 by: Bustle & Sew Coombe Leigh Chillington Kingsbridge Devon TQ7 2LE UK www.bustleandsew.com
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Hello, And welcome to the May 2013 issue of the Bustle & Sew Magazine. I love this time of year, when the hedgerows are full of spring flowers, with all the lovely old-fashioned names like Ragged Robin, Toadflax and - a particular favourite - Rosebay Willowherb! This month’s issue is full of loveliness too - with six Bustle & Sew patterns, including one of my favourites - the Curlywurly Cottontails - a silly idea that came to me - if only we had tiny rabbits instead of snails in our gardens! I’m delighted too to bring to you an interview with the phenomenally talented Lucy Levenson, whilst Becky from Patchwork Posse has contributed a lovely little Spring Chic pattern. And May wouldn’t be May without Cherry Blossom time - there’s a Simple Stitchery Cherry Blossom pattern for you as well as an article on cherry blossoms in Japan. Coming next month you’ll discover a “Work in Progress” bag so you can take your projects out and about with you in the summer months, as well as much more stitchy goodness. Meanwhile, have a wonderful May.
Helen xx Notes from a Devon Village
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Fuzzypeg and his Carrot
Page 6
Elderflower Cordial
Page 11
Terrific Tulip Messenger Bag
Page 13
Fusible Interfacing
Page 18
Dandelion Button Transfer
Page 21
The Tradition of Sakura
Page 22
Cherry Blossom Time
Page 24
A Little Vintage Loveliness
Page 29
An interview with Lucy Levenson
Page 30
Bird Patchwork Posse
Page 35
A Green Lady Stitches Applique
Page 40
Feedsacks - a little American History
Page 46
Curlywurly Cottontails Embroidery
Page 48
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Notes from a Devon Village
spoon. A swarm of bees in July is not worth a fly.” Or in other words, by late summer the value of a swarm of bees is minimal. I love to hear the sound of bees buzzing around my garden and although I know bees are suffering heavy losses elsewhere in the country, here in south Devon we have been very lucky as our bees have remained both healthy and numerous.
The lanes here are at their in May I think. They're smothered with bluebells and pink campion, with cow parsley frothing in wild abandon. Some of the wider and sunnier verges are even studded with wild orchids. I have been told that they're a very common kind, but then that doesn't make them any less attractive. I often think that the summer visitors miss our countryside at its best, since by late July and August the wild flowers are mostly over and everywhere is beginning to look tired and dusty. At this time of year I often think of the poem "Lanes in Summer" by Malcolm Hemphrey which I learned as a child… I love the little winding lanes, In the sweet days when summer reigns; The eglantine and hawkweed's plume; The dog-rose and the bramble bloom, Like stars from heaven gone astray; The fragrant scent of new-mown hay; The poppies in the green-aisled wheat; The bees that find the clover sweet; The last song of the wren and thrush Breaking through the drowsy hush If kindly peace be anywhere 'Tis surely there, 'tis surely there.
At this time of year, everything is fresh and green, and it’s such fun to rediscover all our favourite walks especially this year after such a long, cold and grey winter. Although the newfies swim all year round (Ben has been known to pretend to be an icebreaker ship and forge through really
And while we’re thinking of bees, have you heard the old country saying “A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay. A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver 4
Fuzzypeg and his Carrot Fuzzypeg is definitely a bunny with attitude - his paws are wrapped very firmly about his prize carrot and he’s not about to give it away to anybody! Easy softie to make, all hand sewn. Fuzzypeg measures 12� tall from his fuzzy tail to the tips of his ears.
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Cool and refreshing on a summer’s afternoon inexpensive to make - and best of all - you know exactly what’s gone into it. head off out with your basket - they are very common in the hedgerows and easily identified by their clusters of creamy-white flowers and distinctive scent. (If in doubt use a book to identify them, or take a knowledgeable friend along).
Every year, as May turns to June and the days grow longer, the scent of elderflower hangs heavy in the warm air, I unearth my preserving pan - unused since the final chutney-making marathon in the autumn and put it to good use making this most delicious of summer cordials - perfectly refreshing on a hot afternoon.
We have our own in the garden. I don't pick them all - leaving some to become berries for the birds in the autumn, but I do gather a good few handfuls. If you don’t have any elder bushes in your garden, then
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Terrific Tulip Messenger Bag A useful little messenger bag, turned into something a bit special with the addition of some simple retro-style embroidery. Tulips, sunflowers and daisies jostle for space, with no regard for the seasons whatsoever! Finished bag measures 12” high x 10” wide x 2” deep (approx)
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The Terrific Tulip Messenger Bag project uses a fusible interfacing to give weight, strength and definition to the quilting weight fabric I chose for the lining. Fusible interfacings are quick and easy to apply providing you follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. But it may not be something that you do every day - so here's a quick reminder of the steps to follow - including test-fusing your interfacing to a sample of your fabric to ensure you obtain perfect results every time. As I'm sure you know, interfacing is available in fusible (iron-on) and nonfusible (sew-in) varieties. Fusible interfacing is coated with an adhesive substance that melts and adheres to your fabric when you press it with a hot iron. It's suitable to use with a wide variety of fabrics, but shouldn't be considered when you're using fabrics that are damaged by heat, pressure or moisture - seersucker, silks that waterspot and some manmade fabrics, for example. You can also use narrow strips of fusible interfacing to stop your stitches puckering on a lightweight fabric - underneath topstitching for example. You should always choose an interfacing that is lighter in weight than your fabric, bearing in mind that the adhesive on the interfacing will change the texture and feel of the fabric slightly. You should always test-fuse a sample to your fabric before going ahead, to check its suitability, and to determine the exact heat, pressure, moisture and time duration needed to create a good bond between the interfacing and your fabric.
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Bondaweb - which I use a lot in applique - is simply another form of fusible interfacing. This time it's a double-sided variety - used to adhere two fabrics together. Bondaweb has a paper backing and is applied in two stages - first adhering the Bondaweb to one fabric, then cutting the shape, peeling off the backing and adhering it to the second - usually the background - fabric.
Test-fusing your Sample Prepare your interfacing:
Cut a 4� square of fabric. Cut interfacing to cover half of this square. Place your fabric wrong side up on a clean, flat surface, then place your interfacing on one half of your square, adhesive (shiny) side down.
Dandelion Button Transfer A very early Bustle & Sew design - but worth revisiting‌
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The Tradition of Sakura In the Heian Period , Emperor Saga would welcome this time with celebratory feasts and parties under the sakura trees in Kyoto's Imperial Court. While originally limited to Japanese royalty and the elite upper class, Hanami is the traditional Japanese everyone was enjoying taking part in hanami traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of by the Edo Period in the early 1600's. flowers, "flower" in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms ("sakura") or less often plum blossoms. This custom is said to have begun in the late 8th century, during the Nara Period (710 to 794). This seasonal event was used to welcome in the new year's harvest while marking the beginning of the rice planting season.
Woodblock print of Mount Fuji and cherry blossom from 36 Views of Mount Fuji by Hiroshige.
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Cherry Blossom Time.. A simple stitchery from Bustle & Sew bringing spring and cherry blossom time in Japan into your hoop! Really easy stitching - a great design for beginners. Shown framed in an 8� hoop.
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A Little Vintage Loveliness … I don’t have the transfer referred to I’m afraid, but I think the shapes are simple enough and it should be quite easy to just enlarge the diagrams at the bottom of the pattern.
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Sometimes you come across someone whose work literally stops you in your tracks - who has the “wow” factor in bucket-loads and, for me, Lucy Levenson is one of these wonderful designer/creators and I’m delighted she agreed to be interviewed for Bustle & Sew Magazine. Lucy was chosen by Country Living Magazine (UK) as one of four women with the potential to transform their sewing hobby into a business. Her applique work is amazingly vibrant and colourful, with a distinctive, rather humorous, folk-art style. Hi Lucy, can you tell us a little about yourself and when you learned to sew? Hi! I was a magazine photographer for many years, I stopped when my little girl Katy was born in 2004. She became very ill a year later, and suffered brain damage. Things were very difficult for years as she suffered from epilepsy. I became her full-time carer and fitted in my sewing, drawing and painting whenever I could.
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Elephants in Love Applique Cute little applique elephants sitting in rows, and just two who have fallen for each other! Easy to create applique.
A great project for beginners or a quick easy make for the more experienced.
A lovely Green Lady Embroiders and stitches Sweet flowers in the meadows, On banks and in ditches. All day she is sewing, Embroidering all night; For she works in the darkness As well as the light. She makes no mistake in The silks which she uses, And all her gay colours She carefully chooses. She fills nooks and corners With blossoms so small, Where none but the fairies Will see them at all.
Green Lady Applique I love to combine freestyle machine embroidery with hand stitching to create a design that’s just a little bit different - and I also love this little children’s poem from Charlotte Druitt Cole - you’ll see the first few verses above. Design shown mounted on A4 (12” x 8” approx) canvas board.
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Feedsacks - Stitcher’s Delight! Taking a look at vintage feedsacks - and the wonderful designs that were produced last century. Feedsacks, or feedbags as they were known then, were initially printed on plain white cloth and in sizes that corresponded to barrel sizes. For example, a one barrel bag held 196 pounds of flour, whilst a 1/8 barrel bag only held 24 pounds. The brand name of the flour was simply printed on the side of the bag.
In the USA, from about the late 19th century, stable goods began to be transported and distributed in fabric bags - a much easier and more economical means of packaging than the previously used wood and metal storage containers. These had not been an ideal method of storage as tin would rust and the handmade boxes and barrels leaked and were damaged easily. They were bulky, heavy and difficult to transport. Manufacturers were anxious to find another method, but didn't consider the cloth bags of homespun linen used by farmers to store goods for use at home because the hand sewn seams wouldn't be strong enough for heavy use.
All of this changed in 1846 with the invention of the stitching machine, which made it possible to sew double locking seams strong enough to hold the contents of a bag. These bags were often re-used many times, although later they were specially woven from white cotton and often bore the logo of the mill The dress-print feed sacks that are so pretty, and so where they had been made. lovely to use in all kinds of sewing, from patchwork to applique - and even for softie-making, had a Feedbacks were initially made from heavy canvas, relatively short lifespan. and were used to transport flour, sugar, meal, grain, salt and feed from the mills. They were reusable, and Most of us will associate these printed sacks with the the farmer would return his empty sack stamped with Depression period of the 1930s. As the economy was his mark to the mill to be filled. This changed when plunged into recession, and people had to economise weaving inexpensive cotton fabric became possible and utilise whatever came to hand, fabric and grain in the late 1800's. companies began to realise that thrifty housewives were using these feed sacks to make clothing and household textiles, and so they began to print them in beautiful patterns to attract such customers. It was not unknown for wives to send their husbands to the store to purchase their feed in bags printed with a specific design so they could complete their project 18
Curlywurly Cottontails Imagine ‌. If all those pesky snails that lurk in the dark, damp places of your garden could be transformed into the most delightful miniature rabbits - how wonderful would that be?! And my little rabbits have kept their curlywurly snail-like bodies too ‌.
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