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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 June 2013 issue of the Bustle & Sew Magazine. June of course is the traditional month for romance - and I am pleased to be able to tell you that my lovely daughter Rosie has just become engaged to her boyfriend of the last five years, Dan. The wedding is planned for next year - and there’s so much to do before then, I feel quite breathless from a combination of excitement and busyness already! As love is going to be very much in the air here at Coombe Leigh over the coming months, do look out for some romance-inspired designs from Bustle & Sew. This month though, I hope you’ll enjoy making my Great British Picnic Blanket - and that it’s warm enough to enjoy plenty of picnics this summer! You’ll also discover my first-ever blackwork project, as well as a little history of blackwork, a work in progress pouch (great to take on holiday) and much more too! So wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing, I do hope you have a wonderful - and stitchy - June.
Helen xx
Notes from a Devon Village
Page 4
Naughty Kitty Work in Progress Pouch
Page 7
Newfie Nibbles
Page 14
Nelly in the Sky with Diamonds
Page 17
A Small History of Blackwork
Page 22
Blackwork Butterfly
Page 25
Vintage Pin Book
Page 30
Great British Picnic Blanket & Bag
Page 31
Choosing the right thread
Page 39
Roses Looking Glass
Page 41
Simple Fabric Flowers
Page 48
English Gardens Device Sleeve
Page 50
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Notes from a Devon Village
Here in the deepest, greenest countryside of south or it tries to invade the gazebo above and twine itself Devon, June is the month for fairs, fetes, cream teas into the hair of unsuspecting diners when we lunch and cricket on the village green. And, not too far al fresco! from Coombe Leigh, at Beesands - a little fishing village clinging to the edge of Start Bay - a very special cricket match is played every summer. During June there is always one very low tide when a shingle bank a few hundred yards off-shore is uncovered for just a couple of hours - long enough for a few overs even if the last man in usually has to be rescued by boat! It’s great fun, and afterwards everyone gathers in the local pub - the Cricket Inn of course! Interesting fact: Keith Richards' family spent regular holidays at Beesands during the 1950s. Keith Richards’ and Mick Jagger's first public performance was at The Cricket Inn.
The rose scrambles over the woodstore On warm June days, my house stays beautifully cool, thanks to the thick cob walls and cool slate floors. The hall floor is quite beautiful with its pattern of dark grey slate and creamy marble diamond inserts. I think it must have been laid by Robert Webb, the gentleman who improved the property
The beach at Beesands back in 1838. Leigh hallway Coombe
In June the rose that scrambles over the woodstore is comes into full bloom and shedding its petals on me like sweetly scented confetti when I water the old stone trough of geraniums below. It is highly fragrant and very pretty too, but has wickedly sharp thorns and is very vigorous. I have to keep it well pruned,
I can be exact about the date as he left a letter hidden in the chimney breast for future generations to discover - I’ve copied it and you can see it on the next page: 4
Naughty Kitty wip Pouch Not sure that their little kitten is helping these two children wind their yarn. But this pouch will help you keep your work clean and together while you’re on the move - it’s lightweight, but strong and the perfect size for a 7” hoop and all the bits and pieces you’ll need too. Or alternatively use it to store a project you’re taking a break from for the moment.
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Downloads for you ….
Unsure about stitch and flip? CLICK HERE to check out the free Bustle & Sew Tutorial.
And now there’s a free Gardener’s Notebook to download from Flapdoodle Designs.
Don’t forget to download your FREE e-book from Bustle & Sew.
CLICK HERE for the pdf file
CLICK HERE for the pdf file. 6
Newfie Nibbles by Daisy snd Rosie
What’s the most delicious activity on a Daisy’s Delights wet Sunday afternoon when you have a six-month old Newfie puppy to amuse …… making Newfie nibbles of course! Rosie and Daisy spent a very happy hour making these tasty treats - with just the simplest ingredients - and Ben is happy to confirm that they taste simply wonderful! There are two varieties for you to choose from - Daisy’s Delights - a confection of peanut butter and wholemeal flour and Ben’s Biscuits with the more masculine flavours of beef stock and eggs. Your canine friends are sure to love them, and there are no nasty additives or preservatives to upset their tummies either! The method is the same for both - and here are the lists of ingredients you’ll need, and they’re all simple store cupboard basics:
Just checking the consistency Ben’s Biscuits Ÿ Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir well until properly combined.
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Nelly in the Sky with Diamonds A baby elephant - a warm starry summer’s night - what’s not to like in this Simple Stitchery design? Easy applique and embroidery stitches combine to great effect in this cute nelifant picture! Nelly is shown mounted in a 7” hoop.
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A Small History of Blackwork Blackwork has been a popular embroidery technique for literally hundreds of years. It was a European favourite during the sixteenth century, but was certainly known in England much earlier. Chaucer, in the Canterbury Tales, written at the end of the 14th century, described a smock worn by the carpenter's wife as having a collar embroidered with "cole blak silk." At that time blackwork was known as Spanish work - the technique is of Arabic origin and was brought to Europe through Moorish Spain. Blackwork was usually worked in monochrome on white or natural-coloured evenweave linen, which would clearly show the definition of the patterns created by the stitcher. As well as black, this technique was also worked in blue, red or dark green, and in a silk thread available in two different thicknesses. Spanish needles were the preferred choice for this work as the Spanish had learned the highly skilled technique of tempering steel from the Arabs and their needles and scissors imported to England were expensive and highly prized. This was a time when religion, magic and alchemy were very present in the world, great wealth existed alongside extreme poverty and the sumptuous fabrics and laces worn by the very rich contrasted with the rough homespun textiles of the less well-off. In that time of perplexing, and often frightening, contrasts, people would have tried to create a reassuring sense of order the pattern of which symbolised the divine. So many of the blackwork patterns stitched
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Blackwork sleeves with large free-stitched flowers filled with geometric patterns, under sheer linen oversleeves, and a counted Blackwork forepart under her skirt. Portrait of Mary Cornwallis by George Gower, c. 1580
Blackwork Butterfly Blackwork is a traditional embroidery style, which peaked in popularity 400 years ago! It’s great fun to stitch - and strangely relaxing only stitching in one colour. This butterfly is stitched on evenweave fabric - and has a lovely fluffy tactile body that contrasts with the delicacy of his gauzy wings. Finished butterfly measures 8” wide x 5” tall.
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Lovely Vintage Gift Idea - or a great make for a stall
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Great British Picnic Bag and Blanket Here in Britain we love our picnics! Too often they can be wet and windy - sand in the sandwiches and wasps in the jam! But sometimes … just sometimes - we experience the perfect afternoon of warm sunshine and soft breezes, so it’s time to pack up your blanket in its own carrying bag and take your meal outdoors - before it rains! Finished blanket measures 30” x 48” (approx)
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Choosing the right sewing thread for your project Thread is a basic sewing requirement we all take for granted, but your choice will have a big impact on the success of your project. Getting it right ensures long lasting seams, as well as giving your work a really professional appearance.
You should select the thread to use according to the weight and fibre content of your fabric. If you’re using a stretch fabric, such as jersey, you’ll need a thread with some “give” so choose a polyester thread as if you use a cotton thread your stitches may break. For a special project you might consider using silk thread, which has a lustrous appearance and makes beautifully smooth stitches. Heavy fabrics such as denim and leather unsurprisingly require extra strong thread. There is a huge variety of types and colours of thread available and so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding the perfect choice for your project. As a general guide, choose thread that is one shade darker than your fabric.
Threads are usually two or three ply - this means that either two or three single strands are twisted together to form a single thread. The following threads are all suitable for both machine and hand sewing:
Polyester:
This is the most widely-used and versatile type of thread. It is fine, but very strong, and is suitable for sewing both natural and Most types of thread will be suitable for synthetic fabrics of all kinds. It has enough your sewing machine, it’s just a matter of “give” to sew both knitted and stretch getting the thread tension and machine-foot woven fabrics too. pressure right, as well as using the correct Polyester thread is available in literally needle for your fabric. When you try out a hundreds of colours and is sold on spools new thread always insert a new needle in lengths ranging from 100 to 1,000 metres (thread wears a groove in the needle and (1,094 yards). different types wear the needle differently). Then experiment with different tension and pressure settings until you’re happy with the result.
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Roses Looking Glass The prettiest little mirror in the whole of south Devon - according to my daughter Rosie anyway! Stitched on a fine shirting cotton, these candy coloured roses frame the mirror itself - and whoever’s looking into it as well! Mirror is A5 size (approx 8½” x 6”)
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Easy Fabric Roses
Simple fabric roses are quick and easy to make from coiled strips of fabric. Crisp fabrics, such as glazed cotton or dupion silk make neat roses whilst softer fabrics, such as velvets, make luxurious full-blown blooms. Use your fabric economically by cutting the strips diagonally (on the bias). For smaller roses you can reduce the dimensions of your strips - as a rough guide the length of your strips should be about ten times their width. When you’re gathering your strips, use strong thread or a doubled polyester thread to prevent it snapping as you pull the gathers up. Finding the bias:
Lay your fabric out flat, then fold the selvedge to line up with the top raw edge. Press along the fold. Mark with a ruler and temporary fabric marker pen or tailors chalk to mark the fold.
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English Gardens Device Sleeve Make your device really girly with this 1930s inspired applique design. Machine stitching makes the cover really hardwearing, whilst the ladybird and bumble bee add that unique Bustle & Sew touch!
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A sneak peek at just a little of what’s coming in next month’s issue … July issue publication date T hursday 27 June 2013.
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