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A Bustle & Sew Publication Copyright Š Bustle & Sew Limited 2017 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 2017 by: Bustle & Sew The Cottage Oakhill Radstock BA3 5HT UK www.bustleandsew.com
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Welcome to the December Issue And here we are again at the end of another year! I simply don’t know where the time disappears to, how can 2017 be nearly at its end? Still it’s been a great year here at Bustle & Sew HQ with lots to enjoy - from llamas to bears via succulents and tea cosies! We’ve lots planned for next year too, and are especially hoping to develop our range of kits which have proved to be extremely popular. Meanwhile there’s lots to enjoy in this month’s issue which, as you’d expect has a very seasonal feel. We meet two very talented makers, enjoy some old family favourite recipes and find out more about the wonderful fibre that is wool too! I do hope you have a wonderful Christmas, and look out for the January Magazine which will be published on Thursday 28 December Merry Christmas to you all!
Helen xx
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Tips for Stitchers When you’re deciding how many strands of floss you need (if your pattern doesn’t tell you) then a simple rule is never to use a thread which is thinner than the thread of the material – it will look insignificant and puny against the background. My mum taught me this simple rule of thumb and it works in 99% of cases – the exception being if you’re working very fine detail in a small area of your work. The Party Panda hoop above required lots of fine stitching and I got round the problem of choosing fabric with the right weave by choosing to work the design on a felt background - no warp and weft at all!!
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Between this month’s covers … Tips for Stitchers
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A Christmas Gathering
Page 42
December Almanac
Page 6
Lovely Idea: Reindeer Tote
Page 44
Light up Life Cactus Hoop
Page 8
Christmas Pup Applique Cushion
Page 45
Deck the Halls
Page 10
The Countryside in December
Page 48
Meet the Maker: Jess Hinsley
Page 11
The Wonder of Wool
Page 50
Christmas Shopping for Stitchers
Page 14
Country Diary
Page 53
Mrs Beeton’s Christmas Cake
Page 15
Snow Bear Tea Cosy
Page 54
Snow Scene Applique Cushion
Page 16
Instagram Favourites
Page 58
A Look at English Paper Piecing
Page 20
Meet the Maker: Ani Cahwje
Page 59
Taking Care of Your Handmade Quilts
Page 24
Nature Notes: Holly
Page 60
Lovely Idea: Rustic Stars
Page 26
Two Embroidered Baubles
Page 63
Llama Trophy Head
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In the Bleak Midwinter
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I’ve started so I’ll finish!
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Home Comforts
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What became of the Christmas Goose?
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In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
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Seasonal Ingredient: Stilton Cheese
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Templates
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Rosie’s Recipes: Family Favourites
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Seasonal Ingredient: Chestnuts
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Deck the Halls… For many years here in England, it was customary to decorate churches with evergreens at Christmas. These weren’t the restrained arrangements we expect today, but riotous festoons of greenery as parishioners strove to have the best decorated church in the area. Garlands were hung, wreaths decorated the walls and huge bunches of holly and bay leaves would have decorated the tops of the pillars. Some people felt this might all be just a little too much however, rather like this young lady who wrote to English paper, “The Spectator” on the subject in 1712 … ....................... January 14th 1712 Mr Spectator, I am a young woman and have my fortune to make, for which reason I am constantly come to church to hear divine service, and make conquests; but one great hindrance in this my design, is that our clerk, who was once a gardener, has this Christmas so over-deckt the church with greens that he has quite spoilt my prospect, insomuch I have scarce seen the young Baronet I dress at these three weeks, though we have both been very constant at our devotions, and do not sit above three pews off. The church as it is now equipt, looks more like a greenhouse than a place of worship; the middle aisle is a very pretty shady walk, and the pews like so many arbours off each side of it. The pulpit itself has such clusters of ivy, holly, and rosemary about it, that a light fellow in our pews took occasion to say, that the congregation heard the word out of a bush, like Moses. Sir Anthony Love’s pew in particular is so well hedged, that all my batteries have no effect. I am obliged to shoot at random among the bows, without taking any manner of aim. Mr Spectator, unless you will give orders for removing of these greens, I shall grow a very awkward creature at church, and soon have little else to do there but say my prayers. I am in haste, dear Sir, Your obedient servant, Jenny Simper
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“Doing something different every day!�
Meet the Maker
Jess Hinsley tells us a little about herself, her life in a wonky(!) cottage in Wales and her love of art and animals Can you tell us a little about people along the way tell me that your home and where you live? it's not possible to make a living I'm currently living in an old and slightly wonky cottage in Brecon, Wales, with my boyfriend and two friends. We all met at uni and have moved here to save money and be surrounded by beautiful countryside at the same time! It's wonderful! We can see the mountains from our house, and have so much nature right on our doorstep. I've always wanted to live in the countryside!
from art, but I knew it was just what I had to do with my life there was no question about it for me! It took me until I was about 17 to know the artistic path that I wanted to go down. There wasn't a college course in my area specifically for illustration, so I took a BTEC National Diploma in graphic design as a stepping stone to the illustration degree course I did at the University of Gloucestershire.
Can you tell us a little about your creative background? Please could you explain the How did you get started? techniques you use and tell us I have been drawing and making why they appeal to you? since I can remember. My mum is very creative and has lots of wonderful creative friends, and my grandma on my dad's side was always encouraging me and my sister to sew, paint and bake. So we grew up in a very creative environment! I always wanted to be an artist. I had countless
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I was always drawn to watercolour paint, I just love how it moves on the paper and creates beautiful textures in the colours. I have moved on to gouache paint now, but I use it in a watercolour style - I prefer it to watercolour because it's slightly more opaque which
To secure your fabric in place ready for joining the pieces together lay your cut fabric shape right side down then pin the paper shape centrally over it. To hold the fabric in place fold the edges over the sides of your hexagons and then tack it down. These tacking stitches do have to be removed at the end which can be tedious and there is a method you can use that avoids this by stitching the corner only. I personally don’t like this method as I find my pieces are less securely held in place and are liable to come loose at odd moments.
Once you have a good supply of hexagons tacked down then you’re ready to begin joining them together. The joining stitches will remain visible from the right side so choose a colour of thread that works well with your fabric. To join pieces place two shapes right sides facing, then using a small whip stitch sew the edges together, being careful to only stitch through the fabric and not the paper. The smaller your stitches, the less visible they will be. When a patch is completely surrounded with other patches sewn onto all its six sides you can press the piece well to set
the block, then you take out the tacking and gently remove the paper to reuse. When all your patches are sewn together, the papers removed, and the outer edges of the patches re-tacked to prevent the material from fraying before it is sewn down onto the lining, you may like to consider feather-stitching or herringbone stitching over the seams, depending on how you’d like your finished project to look. It’s not essential to do this and isn’t to everyone’s taste of course, but it does help to reinforce the seams if your project is going to get a lot of use.
I’ve started … so I’ll finish! Threading your needle Many stitchers find threading their needle difficult because of poor eyesight (I can so relate to this now that I too need glasses), or simply through not knowing the best method to do so. A good way to thread your needle - and the way I was taught by my grandma - is as follows ….. Hold the needle in your right hand (left if you are lefthanded) and with your other hand loop the thread over the
point of the needle and pull it tight. Holding this loop firmly between your thumb and forefinger, turn the needle around, place the eye over the loop and push it down so that the thread passes through the eye.
Beginning your project Where you should start to stitch your design is a fundamental question. It’s always a good idea to work in a continuous flow rather than
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to start in several different places and then discover that your work doesn’t join up successfully. If your design requires very dense stitching it’s easiest to start in the middle with the main features and then work towards the edges.
Starting a thread Your thread shouldn’t be any longer than the distance from wrist to elbow. Longer threads are not only
uncomfortable to stitch with as you have to stretch your arm and shoulder to pull them firm, but are also much more likely to knot, twist and fray. For most hand embroidery projects, the neatest way to begin is to make a few small stitches, leaving the end of the thread at the front at a point that will be covered by the stitches you intend to make with the thread on your needle. It is important to cover the starting stitches within this part of the project to ensure that colours don’t overlap and show through. Keep the “tail” short - snip it closely to the front of the fabric. Once your work is underway you can run
your thread under a few stitches at the back before starting to stitch. Try not to run dark threads into light ones and vice versa as they might show through.
Finishing a thread This can be done in the same way as starting a thread. If you’re continuing in the same colour, then make a couple of tiny stitches where they will be covered by your next thread. Leave the end on top of your work, snipping it off when you reach it. If you’re using a contrasting colour then turn your work over and run the thread under a few stitches at the back.
Never carry threads behind the work across an area that won’t be stitched - this can cause your work to distort, they may catch in wear and they may also show through to the front. It’s important to trim your threads closely once they’ve been secured as threads left hanging will tangle and interfere with your stitching. My grandma used to say that the back of your work should look as lovely as the front and whilst I’m not entirely convinced by this, I do believe that it should be as neat, tidy and secure as you can make it.
Inspiration
inspiration
A closer look at some of the accounts we love‌ C:\Users\Debbie\Downl...\penandpaperpatterns.png
@georgie.k.emery
@ladybirddiaries
Georgie is a hand embroidery artist based in Gloucestershire UK. She has a BA Hons Degree in printed textiles and creates the most gorgeous hoop art!
Marianne’s grid is full of her gorgeous pastel crochet creations. We especially love her blankets - they look perfect for snuggling up with this Winter.
C:\Users\Debbie\Downloads\Ins...\fuzzyandflora.png
@ohhellobeau
@cathyeliot
Gem creates hand-painted artwork on reclaimed wood. We absolutely love her Christmas Eve boxes - be sure to pop over to her Etsy shop to take a look!
Cathy was taught to embroider at a young age and since then has continued to stitch, draw and paint. Her grid is full of the gorgeous things she sells in her Etsy shop.
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“Simple yet playful, cute but not too vintage!�
Meet the Maker
Ani Cahwje talks to us about her Curly Life(!), her Etsy journey and her plans for the future of her super-cute little creatures Can you tell us a little about your home and where you live?
How did you come to open your Etsy shop?
I live in Brighton, a city on the south coast of England. I'm originally from Argentina, but moved here a few years ago and so far I love it. Brighton is a place full of creativity, diversity and inclusion, which makes it an incredibly inspiring place to live.
I started it two years ago when I was not very happy with my full-time job. Every day I was feeling like I could be dedicating those hours to make something I loved, even if that didn't mean much of an income, the fact that I would be making something that made me feel good was enough to me.
Can you tell us a little about your creative background? I first started creating when my Italian grandmother taught me to sew when I was about 6 years old. That day we created a ship with two pieces of fabric and some cotton stuffing and I felt that creating something new with such simple materials was magical, so i fell in love with it and never stopped since then. I not only create with fabrics, but I like to experiment with different materials and techniques, basically anything that involves imagination and creativity. I've learnt designing, sewing, patterning, embroidering, painting, knitting, sculpting and modelling, etc. I have a degree in fashion design and although I only make clothes for fun now, I can apply a lot of what I learnt at university in my actual creations and business.
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I had just discovered Etsy a while ago and I didn't really know how to run an online shop, so I spent two months reading about it and tips to make it work, etc. To me it was going to be just some kind of hobby to keep me distracted from my routine. But after a few months, I realized I was selling more than I had expected and the feedback was so encouraging that I decided I was going to try dedicating my full time to this. And it was worth it!
Your animals are enchanting, can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind them and the techniques you use to create them? Thank you! I was inspired by the style of old fashioned teddies, they are so
Home Comforts Vanilla sugar makes a lovely little gift at this time of year. It can be added to drinks or used to sprinkle over cereal or sweeten natural yogurt. It will keep indefinitely in an airtight jar and the longer you leave it, the better it gets! To make your vanilla sugar sterilise a clean glass jar by heating in the oven at 140C for 10 mins or so. Allow to call and then fill with sugar. Use a knife to carefully split two vanilla pods down the centre. Scrape out the vanilla seeds and mix into the sugar. Place another pod or two into the sugar and close the jar firmly. Decorate with an attractive label and attach to the jar using bakers twine or ribbon.
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