1
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
2
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
3
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!!
4
36
32
10 24
42 27
Between this month’s covers … Tips for Stitchers
Page 4
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
Page 27
In the Bleak Midwinter
Page 65
I’ve started so I’ll finish!
Page 30
Home Comforts
Page 66
What became of the Christmas Goose?
Page 32
In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
Page 67
Seasonal Ingredient: Stilton Cheese
Page 35
Templates
Page 68
Rosie’s Recipes: Family Favourites
Page 36
Seasonal Ingredient: Chestnuts
Page 41
5
December December is the darkest month of the year, bringing the winter solstice, or shortest day, which this year falls on the twenty-first. Solstice literally means stand-still and indeed the sun does almost seem to stand still as the daylight slowly slips away, to a minimum day length of just 7 hours and 49 minutes (in London, the days will be shorter still if you’re further north). Still we can take heart that after the solstice the hours of daylight will begin to increase, albeit slowly to begin with, as by the end of the month the days are just 5 minutes longer than they were. And if it’s dark outside, then there’s plenty of good cheer and sparkle indoors as Christmas approaches. Here in England we’re most unlikely to experience the white Christmas of our dreams since though December brings the beginning of winter, it isn’t actually the coldest month of the year. This is because we’re an island and the remnants of the summer’s warmth still linger in the seas around us, only finally disappearing as January begins. Because of this warmth we’re unlikely to see snow this month - in fact statistically snow is more likely to fall at Easter than at Christmas! In the Christian Church, the weeks leading up to Christmas are known as Advent, celebrating the coming of the Christ-Child. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day which is known as Advent Sunday. It can fall on any of the last four days of November or the first three days of December. Even though today they’re much less likely to attend church, excited children still use Advent calendars to count off the days. These typically take the form of a brightly coloured picture with 24 “doors” one to be opened each day from the first of December until Christmas Eve revealing a picture or small treat behind the numbered door. Christmas isn’t the only religious celebration this month as December also brings the Jewish Feast of Lights or Hanukkah (Chanukah). This year the festival begins on December 12 and continues for 8 days. It celebrates the victory, more than 2000 years ago, of a small band of faithful Jews who, led by Judah the Maccabee, defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of God.
When they tried to light the Temple's Menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single container of olive oil that had escaped the Greeks. They lit the menorah and miraculously the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days, until new oil could be properly prepared.
Saturnalia was a holiday period for all, even the slaves, who were waited on by their masters for the duration. It was also customary to appoint a master of the revels, a character that later reappeared in England as the Lord of Misrule who traditionally presided over the Christmas celebrations.
December 14th brings the anniversary of the death of
In the Cornish village of Mousehole, the twenty-third of December is celebrated each year as Tom Bawcock’s Eve. The story goes that many years ago a period of bad weather left the inhabitants of this tiny fishing village facing starvation as the seas were too rough for the fishing-boats to set sail. One brave man however, Tom Bawcock, did risk his life to go out to sea. He returned with a catch comprising seven types of fish that kept the villagers alive until the storm died down. The fish were cooked in a large traditional pie, known as a Stargazy Pie because their heads stick out of the pastry covering and look upwards to the sky. To this day villages eat Stargazy Pie on Tom Bawcock’s Eve and sing a song to praise their local hero’s deed.
“In the bleak mid-winter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter, Long ag0.”
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1819-61, the beloved husband of Queen Victoria. Unlike many royal marriages of the time, theirs had been a true lovematch. Victoria was Albert’s first cousin and they married in 1840 when they were both just 21 years old. Over time he became effectively her private secretary and personal advisor. The couple had nine children and their eldest son later became King Edward VII. More happily in ancient Roman times, December 17 brought the beginning of the festival of Saturnalia, in honour of the god of agriculture. Originally restricted to a single day, over time it eventually grew into a seven-day orgy of feasting and merrymaking, elements of which later appeared in the Christmas, New Year and Twelth Night celebrations here in the UK. The
6
The day after Christmas Day itself brings the feast day of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Here in the UK today however, we chiefly celebrate the day as Boxing Day, a public holiday and a continuation of the Christmas festivities (or an opportunity to recover from the over-indulgence of the day before). It takes its name from the Christmas boxes given to servants, apprentices and other employees and later to tradespeople and public-service workers in the community on this day. The boxes contained a gift, usually of money. Before New Year’s Eve arrives, December 28th brings Holy Innocents’ Day, also known as Childermas, commemorating Herod’s massacre of all the male infants in and around Bethlehem under the age of 2 in an attempt to kill the young Jesus. Warned by an angel, Mary and Joseph had previously escaped with their child to Egypt where they remained until Herod’s death. In the days when Christmas itself was less childcentred, Childermas was a time for indulging children with treats and parties, something that today we enjoy doing throughout the holiday period.
If you love Jess’s delicate style and would like to find out more (be sure to check out her 2018 calendar too!) you can find her online ….
https://www.instagram.com/jesshinsley/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/JessHinsley https://www.facebook.com/jesshinsleyillustration/
Sewing Machine Brooch by Shop Miss Ella www.etsy.com Sewing Lampshade by Shadow Bright Lamps www.etsy.com
Plant Lady Cross Stitch Kit Subscription www.hannahhandmakes,com
Chocolate Sewing Gift Set Box from The Amazing Chocolate Workshop www.noths.com
Sewing Pouch from Elena Illustration www.etsy.com
Sewing & Knitting words print by Old English Company www.noths.com
Floral Needle Case by Rosie Bull Designs www.etsy.com
8
Needle Minder designed by Mollie Johanson from Wild Olive www.cloudcraft.co.uk
Mrs Beeton’s Christmas Cake
5 teacupfuls of flour, 1 teacupful of melted butter, 1 teacupful of cream, 1 teacupful of treacle, 1 teacupful of moist sugar, 2 eggs, ½ oz of powdered ginger, ½ lb of raisins, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1 tablespoon of vinegar Make the butter sufficiently warm to melt it, but do not allow it to oil; put the flour into a basin, add to it the sugar, ginger and raisins, which should be stoned and cut into small pieces. When these dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, stir in the butter, cream, treacle and well -whisked eggs, and beat the mixture for a few minutes. Mix the soda with the dry ingredients, being very careful to leave no lumps, and stir the vinegar into the dough. When it is wetted, put the cake into a buttered mould or tin, place it in a moderate oven immediately, and bake it from 1 ¾ to 2 ¼ hours.
9
Notes: I also added some snowflakes but I don’t think they were very successful as you can’t see them very well at all. If you want to try, then they were just six fly stitches radiating from a centre point. Adding the white trees and snow at the front first, and just fusing the edge to hold in place may seem like a bit of a faff, but I did find that doing this really helped me position the remaining trees correctly.
10
Keeping your Handmade Quilts Beautiful Guest contributor: Nancy Ball
11
These denim & burlap rustic decorations by Claire from Pillar Box Blue are really quick and easy to make and look absolutely gorgeous hung from your tree! Pop over to Claire’s website for the full tutorial.
Image & Tutorial: www.pillarboxblue.com 12
13
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
14
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.
Rosie’s Recipes: Family Christmas Favourites!
16
Every family has its own favourites and traditional Christmas meals, and ours is no exception! I thought you might enjoy some of our tastiest seasonal recipes, beginning with Christmas Eve … As a child I was very determined that Father Christmas would have lovely chocolate cookies to enjoy rather than horrid mince pies! And though I’ve grown to love mince pies over the years, these Oreoinspired biscuits are still one of my faves - and why save them just for Christmas?!
Oreo-inspired Cookies Whatever you do don’t over cook these or they will burn and become bitter.
Ingredients For the biscuits
Method ● Preheat your oven to 170C (150 fan)
● 210 g plain flour
● First make the biscuits. In one bowl combine the cocoa powder, flour, bicarb of soda and salt and in another separate bowl combine the sugar, butter and egg.
● ½ tspn bicarbonate of soda
● Pour the liquid into the dry mix and combine to form a soft dough.
● Pinch of salt
● Roll out the dough to ¼” thick (you may find it easiest to do this between two sheets of baking parchment or clingfilm).
● 75 g cocoa powder
● 80 g melted butter ● 100 g dark brown sugar ● 1 large egg
For the buttercream ● 80 g butter ● 200 g icing sugar ● 50 g caster sugar ● 1 tspn vanilla extract ● 1 tspn milk
● Cut out your shapes - they should be around 2” in diameter traditionally they’re round of course, but you can make them whatever shape you like. ● Place the shapes on a greased baking tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes. ● Bake in your pre-heated oven for between 7-10 minutes checking on them frequently to make sure they don’t burn. ● Meanwhile make your buttercream. Beat the butter until pale and fluffy (an electric mixer is best for this). Add both sugars and the vanilla and continue beating until well mixed.If the mix is still stiff then add the milk - it does need to be fairly pliable for spreading onto your cookies. ● When the biscuits are cool spread the bases with your buttercream mixture and place a second biscuit on top to form the classic Oreo sandwich shape. (You may wish to pipe the cream) ● Try to save at least one for Santa!!
17
Tastes of the Season: Chestnuts “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose …” chestnuts are truly a taste of the Christmas season. The tradition of roasting chestnuts at Christmas originated in southern Europe centuries ago and many chestnuts consumed in the past would have been home-grown. But today, as British chestnuts, though flavoursome, are generally much smaller than the continental variety. The tree isn’t actually native to this country - like so much else it was brought over by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago. It may live as long as 700 years, and in some cases much longer, and will begin to bear fruit after around 25 years of age. Nuts that fall to the ground earlier than mid-October are likely to contain only shrivelled empty shells, shed by the tree as a waste of effort so it can concentrate on plumping up those that remain. Our small British chestnuts don’t keep very well and it’s best to use them within a week of gathering. It’s a lot easier to remove the leathery skin and thin membrane while they’re fresh. They can be boiled or roasted but whichever way you choose to cook them be sure to peel while they’re still warm - cold cooked chestnuts are impossible to peel.
18
If you love Ani’s adorable animals and would like to find out more you can find her online at “What a Curly Life” ….
https://www.instagram.com/whatacurlylife/ https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WhatACurlyLife http://www.whatacurlylife.co.uk/
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.
20
21
22