Bustle & Sew Magazine Issue 115 August 2020 Preview

Late Summer Colour in the Garden The Sunny Seaside Days of August A (very) Little Look at Beadwork, Buttons and Scissors The Story of The Nutcracker Ballet Plus: August Almanac, Nature Notes, Poetry Corner and more 1

A Bustle & Sew Publication Copyright Š Bustle & Sew Limited 2020 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 2020 by: Bustle & Sew Station House West Cranmore Shepton Mallet BA4 4QP www.bustleandsew.com

2

Welcome to the August Magazine Hello everyone!

And so we come to the last issue of the summer season - wherever has the time gone? Here in England it’s been a mixed affair, so far at least, with some warm sunny days punctuated by periods of cold and rain. We were lucky though, with the weather on our wedding day in mid-July - with bright warm sunshine and the opportunity for the family to gather for a socially distanced event in our garden. We were very limited as to numbers, just our children and grandchildren were present, which in the event made it a very intimate, moving occasion - and we still have the party to look forward to next year!

Thinking of parties - the Christmas season is still a little way off, but I know that well-organised stitchers like to begin their seasonal stitching early on, so this month’s edition includes the first two new Christmas designs for this year - part one of the festive classic “The Nutcracker” dolls, and also a little Christmas tree in a hoop. In contrast, we visit the seaside for our recipe section, and enjoy the last of the summer days in our garden.

I hope you will have a good August - perhaps you’re on holiday, or enjoying a staycation this year - but wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing, please be sure to stay safe and well.

Best wishes

Helen xx

3

14

34

64 59 41

Between this month’s covers …

August Almanac

Page 5

Nutcracker Dolls Part I

Page 53

The Flight of Swallows

Page 7

The story of the Nutcracker Ballet

Page 55

Sunshine Blossom Hoop

Page 8

Harvest Home

Page 57

Late Summer in the Garden

Page 14

A (very) Little Look at Scissors

Page 58

Lovely Idea: Driftwood Planter

Page 17

Christmas Tree Hoop

Page 59

Books are Fun Cushion Cover

Page 18

The Last Days of Summer

Page 62

Humpty Dumpty

Page 22

Nature Notes: Common Teasel

Page 63

A (very) Little Guide to Beadwork

Page 23

Home Comforts

Page 64

Lavender’s Blue

Page 25

Embroidery Stitch Guide

Page 65

Lovely Idea: Colour Wrapped Wheat

Page 29

In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables

Page 66

Let’s Stay Home Pennant

Page 30

Templates

Page 67

Sunny Seaside Days

Page 34

Wash Your Hands Hoop

Page 47

Poetry Corner

Page 49

A (very) Little Look at Buttons

Page 51

Aestival Season

Page 52

4

August There’s a certain wistfulness about August - at least I think so - as it brings the last weeks of summer before the year turns once more and autumn arrives. But there’s still plenty of time to enjoy ourselves, especially if we’re off on holiday - paddling in rock pools, late evening al fresco meals in the long summer twilights and the chance to enjoy long country walks with canine companions without having to wrap up against wind and rain (haha!). The city streets are quieter now in the early mornings and evenings as thousands of busy commuters take their annual break, to be replaced during the daytime by tourists eager to see the sights and sample a taste of big city life.

August is the month for fun, for holidays by the sea, barbecues with friends and family, festivals, carnivals and day trips to all kinds of interesting places. Across gardens and countryside everything is ripening all at once and there is a sense that summer is beginning to slip quietly from our grasp. The colours are turning

from green to gold and in hot weather the grass looks parched and tired. Plants are no longer growing vigorously, rather their energies are put into ripening seeds and fruits.

“Man’s not the only harvester; urchins, voles Lay up their store of berries and of grin Preciously gleaned and carried to their holes With busy trotting paws and serious snout.

But though such hints of autumn gild the late Summer, still is the summer fully here”

All of this is a sign that summer is on the wane, and won’t last forever, no matter how much we wish it could - so enjoy these golden days while they last - and they are now growing noticeably

5

shorter - in London day length decreases over the month by 1 ¾ hours to 13 hours and 38 minutes.

Indeed, though August is reliably warm, it is most often characterised by dramatic thunderstorms, with the heat and humidity of the hot summer days building into towering grey and ochre clouds that release thunder, lightening and torrential rain.

Amazingly, in large parts of eastern England August can be one of the wettest months of the year!

Here in Britain we have the General Education Acts of Victorian times to thank for selecting August as the most popular month for annual holidays. It was traditionally the time for gathering in the grain harvest and back then almost everyone in rural communities would have been required to lend a hand. Even children were useful in turning sheaves or scaring crows from the gleanings. So when education became compulsory for all children under the age of ten, it was only sensible for the annual break to be established over the

month of August so everyone could help with the harvest.

The first of the month brings one of the great old pagan festivals of Britain, the others being on the firsts of November, February and May. The festival of the Gule of August, as it was called, probably celebrated the beginning of the harvest. After the introduction of Christianity, the day continued to be observed as a festival, and, as a loaf was the usual offering at church, the day came to be called Hlaf-mass, subsequently shortened to Lammas. This was also the time when hay meadows were reopened for common grazing, marked by country fairs, especially sheep fairs and other festivities. One of the customs associated with these fairs was that of “handfasting” - whereby a couple could embark on a trial marriage for a year, at the end of which they could choose whether to remain together or apart for the rest of their lives.

In the hedgerows the first elderberries and blackberries are ripening and trees such as rowan and yew carry red fruits. The tall graceful stems of cow parsley (or Queen Anne’s lace), that frothed along the lanes in May are now a withered tangle topped by long black fruits. You may also spot the blue bloom of new sloe berries promising the chance to make sloe gin next month. Blackberries can be harvested from the end of this

month, but don’t succumb to the temptation to settle for easy pickings from roadside hedgerows as these will be contaminated with traffic fumes - as my mum used to tell me - the juiciest berries are always those right at the top nearly out of reach! It’s a great plan to take a walking stick with you on

“Greengrocers rise at dawn of sun August the fifth - come haste away To Billingsgate the thousands run, ‘Tis Oyster Day! -’Tis Oyster Day!”

these expeditions to help pull down those topmost trusses of plump juicy fruit.

August 5 brings another harvest a maritime one - as this is the first day of the oyster season, although those who believe that oysters should only be eaten when there is an “R” in the month prefer to wait until September. Tradition has it that if you eat an oyster on this day they you won’t lack money for the rest of the year. In parts of London in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries children had their own way of making money around this time. They would

6

collect the oyster shells discarded form fish shops and restaurants and build cone-shaped grottos with a lighted candle inside or on the top, begging coins from passers-by as a reward for their efforts.

Later in the month, falls the Glorious Twelfth, the first day of the grouseshooting season. This sport is concentrated on the moors of northern England and Scotland where it makes a significant contribution to the rural economy.

Like all blood-sports, grouse shooting has been the subject of controversy, but the increasing demand for the end product seems likely to ensure its survival. Within hours of the first shots being fired on the northern moors, the race is on to ship the birds to restaurants in London and elsewhere in time for lunch or dinner.

Later in the month 24 August brings the feast day of St Bartholomew, one of Christ’s apostles who is said to have been flayed alive and then beheaded - his emblem is a butcher’s knife and he is the patron saint of tanners and leatherworkers.

An assortment of weather lore is associated with this day which falls at the end of the forty day period of rainy or fair weather following St Swithin’s Day on 15 July. “St Bartholomew’s mantle wipes dry all the tears that St Swithin can cry” and is also thought to herald the cooler weather of autumn: “St Bartholomew brings the cool dew.”

7

Where did it all go wrong?

Some embroidery mistakes are just unfortunate and these form an inevitable part of your learning curve - but others are totally avoidable - if you know to watch out for them in the first place that is …!

Not reading the instructions properly It may seem a bit like stating the obvious, but if you’re in a hurry to begin a new project it’s easy to tell yourself it’s all perfectly obvious and skip this step. Bad idea! Always read the instructions carefully twice is good! If you don’t take

note, then you may discover you’ve been using the wrong type, colour, or number of strands of floss. This may mean you could run out of thread before you reach the end, your stitching may appear thin and gappy - or thick and lumpy - and disappointingly your project won’t look as you had hoped.

the transfer lines are permanent as your stitching will cover all the lines. But sometimes your lines won’t be completely covered - perhaps if you’re working an open or lacy design without a solid outline. In this case you will need to be able to remove the transfer lines once you’ve finished stitching.

Choosing the wrong transfer method

Always take time to consider the nature of the finished design and the stitches you plan to use before you choose your transfer method. If your design lines won’t be completely covered, choose

There are so many different ways of transferring your design from paper to fabric.

Sometimes it won’t matter if

8

your transfer method. If your design lines won’t be completely covered, choose a transfer method that can be removed after your work is finished.

Ceramic chalk pencils, dressmaker’s carbon, water-soluble pens and even my favourite Sulky Sticky Fabri Solvy are all good choices in this instance.

Choosing the wrong needle: If your needle is too large this may result in holes in the fabric where your needle and thread enter and exit. Alternatively if your needle is too small it will be difficult to thread and hard to pull through the fabric, resulting in wear and tear on the thread which will eventually fray and break, and will make your fingers sore too.

The type of needle you choose is also important. Freehand surface embroidery requires a sharp needle as it needs to pierce the fabric, whilst a ballpoint needle should be used when the needle needs to pass between threads in the fabric without piercing them, as in counted cross stitch, pulled thread, and Hardanger embroidery.

Choosing the wrong fabric Most surface embroidery techniques require a nice firmly woven foundation. Using a background fabric that’s too loosely woven may well result in poorly-formed stitches. You

can overcome this problem though, if there’s a fabric you particularly want to use, by fusing interfacing or a more firmly woven fabric to the reverse of your chosen fabric before you begin stitching.

causing your carefully stitched work to begin to unravel.

Begin your first thread with a waste knot, and subsequently begin and end by weaving the tail of the thread in and out of previously worked stitches.

Cutting your thread too long:

Working in poor light

As your thread passes through the fabric multiple times it is experiencing wear and tear, and the longer your thread the more wear it will experience.

You may not notice the changes immediately, but if you use very long lengths of floss your stitching won’t look as bright and fresh and glossy as it would if you used shorter lengths.

I don’t know how embroiderers of the past managed, as even though you think you can see your work perfectly by normal household lighting, you are probably wrong. Ordinary lights don’t show true colours and may cast odd shadows that are often the cause of messy or inaccurate stitches. If you don’t have a proper daylight lamp for sewing, then consider in investing in one - or even fitting a daylight bulb to an ordinary light - you will be amazed at how much difference it will make to your embroidery.

Additionally, longer threads are more likely to tangle , leading to frustrating knots and to wasted time, trying to pick out knots. They’re also more tiring to use as your wrist and arm has to work harder to pull them through the fabric.

And finally ….

As a general rule of thumb, my mum used to tell me to use threads around the length of my arm from wrist to elbow and certainly no longer than around 18” maximum.

Don’t be afraid of mistakes - or you’ll be worried about trying anything new. Try to view them as a learning experience, or even an opportunity for creating a new technique!

Starting your stitching with a knot

Remember, you’re usually the only one who will notice your mistakes, and you’re always your own worst critic.

Knots are bulky and will prevent your work from lying flat when pressed and mounted.

They wobble around and may work loose,

9

Whatever you do, don’t let a mistake keep you from stitching!

Late Summer Colour in the Garden

10

A (very) Little Look at Beadwork There are so many different kinds of beads available it’s no wonder they have found their way into many types of embroidery and other crafts.

They can be applied freely to give small areas of texture to techniques such as cross stitch and free hand embroidery. Or you can fill your whole design area on plain weave or counted fabrics.

A word of caution however - when using beads don’t get over-enthusiastic as they are so visually eye-catching there is a danger that they could overwhelm your whole design.

Beading needles are available if you’re stringing beads (otherwise a betweens or quilting needle size 10 will be sufficient for most beadwork) as some of the holes in beads can be very small.

Beading needles are long and bend easily and are available from size 10 to size 16, which is a very fine needle.

You can use a variety of threads for sewing your beads to your fabric. But whichever you decide upon, be sure that it is strong as it will have to both carry the weight of the bead and also secure it to the fabric. As a general rule of thumb you should use the heaviest thread that will pass through the hole in the bead, bearing in mind that with some stitches, the thread will need to pass through more than once. If you’re using transparent beads do remember that the thread you choose will show.

Most fabrics can be used for beadwork. Use silks, velvets and lace for evening and wedding wear, whilst wool, felt and even leather can be used to create a more ethnic appeal. Fine fabrics will need the support of a backing fabric - choose muslin or fine cotton - to help them carry the considerable weight of the beading.

11

Lavender’s blue dilly dilly, Lavender’s green …

35 12

“Here’s flowers for you; Hot lavender, mints, savoury marjoram” William Shakespeare

37

In the garden lavender is a great choice if you are seeking to create a low hedge. You can achieve a formal effect by keeping it closely clipped, but can also create a relaxed and informal look by allowing it to flower in summer and then cutting it back once the flowering season is over.

A lavender hedge makes an attractive feature on either side of a pathway, but remember to make the path wide enough to allow the lavender flowers to spill across it, yet leaving enough space for you to walk. For a hedge choose plants with a uniform compact shape such as which produces very intense deep blue flowers, though there are also forms with green, white or pink flowers. Cut back any woody stems in autumn and sow fresh

seed in late summer or autumn.

You can also propagate from cuttings.

As well as cosmetics, soaps and perfumes, lavender flowers can be used in baking and jammaking or to flavour sugar. More

“To make a perfume, take some rose water and wash your hands in it, then take a lavender flower and rub it with your palms, and you will achieve the desired effect.�

frequently, the dried flowers and foliage are used to perfume rooms or packed into sachets

38

and hung in wardrobes to perfume clothes and provide some protection against moths.

Flowers destined to be used in this way should be harvested as soon as they open, when the colour and fragrance are at their most intense.

Lavender sugar makes an unusual addition to shortbread, and is great sprinkled over a sponge or stirred into berries, or why not give jars of lavender sugar as gifts or wedding favours - after all it could hardly be easier to make!

All you need to do is to take 2 lbs of sugar and stir in 2 teaspoons of dried lavender flowers, then divide between 8 or 10 small jars.

Leave for a week or so to infuse, and that’s all there is to it!

15

Sunny Seaside Days…

16

Classic Lobster Roll Ingredients

● 1 Little Gem lettuce, shredded ● Lemon wedges, to serve

● 4 fresh or frozen lobster tails, thawed ● 3tbsp mayonnaise

Method ● Preheat your barbecue or grill. Cook the lobster tails for 10 mins, turning once or twice. Cool for a few mins.

● Zest 1 lemon

● Mix the mayo, chives and zest in a large bowl. Shell the lobster tails and chop into pieces. Add to the mayo, stir and set aside.

● 6 soft white bread rolls or brioche

● Half-split the brioche buns lengthways. Brush the cut sides with the melted garlic butter. Grill cut-side down for 30 secs.

● 2tbsp garlic butter, melted

● Fill each roll with cress, lettuce and the lobster. Serve with lemon wedges.

● 2tbsp chopped chives

● 1 box cress, trimmed

Scones with Jam and Cream

It’s Aestival Season ….

The Aestival Season begins about St Swithin’s day, July 15th and continues until Michaelmas.

It is on the whole the hottest season of the year, but the heat gradually declines, and towards the close of the period the nights begin to get cold, and the daily temperature to be much diminished.

It is in this season, and particularly in August, that the most beautiful and picturesque skies are seen, and that small meteors most abound; the landscapes too have a peculiar softness of colouring not seen at any other time. As the Solstitial Period is called the early summer, so this season is called the late summer. If it set in with showery weather the chances are that the greater part of the period will be showery, and hence the popular proverb which ascribes forty days’ rain to St Swithin. When

the weather is fair in this season the mornings often become gradually more and more obscured by the stratus of the foregoing night.

One remarkable circumstance in this season is the silence of the grove, nearly every bird ceasing to sing, and continuing mute till near the close of the season, when they begin to sing a little again. Many birds now begin by degrees to congregate, and to form large flocks ranging the corn fields together. Starlings are flocked by the end of July, and Linnets by the middle of September; the Swifts leave us about the festival of the Assumption, Aug 15th, and nothing but an accidental straggler is to be seen left behind.

The fruits of the Aestival period are quite delicious. Currants and Gooseberries get quite ripe about

the beginning of July, and the various summer Pears, Apricots, Plums, Peaches, Nectarines and Melons follow; it is indeed the season of fruits. In our climate the Vine is not yet productive of ripe Grapes, but in the south of Europe they are gathered early in September.

The Aestival Flora cannot be mentioned as the most beautiful of the year, though if well managed a great display of colours may be produced in the garden; the Dahlias, China Asters, French and African Marigolds, Chrysanthemums, Sunflowers, and a great variety of other plants flower during this period, and many of them continue until late in autumn. In the fields the flowering of the yellow autumnal Dandelion gives to certain meadows the appearance of a second spring.

Thomas Furly Forster, The Pocket Encyclopaedia of Natural Phenomena, published 1827

19

Nutcracker Dolls Pt 1 The Nutcracker Ballet has to be one of my favourite of all times - and a definite must-do if at all possible at Christmas time. I think it’s a great introduction to ballet for children too, I remember taking my daughter Rosie, who was entranced by the Sugar Plum Fairy - playing dressing up fairy for many weeks afterwards. So I thought I’d make a group of dolls based on the Nutcracker characters, beginning with Clara, the Nutcracker himself and one of the Flower Fairies. The Rat King, Sugar Plum Fairy and the Christmas Tree will be coming in the September edition.

Nutcracker measures 10” tall. (Approx)

● Bondaweb

Materials

● Temporary fabric marker pen ● Embroidery foot for your sewing machine

● ½ yard cream felt (I recommend using a wool blend felt that combines the strength of acrylic with the softness and flexibility of wool).

● Toy stuffing

● Scraps of felt and fabric for applique. ● Stranded cotton floss in yellow, bright pink, pale pin and black

20

21

Common Teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris) The Common Teasel is a familiar sight this month, with its tall prickly stems and geometric flower heads bearing pinkish-purple flowers. But we perhaps know it best for the conical seed heads that follow the flowers. The Teasel was once used in the woollen industry where the hooked seed heads were used to lift the nap on newly woven cloth. Today they have mainly been replaced by metal cards, but some artisan weavers still prefer to use teasel heads, feeling they give a better result.

Teasel seed heads are also an important source of food over the winter months for birds such as finches.

22

Home Comforts Light up the dusk at evening events with pretty little hanging lights. Use recycled glass jars and make handles for the from pliable galvanised wire. First cut a length of wire a little longer than the circumference of your jar. Then cut a length for the handle and twist each end into a nice firm loop. Thread the first length through these loops and then wrap it around your jar just below the rim. Twist the ends together until the wire is nice and tight, sitting snugly against the glass, then bend back the twisted ends neatly against the jar. Magical!

23