A Very Little Guide to Working with Invisible Thread A Little Look at English Paper Piecing Tastes of the Season: Frosts and Festivities The Magic of Mistletoe Plus: A Partridge in a Pear Tree, Nature Notes, Poetry Corner, December Almanac and more‌‌ 1
A Bustle & Sew Publication Copyright Š Bustle & Sew Limited 2020 The right of Helen Grimes 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
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Welcome to the December Magazine Hello everyone! And here we are at the end of another year - and what a year it’s been! I’m sure most of us will be very happy to say “farewell” to 2020 - though sadly not Covid-19 just yet, though there does at last seem to be some hope on the horizon for next year. But still, I don’t think the pandemic has been completely bad - it’s been wonderful to see neighbours becoming friends, and communities coming together to help the most vulnerable in their midst - long may this continue! Whatever you’re doing (and in the UK whoever you’re bubbling with) this Christmas, I do hope you have a wonderful time. We have some more festive patterns between the covers of this issue, as well as another of my In Stitches series - this time Freya and her Magic Night Bear. There’s a new little fox head (already snaffled by Freddie for his bedroom), polar bear cushion and much more besides. All that remains now is to wish you a very SAFE, Merry Christmas time which I hope will be filled with joy and laughter (with a little time for some stitching too) Best wishes
Helen xx
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Between this month’s covers … December Almanac
Page 5
Tastes of the Season: Turkey
Page 30
Christmas Printable
Page 7
Winter Penguin Softie
Page 32
Sleepy Fox Head
Page 8
Frost and Festivities
Page 34
Counting Down the Days
Page 10
Freya in Stitches
Page 46
A (very) Little Guide to Invisible Thread
Page 11
By Candlelight
Page 51
Partridge in a Pear Tree
Page 13
Oranges and Lemons
Page 52
Lovely Idea: Doorstep Decorations
Page 14
Poetry Corner
Page 54
Driving Home Hoop
Page 15
2020 Christmas Ornament
Page 55
Nature Notes: The Robin
Page 18
Home Comforts
Page 57
A Little Look at English Paper Piecing
Page 19
Embroidery Stitch Guide
Page 58
Orley Farm Extract
Page 23
In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
Page 59
Christmas Bear Cushion
Page 24
Templates
Page 60
The Magic of Mistletoe
Page 27
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Counting down the days ….. they’re not so very old after all. But they were instantly seen as a Very Good Idea that quickly caught on and spread around the world.
Christmas is a very special time for children - and do you remember how the days seemed to pass more and more slowly as the Big Day grew closer. Sometimes it used to feel as though December was as long as the whole of the rest of the year put together! These days, the reverse is true - at least for me - December seems to rush past at ever increasing speed, especially when I’m trying to co-ordinate all my Christmas preparations!
But then along came World War 2 with its associated paper shortages, strict rationing and the requirement for factory production to be concentrated on helping the war effort rather than producing non-essential consumer items. Advent calendars disappeared from sale and didn’t reappear again until the war had ended.
A favourite way for children to count down to the big day is for them to enjoy an Advent calendar. Today these are available in all sorts of shapes and sizes, including those which include a daily gift, perhaps a small chocolate, super-enjoyable if eaten breakfast, which wouldn’t be allowed at any other time of year of course!
My parents were both brought up during the war and so the concepts of shortages, rationing and recycling were second nature to them. This meant that they simply wouldn’t entertain the thought of purchasing a new Advent calendar every year. So, rather than buying new I remember the same calendar appearing throughout my childhood, with the cardboard windows carefully pushed back into place in the vain hope that they would stay put for a while - a far cry from today’s versions filled with all kinds of goodies.
We’re all so used to the idea of Advent calendars, that we don’t stop to think where they came from. In fact they originated in Germany in the nineteenth century. The first handmade Advent Calendar appeared in the 1850s, whilst the first printed version was published between 1900 and 1910 -
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A (very) Little Guide to Working with Invisible Thread Invisible thread is one of those indispensable items for those who love to sew, but whilst it is amazingly useful, saving time and energy, it is (in my opinion) quite horrible to work with. The whole point of using invisible thread is that your stitches blend perfectly into the background of your work, rather than being prominent - either as a result of using a thread in a contrasting colour - or failing to match your thread properly. But even though invisible thread is not nice to work with, it has improved enormously over the years. When I used to “help” my mum with her sewing I remember her invisible thread (also known as monofilament) being stiff and wiry with ends that poked at your skin. I also remember her becoming increasingly frustrated trying to set the correct sewing machine tension to work with her thread. Today invisible thread is much softer and lighter - some is as fine as a human hair - though you can purchase different thicknesses.
Invisible thread is available in two fibres - nylon and polyester. This can be confusing, if you see that your spool states your thread is "polyamide" -but this means that it is actually nylon and not polyester. Polyamide is nylon's chemical name. Polyester holds up well to UV light and higher temperatures than nylon and does not become brittle or yellow with age. Having said this though, many people like nylon as it feels softer and can be more “invisible” when used - it’s really a question of personal preference. It’s definitely worth checking out a few brands of thread before making your purchase as they do vary - some show more than others, having a shinier finish than others which can be quite matte. You can purchase invisible thread in clear and smoke colours or tints. Clear blends with most light colours and smoke with darker ones.
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If you haven’t used invisible thread in your machine before, then it’s well worth practising on some scrap fabric to achieve the correct your machine settings. You can use invisible thread both in your needle and bobbin or, more usually, it may be paired with conventional thread in your bobbin. Use the smallest needle you can. Because they are so fine and made from a single extruded fibre, monofilament threads don't relax to fill the hole left by your needle. Depending upon your machine, you may find you achieve the best results with either the vertical or horizontal spool pin. You may also need to adjust your tensions. If the bobbin thread shows through out the top and so doesn’t secure the invisible thread properly then stitches will easily become undone. In that case loosen the upper tension. If the reverse is true then tighten your upper tension. Beware however before tightening your upper tension as invisible thread can stretch - and generally a looser tension achieves the best results. Tip: If your machine doesn’t have a needle threader, and you’re having trouble threading your needle with invisible thread, then colour the end of the strand with a permanent marker - such as a Sharpie Then at least you’ll be able to see the end you’re trying to poke through the eye of the needle! If you want to use invisible thread in your bobbin, then you may find that you need a tighter bobbin tension. If you plan to do a lot of sewing with invisible thread in your bobbin and your machine does need a tighter tension, then it may be worth considering purchasing another bobbin case just for invisible thread. Then you won’t have to keep (scarily!) adjusting your bobbin tension. Another point to remember if you want to use invisible thread in your bobbin is that, because invisible thread stretches, you MUST wind your bobbin slowly. Because of the heat produced during winding and the fact the thread is so fine, it's easy to over fill a bobbin and literally have it pop apart. Avoid this by filling your bobbin about half full,
especially if it's made of plastic. Invisible thread is very springy so it’s important to lock your stitching both at the beginning and end with some back stitches. So yes, invisible thread does require some understanding and preparation before you begin work, but once you’ve mastered its quirks then it is a really useful addition to your sewing box. It can be used for free motion quilting or stitching as well as for applications using a presser foot, such as straight or patterned stitching. Invisible thread is also great for attaching multicoloured bindings where it’s difficult to select the best thread colour to use. And it’s also great if you simply don’t have the right thread colour to hand, or are stitching over two different fabrics.
Care of items stitched with invisible thread Remember that invisible thread will melt - and that nylon thread will melt at a lower temperature than polyester thread. So, if you have to press your work, press on the reverse, or use a cloth to prevent melting. Lowering your iron temperature is also a good idea. Both nylon and polyester invisible threads stand up well to washing, though it is a good idea to avoid hot tumble dryer settings as again this could cause melting.
One of my favourite carols is the Twelve Days of Christmas - I remember singing a particularly rowdy (and rather hilarious version) with the Pensioners’ Lunch Club I used to help run in Devon where each table took a number - and competed with each other to sing more loudly with each consecutive verse! Did you know that the lyrics were first published in a children’s book in 1780 - without the tune - which was added in 1909, based on an arrangement of a traditional folk melody. But the partridge is a ground-dwelling bird, and it’s presence up in a pear tree has given rise to various theories concerning the origin of this verse. Some believe the words were originally a catechism song for 16th century Catholics forbidden to publicly proclaim their faith, and that the bird in the tree represented Christ on the cross. A more commonly held view is that the line is a result of the song’s Gaelic roots. At one time it would have included both the English and French words for partridge “A partridge, une perdrix,” and only over time as French became less commonly spoken in this country, did it become the simpler, though rather unlikely “partridge in a pear tree.”
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Nature Notes Redbreast or Robbin Redbreast migrates from the groves and thickets towards the habitation of man in November, and in the frost of the hybernal season comes close to our windows, and even our firesides, when it can find entrance, in search of food.
The Pocket Encyclopaedia of Natural Phenomena,
A (very) little Guide to English Paper Piecing English paper piecing is a traditional quilting technique that dates back to eighteenth century England where it was employed to turn even the smallest scraps of fabric into another useful item - an early form of recycling! English paper piecing itself involves wrapping fabric around paper to make accurate geometric shapes that are then sewn together by hand. Once sewn, the papers are usually removed, leaving behind a beautiful piece of patchwork. Because it's hand sewn it is more fragile than machine stitched patchwork, but it also has its own lovely beauty that speaks of a task undertaken with love and care - the ultimate in slow stitching.
Miss Poppy Mouseling is very proud of her English Paper Pieced Quilt! Pattern from Bustle & Sew
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The Magic of Mistletoe It’s hard to mistake mistletoe for any other plant - it’s one of a kind with its bright green leaves and shiny, almost translucent berries. We love to bring it indoors at Christmas for those stolen Christmas kisses, but its seasonal significance extends much further into the past than we may think‌.
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Frosts and Festivities
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December in the countryside, its short days punctuating with small separated beauty points the mud and mire - an unfallen crop of rosy apple globes hanging like Christmas favours from a leafless tree; dry leaves of beech swirling along the windy lane; plumage of cock pheasants feeding in the winter wheat, and partridge coveys whirring low over the hedgerows and beneath the wild skies where the lapwings rise and fall above the open fields. A day after a night of white fog when the sun breaks through from an unclouded sky and the landscape is sugared with the sparkling, frozen mist of the long, long night. A morning of such beauty as to take the breath away, as the breath itself blows misty in the still and freezing air. The whole landscape one vast sweep of Christmas decoration, a sight that is granted to us perhaps once in a handful of years. The countryside is slower, perhaps, to mount its Christmas decorations than the city, and yet, maybe, these very preparations are a shade more real. For here the Christmas dinners are born and bred; here
grow the holly and the ivy; here are the quiet acres which supply such inevitable accompaniments to the feast as cauliflower and celery, and brussels sprouts! Lanes white-furred with old man’s beard lead to market towns; shops full of sparkle and cheer, small spinneys of Christmas trees forever upon the move up and down the pavements of these towns. The lanterns bob down the village streets on carol-singing nights and however unprofessional these rustic singers may sound, it’s just this that makes them all the more endearing. Christmas Day in the countryside, there are open hearths broad and bricked, and crackling with dry oak logs; and country windows, bay, bow or latticed, shielding the inner warmth from the cold, empty and growing grey of the big fields and the bare trees beyond. Above the hearths are displayed the cards of Christmas - how many of them proclaiming the robin, jaunty upon the snow - bright as a holly berry against the whiteness, ready as always to sing the old year away and greet the new.
Dundee Cake If you’re not a fan of traditional Christmas cake with its thick layers of royal icing and marzipan and heavily fruited and spiced interior, then Dundee cake makes a great alternative with no spice, more butter and of course the traditional almond decoration on top.
Ingredients ● 225g plain flour ● Pinch of salt ● 225g butter ● 225g caster sugar ● 4 large eggs ● 350g sultanas ● 350g currants ● 75g chopped mixed peel ● 110g glace cherries ● Grated zest of 1 lemon ● 25g ground almonds ● 25g whole almonds
Method ● Preheat the oven to 150C. Line a 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment, cutting the parchment so the top is about 5cm above the top of the tin. ● Sift together the flour and salt. Beat the butter until soft, add the sugar and cream the two until they are light and creamy. Beat in the eggs a little at a time. Fold in the flour, sultanas, currants, peel, cherries, lemon zest and ground almonds, ensuring all is well combined. ● Spoon the mixture into the tip and level the top. Split the whole almonds in two and arrange them in a pattern of concentric circles on top of the cake. ● Bake for around 2 hours then test to see if it is cooked by inserting a skewer (if cooked it should come out clean from the top of the cake. ● If the top is browning too quickly, cover it with a dampened piece of greaseproof paper. ● Cool in the tin for 30 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. ● To store the cake wrap it in its lining paper in foil. It will taste even better if you keep it for a couple of weeks before cutting.
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Home Comforts As well as making yummy treats, lemons have lots of uses around the home. Try freshening and moisturising the air in your home on dry winter days by making your own room scent that also doubles as a humidifier. If you have a wood-burning stove, place an enamelled cast-iron pot or bowl on top, fill with water, and add lemon (and/or orange) peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and apple skins. No wood-burning stove? Use your stove top instead and just simmer the water periodically. You can use lemons to give your microwave a good clean without risking scratching the surface with harsh cleansers. Simply mix 3 tablespoons lemon juice into 1 ½ cups water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High for 5-10 minutes, allowing the steam to condense on the inside walls and ceiling of the oven. Then just wipe away the softened food with a cloth.
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