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A Bustle & Sew Publication Copyright Š Bustle & Sew Limited 2016 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 2016 by: Bustle & Sew The Cottage Oakhill Radstock BA3 5HT UK www.bustleandsew.com
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Welcome to the May Issue Welcome to the May issue This month’s issue is packed full of loveliness - it’s a celebration of everything I love about my life - and I do hope you’ll enjoy it too. As well as the six Bustle & Sew designs, we’re delighted that the lovely Jenny of Elefantz has contributed one of her adorable little stitcheries. Then you can read about Raggy Robin whose sewing room is based in Durham (wish I lived closer) while Debbie has interviewed her very own brother in law about keeping bees - watch out for the honey-themed recipes and project too. The other theme I was surprised to see running through the magazine was night time and dreaminess - unsurprising really I guess as we have a four month old baby in the family! If you know parents of a young baby then you might enjoy the Parent and Baby hoop patterns telling it how it really is! The June issue will be published on Thursday 26 May so please do look out for it then. Meanwhile I hope you have a very happy month with lots of time for stitching! Best wishes
Helen xx
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Tips for Stitchers Having a bit of a butterfly mind I often have several stitching projects underway at the same time. I keep them in separate tins with thread supplies, needles and scissors in each tin. That way I can be certain which colours I’m using for each project, and everything’s ready if I want a project to go! If you don’t have tins, then small plastic snap shut containers or even resealable plastic bags will do the job just as well!
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Between the Covers … Contributors
Tips for Stitchers
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May Almanac
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Fly High Fabric Kite
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Meet the Maker: Jenny Reynolds
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Jenny Reynolds
Making Merry in May
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Blast from the Past: Rosie & Bear - May
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Sunny Day Cactus Cushion
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Homemaker, designer and Christian on living the sweet simple life in Australia
Lovely Idea: Fabric Storage Cubes
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Dream it - Do it! The Bee Keeper
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Time for Tea Cosy
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In the Kitchen with Debbie: Honey Body Butter Page 31 Elefantz Stitchery: The Honey Apple
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Simple Patterns Changing Lives
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Poetry Corner: The Night
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Carpe Noctem Banner
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On the Wild Side: Wild Garlic
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Lovely Idea: Fabric Headbands
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Meet the Maker: Sharon Robins
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Little Giraffe Softie
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May’s Favourite Blogs
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In the Kitchen with Debbie: Honey Cup Cakes Page 50 All Buttoned Up! Dorset Buttons
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Parent and Baby Hoops
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Home Comforts
Page 58
May Calendar
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In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
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Templates
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Sharon Robins A passion for creating - and the joy of sharing that passion with others
Debbie Thomson Keeps us very well organised, as well as researching some lovely features and creating our new “In the Kitchen” series
May Here in south west England our weather is usually warm enough for sitting in the garden, enjoying the feeling of fresh air and sunshine on pale winter skin - at least by the end of the month if not the beginning. Roses are beginning to bloom, filling the air with their delicate fragrance and at dusk the swooping flight of newly-returned swallows and house martins searching for food may be replaced by bats hunting for insects in the night air.
effort into singing before the daylight fully arrives because the sound of birdsong will travel further on the still, quiet air and also because it isn’t light enough yet for them to begin their daily search for food. The coming of May has always been a time for celebration. If we welcome the warm weather now, with all the comfort of our centrally heated homes and thermal clothing to keep us snug during the winter months, then think how much more eagerly the month was welcomed when the only source of heating in a cottage would have been an open fire, and possibly a cooking range, around which drenched heavy woollen clothing and leather boots had to be dried out.
Many birds are now coaxing their broods out of the nest and into the world - and it’s fun to watch them trying out their wings with wobbly test flights from bush to bush, zig-zagging across the garden. They still can’t feed themselves though and their poor harassed parents have to work even harder to feed their scattered offspring until they finally become self-sufficient - when if the conditions are right, the parents may raise a second or even third brood of chicks during the summer months.
The first of the month is of course, May Day traditionally a time for setting out to gather greenery and flowers, especially May blossom from the hawthorn tree. Known as “bringing in the May” the custom was associated with a lot of rather saucy goings-on between all the lads and lasses who seized the excuse to vanish into the woods.
It’s impossible to ignore the birds this month, even supposing you wanted to, as by May the dawn chorus is at its peak with our resident birds joined by the migrants returning from their wintering grounds. Birds sing to defend their territory and to attract a mate. They put most
In modern times May 1 is also celebrated as Labour Day by trade unions, socialist movements and others. It is marked by rallies
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Be humble; be gracious; be open to new ideas and keep learning‌
Meet the Maker
talks to us about how she discovered a love of embroidery and a talent for design that led to her establishing her online business Elefantz Hello Jenny, and thanks so much for talking to us - we love your sweet and simple designs and want to learn more about you and your business, Elefantz. So please tell us ‌.
When did you first discover you loved stitching and what originally drew you to this craft? Sometimes in life you just fall into things and that's what happened with me and stitchery. In 2005, after donating much of what we owned and putting what remained into storage, my husband accepted a 6month teaching placement in the Northern Highlands of NSW (Australia). We moved into a tiny two room cabin at the local caravan park in midwinter where we discovered for the first time -17C is really cold, that waterfalls can freeze, and there's a gentle simplicity
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which flows from sharing a home the size of an average living room. With just two rooms to clean and tidy each day housework could be completed in just 20 minutes once my husband left for work, and the rest of the morning I devoted to teaching our kids. Most afternoons were spent exploring the countryside on long (cold) nature walks, but once a week we caught up with other home schooling families in the area. One of those lovely families lived on a cattle property and it wasn't long before our family and theirs began to spend more time socialising. Two of the daughters were proficient quilters and one also dabbled in embroidery. After one visit we returned to our cabin with a large bundle of borrowed craft magazines to browse, and that was the spark which lit a flame that has never been extinguished.
Making Merry in May!
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Blast from the Past Each month it’s fun to look into my pattern box and pull out one of my earlier designs that I haven’t seen for a long time - and even nicer to share with others too! Here’s a very early favourite from 2011 - the May design from my Rosie and Bear Calendar Quilt series. You can download the free pattern here.
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Dream it, do it‌ The Bee Keeper
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As May progresses more flowers begin to bloom while, on a sunny afternoon, the contented hum of busy bees fills the air and so I thought this month would be the perfect moment to share my brother-in-law's experience of bee keeping. After a successful career in the law, Dave retired over 3 years ago and, with spare time on his hands, decided to take up beekeeping. Dave has always been very in touch with nature having been born and brought up on a dairy farm in rural Somerset. With his children grown up, a large garden and small holding, as well as extra time following retirement, it
seemed there had never been a better time to begin. After attending a course locally for aspiring beekeepers run by the British Beekeepers Association, Dave then spent time working closely with a very experienced beekeeper living near him, who still continues to offer advice and assistance. Once he felt sufficiently confident, Dave took the plunge and bought the equipment and the bees. He invested in two colonies and on average checks them once a week. If the hives feel light it will mean not much honey is being stored in the combs. If this is the case during the summer months
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then he will give his bees a supplement of sugar fondant, whilst in the winter he will apply a sugar syrup. The amount of honey produced from each hive depends both on the health of the colony and most importantly the weather. In Dave's first year, 2014, he took over 30lbs from each hive, but last year it was a lot less. In fact in bad years a beekeeper will take nothing at all as enough honey needs to be left for the bees to survive the winter months. To extract his honey Dave removes the frames inside the hive and removes the wax caps
“Together we really can make a difference, one dress at a time!” In Malawi, as in many African countries, children comprise nearly half of the total population. Many households don’t contain any adults, but instead are led by children under the age of 10 who are responsible for their younger brothers and sisters due to the premature deaths of their parents. 30% of all children die before they reach the age of five, and of those remaining another 30% will die before they reach the age of just ten years old. Despite these staggering statistics and serious health threads these children go about their lives like all children - with little concern for tomorrow. Although most of them
This month we’re taking a look at another sewing not-for-profit organisation - Little Dresses for Africa live without what we consider to be the basic necessities of life, they are almost without exception positive and optimistic. Little Dresses for Africa was formed to help these children by creating simple little dresses (and now trousers for boys too) made from pillowcases. They are distributed to the children through orphanages, villages and schools. During distributions the children are given simple lessons about nutrition, clean water and sanitation. It all began when Founder Rachel O’Neill and her husband Michael went to Uganda and Kenya to celebrate her 50th birthday. Avoiding black balloons and overthe-hill signs turned into a deep love for the Continent of Africa and
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the birth of a life-changing mission. Nothing has been the same for the O’Neills since! The vast beauty of the Continent and the wide smiles of the children captivated their hearts and Rachel was determined to return. Along with this majesty, something else caught her eye and it was clear that she had met these people for a reason. After observing the plight of especially women and children and the long road ahead for them, she was determined to help them in some tangible way. It was on her second trip, in “the warm heart of Africa” Malawi, that Little Dresses for Africa was born. Although clothing is definitely needed, these dresses are so much more than just something to wear.
The Night In a scented wood An owl is calling; O’er the resting land The night is falling; The air is sweet With the scent of may; The birds are asleep, They are waiting for day. In the purple night No light is showing; O’er the silent land A breeze is blowing. It rustles the leaves With a soft little sigh; The owl is so still, Then gives, softly, a cry
By Helen Leuty
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Carpe Noctem Pennant If you’re a regular reader of this magazine you may remember that back in the autumn I designed a pattern for a Carpe Diem banner. Now here’s its pair - the Carpe Noctem design featuring a soft feather - perhaps from an owl? Or from your plumply filled quilt or pillows maybe combined with the words Carpe Noctem in the same flowing script I used for the Carpe Diem banner. Why not stitch the pair - one for each end of the day or either side of your bed? Finished banner measures 12” x 8”
Materials ● 16” x 14” grey cotton, linen or blended quilting or medium weight fabric for front ● 14” square cotton fabric for backing ● 10” x 1/4” wooden dowling ● 24” cream cord for hanging
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● DMC stranded cotton floss in colours ecru, 310, 543, 676, 829, 942, 3031, 3042, 3740 ● Temporary fabric marker pen
If you like this pattern then why not stitch the pair? Carpe Diem banner is available in the Bustle & Sew store.
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On the Wild Side .. Cuddly Sock Sheep
Go foraging for wild garlic this spring 16
“Inspiring people to pick up a needle..�
Meet the Maker
Sharon Robins talks to us about her love of sewing - especially in the woods(!) and the joy of passing her skills onto others through her business Raggy Robin. Sharon is based in the cathedral city of Durham, England. Her Raggy Robin Sewing Room is the place where she shares with others her love for sewing. We talked to Sharon about her life and business: First of all Sharon, could you share with us how your love of sewing first began? My Nana Mary was the lady who brought me up. She taught me the basics of how to knit and sew, but otherwise I'm mostly self taught. I was given my first sewing machine for my 18th birthday and started making soft toys, which I sold to family and friends. The biggest mistake I made at the time was to tell the careers advisor that I enjoyed sewing. I was sent straight into one of those 'creativity killing' factories where I lost the love for a long time. It was years later when my girls needed Halloween outfits and I couldn't find anything decent to buy that I got out my old machine and hey ho, the capes I made were used every year after that.
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How did your business, Raggy Robin, come about? In January 2013 I joined a local quilt club to meet other like minded people, (I knew I couldn't be the only one who liked to sew). This opened up a new world for me and I've never been so busy, I've been so inspired and encouraged by the others. We go on regular trips to shows and exhibitions, but twice a year we go sewing in the woods. It's the perfect break, home cooked food, great company, walking and sewing. (Heaven). I never followed sewing patterns, if I bought one it was to see how they were written, then I would make up my own project and so it followed that I started writing patterns of my own. I opened my Etsy shop in May 2014, but you can feel a little lost on there the site is so huge, so I started teaching with my patterns in some local shops. It's not ideal teaching in a busy shop, so I looked around for lockable premises of my own and came across 'Vane Tempest Hall' in Durham. It's a beautiful old building that looks like a little castle and hence the 'Sewing Room' opened in May 2015.
Sewing in the Woods with Sharon Robins of Raggy Robin Sewing Room
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Little Giraffe Softie This is such a cute little giraffe - at least I think so anyway measuring 12” tall from the bottoms of his hooves to the tips of his ears. Rather than use a giraffe print fabric I made him from an old shrunken woollen jumper (a nice wool blend felt would work just as well) and cut squares and rectangles too - of toffee coloured brown felt to represent his markings. His mane is made from some leftover yarn and he isn’t wired at all which makes him very cuddly and user-friendly!
● Golden brown, pink and brown stranded cotton floss or cotton pearl thread
Materials
● Large needle for sewing with yarn
● 14” x 18” golden brown felt for body ● 12” square brown felt ● Two small spherical black beads for eyes ● One tiny button for nose ● Oddment of brown woollen yarn ● Toy stuffing
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● Make large loopy stitches with your brown woollen yarn all down the centre of the top gusset. This will be the mane. Make a small back stitch in between each loop to make sure the yarn can’t easily be pulled out. Trim yarn loops to around ¼” and fluff ends (I found the Newfies’ slicker brush worked really well for this!)
Method ● Cut out all pieces as directed on templates (you will need to join the upper gusset at the dotted lines before cutting). ● Join body gussets to body sides from A to B around the legs leaving the bottoms of the legs open.
● Draw 3 strands of yarn through the body (or six if your yarn is thin) B, then plait into a tail.
● Fold the ears in half vertically. Join upper gusset to one body side along the neck beginning at c and inserting one ear into the seam where indicated on the template.
● Cut assorted rectangles and squares - the largest should be no bigger than 1” x 1 ½” - from your brown felt and stitch into place all over body for markings.
● Join body sides together from A to C, then continue stitching to join the other body side to the upper gusset. (Don’t forget to insert the other ear!). You may find it easiest to stuff the neck as you go. Insert small pieces of stuffing to avoid lumpiness - you may find a stuffing stick useful for this (simply a bamboo skewer with the tip broken off and frayed to “grab” the stuffing as you insert it.)
● Determine the position for the eyes using black glass-headed pins (or any other colour will do if you don’t have black, I just find it easier). Take your time over this step as their position will affect the final expression of your giraffe. When you’re happy with their positioning secure firmly, taking the thread right the way through the head and pulling gently to create hollows for the eyes to sit in (you don’t want a bug-eyed giraffe!)
● Continue the body seam down to B. ● Join the body gussets from A to Y and B to X leaving a gap for stuffing.
● Indicate cheeks with a few stitches in pink floss/pearle thread.
● Stuff body firmly. You may find it easiest to stuff the bottoms of the legs by pushing stuffing up through the open ends.
● Add button for nose. ● Your giraffe is now finished.
● Make the hooves by joining two hoof pieces together and then stitching on the bottom. Push onto the ends of the legs and stitch into place with brown floss/pearle thread. ● Join the three nose pieces together, push onto the nose at C and again stitch into place with brown floss/thread. ● Cut 2 x ¾” square pieces of brown felt and roll into cylinders then stitch into place for the horms.
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Visit Michelle at Mooshie Stitch for a taste of stitching, photography and general crafty goodness! http://mooshiestitch.blogspot.co.uk/ Over on at Cherry Heart meet Sandra who likes to crochet, knit, sew, quilt, weave and occasionally bake. She loves staying at home, playing house, having crafty adventures and sharing them with her readers http://sandra-cherryheart.blogspot.co.uk/ Jessica blogs, shops and generally adores everything vintage - share her passion over at Chronically Vintage. http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/ asdf
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In the Kitchen with Debbie : Honey Cupcakes
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Home Comforts At this time of year all the home magazines recommend spring cleaning, throwing open doors and windows and brushing away cobwebs and dust. Well this is all very well, and has to be done of course - but why not treat yourself to a little (much more fun) spring cleaning? Enjoy a relaxing hour or two folding and sorting your stash - you’ll be able to find everything much more easily - and if you’re anything like me, simply gazing upon those beautiful, well-ordered stacks of fabric will fill you with delight!
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