Bustle & Sew Magazine Issue 75 Sampler

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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 April Issue hat warmer days are not too far away. This month brings Easter of course, and we have lots of seasonal goodies for you to enjoy, of both the stitching and the edible kind(!) While we also take a look at Easter traditions and celebrations.

I’m also delighted to welcome two very talented sewists to this month’s issue , Sally Mayer and Sarah Slovensky. Their styles are very different but equallly lovely and I hope you’ll enjoy reading more about them, their work and business journeys.

We also take a look at the wonderful - and sometimes rather confusing world of precuts, and hope to demystify some of the terms used - jelly roll or layer cake anyone? And there’s lots more packed between this month’s covers too - I do hope you’ll enjoy it.

And finally, the May issue,, full of blossom and bloom, will be published on Thursday 27 April.

Happy Easter everyone!

Helen xx 3

Tips for Stitchers When choosing a fabric for your embroidery don’t limit yourself to plain linens and cottons - sometimes it’s fun to embroider on a coloured fabric. Do be careful though and make sure that the design of the fabric doesn’t overpower your stitching.

Whatever fabric you choose be sure to keep your work neat on the reverse. My Grandma always said I should aim for the back looking the same as the front.

This was never going to happen, but I do try to keep everything neat as sloppy habits (her words not mine!) Such as failing to trim your ends and carrying the floss across the back of the design between different areas will show through to the front, especially if your fabric is lightweight or light coloured.

Also be sure to fasten off your ends securely so that they won’t unravel particularly if your embroidery is going to be put to a practical purpose rather than simply for display.

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Between this month’s covers …

Tips for Stitchers

Page 4

Lovely Idea: Spring Printable

Page 40

April Almanac

Page 6

Easter Banner

Page 41

Hello Spring Hoop

Page 8

The Countryside in April

Page 44

Transferring Your Design

Page 10

Rosie’s Recipes: Chocolate Extravaganza Page 45

Country Diary

Page 13

In Season: Dandelions

Page 50

Meet the Maker: Sally Mayer

Page 16

Bunny Napkin Rings

Page 51

Lovely Idea: Easter Egg Vases

Page 17

A (very) Little Guide to Buttons

Page 53

Hot Cross Bun Basket

Page 18

Instagram Inspiration

Page 54

Demystifying Precuts

Page 22

Meet the Maker: Sarah Slovensky

Page 55

A Little Look at Saffron

Page 23

Lovely Idea: Tulip Quilt

Page 58

Sparkle & Shine this Spring

Page 30

Mrs Molly Rabbit

Page 59

Bake a Little Magic

Page 31

Home Comforts

Page 62

A (very) Little Guide to Tape Measures Page 34

In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables

Page 63

Poetry Corner

Page 35

Templates

Page 64

Easter Celebrations

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April Spring is a tentative time of year. As the sun begins to strengthen and winter’s grip on the land begins to weaken the soil grows warmer, but the air is still cold. This mixture brings fine spells of sunshine followed by squally showers.

Here in England the nights may still be frosty but just as we think the weather is more settled a deep depression is likely to sweep down from the Arctic bringing sleet and snow. April’s name dervives from the Latin “ ” which means to open - such an appropriate name as all across the Northern Hemisphere April brings the opening of buds to reveal fresh, vibrant spring green leaves. Here in the UK the flush of spring moves upwards up the length of our country at a walking pace from the Isles of Scilly to Shetland. But even at the end of May winter may still cling onto a toehold in parts of northern Britain. The blossoming of the blackthorn towards the end of the month is often accompanied by a period of unseasonably cold weather known as a blackthorn winter. But still April here in England is a beautiful month, whose praises were lauded by the poet Robert Browning nearly 200 years ago ….

“Oh to be in England Now that April’s there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough In England - now!

Traditional sayings vary on which day of April the cuckoo should arrive, but the month itself is not in question. “The cuckoo comes in April, and stays the month of May; sings a song at midsummer, and then goes away.” There are many superstitions relating to this bird… when you hear the first cuckoo for prosperity you should turn or jingle any money in your pocket and to avoid a year of illness you should get up and run!

The first day of April is of course April Fool’s Day marked by the playing of practical jokes. The origin of this tradition is lost in the mists of time, but it’s generally thought to derive from the French term (literally April fish). Traditionally the joking must end at midday and anyone “fooled” after this time should reply “April Fool’s Day’s past and gone, you’re the fool and I am none” In Scotland the day is known as Huntigowk Day with “huntthe-gowk” meaning the making of a fool, or a fool’s errand.

Perhaps the joking extended to April 2 four hundred years ago, when the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon was searching for the fabled island of Bimini which was said to be the location of the fabled fountain of youth whose waters would indeed bestow perpetual youth on those who bathed in them. In fact he had discovered Florida which he assumed to be an island and named it after the Easter Festival of Flowers which was taking place in his native Spain around this time. In Florida today, 2 April is celebrated as Pascua Florida Day. April 8th is celebrated by many Buddhists as Buddha’s birthday, although we can’t be sure this is indeed the actual date of his birth. He was born in Nepal, probably around 563 BC and was said to have attained enlightenment while sitting under an Indian Banyan tree.

Closer to home, across the UK trees are bursting into leaf while the exuberance of birdsong and abundance of blossom makes this a very special time of year. In towns it’s often the trees which help residents follow the progress of the year, whether they’re native like the oaks of Greenwich and other city parks or long-established introductions like the sycamore and lime, the magnificent horse chestnut and the London plane tree, all trees are a window on the seasons. Interestingly, because of the heat generated by cities the buds of urban trees usually open earlier than in the countryside.

This year the festival of Easter as well the Jewish Passover fall in the month of April. The Passover commemorates the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, specifically God’s passing over their houses when he killed the first-born children of the Egyptians. It is marked by the eating of unleavened bread and by a special ceremonial family meal (Seder) accompanied by various rituals, such as blessings,prayers, songs and the retelling of the story of the exodus.

For Christians Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, which this year falls on April 9 sees the beginning of Holy Week. It is so named as it commemorates the triumphal

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entry of Christ into Jerusalem, his path strewn with palm branches. Since the Middle Ages, churchgoers have had palm crosses blessed by their priest on this day.

Good Friday, this year falling on April 14, commemorating the crucifixion, is a public holiday in much of the UK. It was thought to have been a good day for planting potatoes and sowing parsley. Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday and any that are left over are supposed to remain fresh for ever because they are marked with the holy cross.

Easter Sunday itself is the highlight of the Christian year, celebrating Christ’s resurrection. It was once believed that the sun danced for joy as it rose on this day and people would flock to high places to observe this happening.

Easter eggs have been given to friends and families for centuries, though in former years they were likely to be decorated hardboiled eggs rather than the chocolate variety we enjoy today. The egg symbolises new life; and was also a forbidden food during Lent, making a welcome return to the menu on Easter Day. April 23rd brings St George’s Day. He is of course the patron saint of England, though very little is known about him other than he died a martyr’s death, probably in 303.

The legend of St George and the Dragon in which he fights and kills a dragon to save the life of a beautiful princess dates from the 12th century. Like other dragon legends it is an allegory of the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness or, in a more pagan interpretation, of spring over winter. A re-enactment of the slaying of the dragon formed a colourful and dramatic part of the St George’s Day festivities throughout the Middle Ages.

The following day is a less cheerful one however as it was traditionally believed that the wraiths of those who were to die in the following year would appear in the churchyard around midnight on St Mark’s Eve and so people often maintained a vigil in the church porch on the 24th to see who was doomed. The wraiths were said to enter the church in the order in which they would die, often with some indication of the manner of their death, such as a rope around their neck. Those who would merely suffer serious illness were believed to look through the door without crossing the threshold.

Thankfully there are less macabre traditions associated with this night, for example young girls would hand up their smocks and anxiously wait for a glimpse of their future husbands.

Transferring Your Design

The easiest method to transfer a design is of course an iron-on transfer, many of which used to be given away free with needlework magazines in the mid-20th century, printed in either blue or silver. My grandmother had a huge collection of these transfers, all carefully stored in a biscuit box with a cute puppy and kitten picture on the lid. There were sunbonnet and crinoline ladies - too many to count - birds, bears and an infinite variety of flower patterns. If you enjoy stitching vintage, it's still easy to find these old designs in thrift shops, at jumble sales and of course on auction sites such as eBay. But if you don’t have a transfer and want to transfer a downloaded pattern (like those in this magazine) there are several different methods available to you, some of which are easier, and so perhaps more popular, than others.

problem, but if in doubt then use a pencil. This will leave a permanent mark, but it won't bleed into other areas and should be covered by your stitching.

Tracing your Design

Iron the fabric you want to stitch on and then place it right side up on a clean flat surface. Tape it securely to the surface.

Choose the best colour carbon paper to show up on this fabric and tape this into place shiny side down. Then position your pattern on top of the carbon paper and again, tape (or pin) it to stop it slipping around as you work.

If you're embroidering onto a pale coloured, light-weight fabric, then it's relatively easy to trace your design onto it as though it was tracing paper. To do this, print your design in the usual way, then tape your printed sheet to a light source - most usually a light box or window pane. Position your fabric over it, right side up, making sure that the design is beneath the position you have chosen for your finished embroidery. Tape your fabric in place over the paper. Don't be tempted to try to hold it with one hand while tracing with the other - unless it's really small and simple your fabric is quite likely to slip out of position leading to frustration and a spoiled design (I am speaking from experience!). If you have some then masking tape is the best to use as it's easier to remove than sellotape and leaves less sticky residue. Use the smallest amount you actually need and keep it to the edges of your fabric, just in case.

When everything is securely held in place, trace over your design with a sharp pencil or a water soluble temporary fabric marker pen. I have read debate online about whether or not the marks from these pens can reappear over a period of time, spoiling your finished work. I haven't personally experienced this

Dressmakers’ Carbon Paper Another popular choice is to use dressmakers' carbon paper.

This isn't at all the same as the old-fashioned carbon paper those of us of a certain age remember using when typing copies of a letter on a typewriter. (Aside: Did you know that typewriters are no longer manufactured anywhere in the world?)

Dressmakers' carbon paper is a thicker, waxier paper and doesn't smudge. It is available in different colours to suit different fabrics. This technique is only good for smooth fabrics.

Then take a pencil or ballpoint pen and draw carefully over the lines of the pattern. Don't press too hard or you might tear the paper and spoil the design, but press firmly enough for your lines to show up on the fabric. You might want to test this first on a corner of the fabric.

Once you've traced over all the lines, remove the tape and lift off the pattern and carbon paper - your design will then be ready to stitch. You can also purchase transfer pencils - the lines these draw will iron onto your fabric in the same way as the oldfashioned transfers. For this method you will need to print the reversed pattern. Then on your printed sheet, draw over the pattern lines with the transfer pen. The sheet can then be turned over and the design ironed onto your fabric - when of course it will be the right way round.

Sulky Sticky Fabri Solvy

I think it’s safe to say that this product has revolutionised the way I work. You can purchase it in two forms – either on a roll or as 10 x 8? sheets. I have tried both, and whilst the roll is certainly more economical as you need only use the exact amount for your design, for me it has one major drawback – which is that you still have to trace the design. This is because the curl of the roll has made it impossible to for me to successfully get my printer to print on it. So I always purchase the sheets. These are readily available from various sources online - I purchase from Amazon Marketplace as this is quick and easy.

I don’t know if you can see properly here – this is the fabric side uppermost. It’s quite a lightweight product, so it’s still possible to see your backing fabric while you’re stitching.

The fabric layer has a sticky back, so when you’ve printed your design you simply peel it away from the paper backing and press into place on your background fabric where you want your design to be. I haven’t found a problem with sticky residue on my needle at all, and the sticky fabri solvy acts as a stabilizer which can be helpful.

Using this product also makes it easy to transfer your design to thicker fabrics that you can’t trace the pattern onto, as well as textured or dark coloured fabrics. When you’ve completed your stitching you simply immerse your work in cold water. (1) I usually put mine into the water upside down so any residue, and printer ink particles, can disperse to the bottom of the basin, but in (2) below it’s the right way up so you can see how the Fabri Solvy is beginning to curl and disappear after it’s been in the water for about five minutes. I usually leave mine face down for around an hour to make sure every little bit has dissolved away, and then I rinse thoroughly.

The only issue I’ve had is if I don’t rinse thoroughly, and leave any printed particles behind, then my printer inkjet inks can bleed into my background fabric. But that really is my fault for not rinsing and these days I’m super careful. And that’s it!

My personal favourite - Sulky Sticky Fabri Solvy

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Clockwise from top left: Incorporating her little birds into hexies; flowers on the seventeenth; working on commissions for her Etsy shop; relaxing with chocolate and stitching after work (check out Sally’s mug too!)

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Demystifying Precuts

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Sparkle and Shine this Spring!

As the days grow longer the increasing sunshine reveals any dust, cobwebs and general grubbiness hidden during the winter months. It’s no wonder that Spring is the traditional time for giving your home a super-deep clean. Simply opening your windows will let fresh air in, giving rooms an instant lift.

Whilst there are many good commercial cleaners available, if you’re environmentallyconscious, then it’s perfectly possible to tackle most household tasks with natural products such as lemon juice, vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. A 50:50 mix of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle is a good all-round cleaner, whilst a more dilute solution works well on windows inside and out. Wipe your windows with a duster and then a ball of scrunched-up newspaper to remove any smears. Windows are best cleaned on a cloudy day as sunlight dries the liquid too quickly leaving streaks behind.

Baths, sinks and grouting can be cleaned with a paste of one part lemon juice to two of bicarbonate of soda. Lemon juice is super-useful when you’re cleaning as you can also use it to clean work top surfaces and add a shine to copper and brass.

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Hens’ eggs can be painted in a naturalistic way to copy the colouring of different species of birds’ eggs. Display them in a basket, on straw or simply in a humble egg box for a lovely rustic effect. But remember eggs coloured with paints rather than edible food dyes should be used for decorative purposes only.

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Tea Time Chocolatey Treats!

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Inspiration

inspiration A closer look at some of the accounts we love…

@we.made.this.home

@sewstitchinghappy

Laura is a wife, mother, homemaker & blogger. She shares the most gorgeous images of her home and some stunning floral displays!

Cassie owns a fab fabric shop, is mom to 3 littles and married to an amazing husband.

She shares images of the gorgeous fabrics she sells in her shop.

@crochetbyredagape

@annie_and_wilf

Mandy designs gorgeous crochet patterns and is the founder of @craftastherapy. Her feed is always full of beautiful colours and is guaranteed to make you smile!

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Rebecca makes beautiful hanging textile décor & prints. With so many gorgeous items to choose from you’ll be sure to find something that catches your eye!

Home Comforts Mixed spice is the traditional - and totally perfect - ingredient for Easter bakes. To make your own blend 1 tablespoon each of allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg, 2 tablespoons mace and 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander, cloves and ginger and store in an airtight jar.

A lovely alternative to giving chocolate at this time of year is to add mixed spice, grated lemon rind and raisins or other dried fruit to your biscuit dough, bake and then bundle in a stack tied with a pretty pastel ribbon as a gift.

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