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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 June Issue I think summer may finally have arrived in my little corner of Somerset (though I t don’t want to scare it away by writing this!) As I sit at my laptop I can see all the schoolchildren going past my windows, laughing and giggling, dressed in bright summer clothes, whilst last week they were wrapped in waterproofs, heads down, battling against the wind and rain - such are the vagaries of the English weather! Whether summer stays or flies away again outside, it’s definitely here to stay in this issue. Rosie makes the most of the season’s produce with some delicious recipes using berries and cherries, whist we enjoy our gardens and countryside with features on roses and not one but two country diary exerpts. There’s plenty of stitching as well with two more (very) little guides, a look at threads and buttons and tips for keeping your workspace tidy. We also welcome Megan Eckman who tells us a little more about her Super Stitcher’s Club and talented ceramicist Jo Lucksted who creates some of the most delightful and quirky designs. I do hope you’ll enjoy this month’s issue, and I’m already putting together the July edition with a bit of a coastal theme. It will be published on Thursday 29 June. Have a lovely month!
Helen xx
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Tips for Stitchers We’re all guilty of impulse purchases, buying new bits and pieces for possibly non-existent sewing projects. But you can easily reduce your sewing costs simply by checking your stash before going shopping as, if you’re anything like me, you’re quite likely to have something suitable already. A neat and tidy work room will help stop you buying unnecessarily as it will be easy to see everything you already have. You should also be strict with yourself - if fabric’s overflowing from storage then you’ve probably already got too much of a good thing! If you’re trying to be a thrifty stitcher, then remember the three magic words - repurpose, reuse and recycle. Little Flora the elephant in the image above is made from fabric cut from a 1930’s vintage curtain result!
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51 16
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32
61 40 24
50 37
Between this month’s covers … Tips for Stitchers
Page 4
Instagram Inspiration
Page 35
May Almanac
Page 6
Blossom Bear Pin Cushion
Page 36
Geranium Hoop
Page 8
Organising your Workspace
Page 39
Changing your Machine Needle
Page 11
Rosie’s Recipes: Berries and Cherries
Page 40
Meet the Maker: Megan Eckman
Page 12
Lovely Idea: Here Comes the Sun Hat!
Page 46
The Countryside in June
Page 15
Summer Flamingo Hoop
Page 47
All Buttoned Up!
Page 16
A Country Diary (2)
Page 50
Lovely Idea: Sock Kangaroo
Page 18
Meet the Maker: Jo Lucksted
Page 51
Wilderness Bear
Page 19
A (Very) Little Guide to Pins
Page 54
A (Very) Little Guide to Fabric
Page 23
Summer Floral Device Sleeve
Page 55
The Romance of the Rose
Page 24
Home Comforts
Page 61
Poetry Corner
Page 27
In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
Page 62
Tropical Leaf Cushion
Page 28
Templates
Page 63
A Country Diary
Page 31
Choosing and Using your Thread
Page 32
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June In June the days are at their longest and the nights are short so that, on bright sunny days it can be hard to settle to sleep. The fresh, sparkling dawns, full of the day’s promise and long twilight evenings are so wonderful after the short dark days of winter, that it’s hard to resist the temptation to sit up late, perhaps in the garden, stitching or reading until the dew begins to fall. Stonehenge, on the edge of one of our last great wildernesses, Salisbury Plain in southern England, witnesses the Summer Solstice celebrations on or around 21 June. People have come to this place for centuries, even millennia, to mark this high point of the solar calendar when, here in the northern hemisphere, the days are at their longest. 21 June is also known as “Midsummer’s Day” not, as often assumed, the middle of summer, but from the Germanic “mid” meaning “with”, that is to say, the day that summer finally arrives. Although this is also the moment when the days begin to shorten as we approach autumn (still a
long way off!), the summer solstice is by no means the warmest day of the year, but is rather a blend of the luxuriance of spring and the warmth of the high summer months that lie ahead. Along every country lane, as cars pass by, the tall cream white flowers of cow parsley foam along the verges. This plant is also known, perhaps more romantically, as Queen Anne’s lace. The story goes that the eighteenth century monarch would often tour her realm during
“Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” Henry James, quoted in Edith Wharton, A Backward Glance (1934) the plant’s peak flowering season and, as she saw the flowers out of her carriage window, she assumed that her subjects had strewn the roadsides with lace to welcome her.
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The Coronation of our own Queen, Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953. The ceremony was performed in Westminster Abbey, London by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the presence of heads of state and other dignitaries from all over the Commonwealth. The events of the day were witnessed by 8,000 guests in the Abbey, 3 million onlookers who lined the streets to watch the processions and more than 20 million television viewers worldwide who tuned into the BBC’s live coverage, broadcast in 44 languages. Some people bought their first television set especially for this day, and invited friends and neighbours round to share the historic moment. The following day brings the wedding anniversary of the man whose abdication in 1936 ultimately brought Elizabeth II to the throne. Edward, Duke of Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII) married Mrs Wallis Simpson on this day in 1937. He had abdicated in December 1936 after less than a year on the throne, because of his desire to marry the twice-divorced US socialite who
was considered unacceptable as a British Queen Consort. Away from the city, across the countryside elder trees are coming into bloom, their profuse creamywhite flower heads unmissable. Both the flowers and the berries are good for making a variety of drinks such as wines and cordials, whilst elderflower fritters make a delicious snack. Ideally pick elderflowers for edible purposes on a warm dry day and don’t take them from roadside trees as they will be polluted from by exhaust fumes. Deep in the sunlit woodlands you’ll find foxgloves in flower, their tall spikes of purple blooms growing perhaps at the shady base of an old fallen tree and a few fields, perhaps those farmed organically or that haven’t been sprayed this year, will be red with poppies. You’ll find it harder to spot the less showy flowers of wild orchids, but this is the month to search for them. There are about 50 species native to the UK, some rare and endangered, others relatively common. You are most likely to discover them in marsh areas, in woodland or on chalk or limestone downland, depending upon the species; as they tend to like poor soils you’re unlikely to spot them on agricultural land. Perhaps there may have been orchids growing in the meadow at Runnymede on 15 June 1215, the year that King John set his seal on Magna Carta, the “Great Charter” drawn up by the barons of
England who had risen in rebellion against his oppressive and arbitrary rule. The charter confirmed the freedom of the Church, defined the rights and obligations of various sections of the community, and set out the principles of justice and law.
harbour of New York City in the form of 350 pieces of copper packed in more than 200 crates. A gift from France, it was reassembled at its destination and dedicated by president Grover Cleveland in October 1886.
“June has now come, bending beneath her weight of roses, to ornament the halls and bowers which summer has hung with green. For this is the month of roses and their beauty and fragrance conjure up again many in poetical creation which Memory had buried … This is the season to wander into the fields and woods, with a volume of sterling poetry for companionship and compare the descriptive passages with the objects that lie around. We never enjoy reading portions of Spenser’s Faery Queen so much as when among the great green trees in summer.”
June 23 is Midsummer Eve, also known as St John’s Eve, although most of the activities associated with it are probably of pagan origin. These include dancing around - or jumping through - bonfires, gathering branches and flowers to decorate the home and ward off evil spirits and performing rituals to ascertain the identity of one’s future lover or spouse. Bonfires were traditionally lit on hilltops so they could be seen for many miles and people danced or walked around them in a clockwise direction, representing the apparent daily motion of the sun. Sometimes blazing torches lit from the bonfire were carried through the surrounding fields and villages, whilst torchlit processions were also a feature of the Midsummer Eve vigil in larger towns and cities.
Chambers Book of Days (1864) It also placed restrictions on the power of the monarch himself, and is therefore regarded as sowing the seeds of constitutional democracy. And, in one of the world’s greatest democracies, on 19 June 1885, the Statute of Liberty arrived in the
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Among the plants thought to have particular supernatural power on Midsummer Eve were St John’s wort, plantain, mugwort and hemp whilst it was also believed that the seed of certain fern plants was visible only on this night and that those who managed to catch the seed as it fell to the ground would be invisible while they carried it!
Geranium Hoop I know the correct name is Pelargonium, but my mum always used to call these colourful flowering plants geraniums and the habit has remained with me over the years. Putting my geraniums outside once all danger of frost has passed is for me a sign that summer really has arrived. This little geranium sits in a terracotta coloured applique pot and uses just three easy stitches - back stitch, satin stitch and stem stitch. The flowers are stitched in variegated floss which gives a lovely dappled effect to the flowers, rather as though they were sparkling in the summer sun. Shown mounted in 6” hoop.
Materials ● 10” square dark olive green linen or cotton background fabric. ● 3” x 2” terracotta coloured felt or fabric for plant pot ● DMC stranded cotton floss in shades 315, 906, 907, 4180, dark brown (no need to be too specific about which one) and a colour to match the felt you’ve chosen for your plant pot. ● Bondaweb ● 6” embroidery hoop
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Navy would also be a nice choice for this design I think, or if you prefer to work on a light coloured background consider changing the floss colour for the flowers to something a little darker so they stand out better against the lighter fabric.
Method
● Transfer your design to your fabric using the full size templates. I recommend tracing the shape of the hoop too (represented by a dotted line on the templates) as this will help you position your plant pot correctly. ● Trace the plant pot shape from the reversed template onto the paper side of your Bondaweb. Cut out roughly and fuse to the reverse of your felt/fabric. Cut out carefully, peel off paper with green. When you’re adding the green take some of the stitches into the purple rings to give a more irregular and natural looking edge. The very narrow centres of some of the leaves are worked in normal satin stitch, but where you have enough room in the centre, use radiating straight stitch instead.
backing and position on your background fabric using your transferred pattern as a guide. When you’re happy with the positioning fuse into place with a hot iron using a cloth to protect your design. ● Secure the applique plant pot with short straight stitches using floss that closely matches the colour of your felt/fabric. Using dark brown floss work the line of the plant pot rim in back stitch.
● The stems of the flowers are worked in stem stitch. ● When your work is finished remove any temporary lines and press lightly on the reverse being careful not to flatten your stitches.
● Now work your geranium following the colour guide above. The flowers are worked in satin stitch. The variegated floss will give them a lovely dappled effect. Vary the angle of your satin stitch between each petal so that the effect is quite random giving a much more natural feeling to your bloom.
● Mount in hoop using the template as a guide (looking at my finished work now, I think it should have been mounted a little more to the left).
● The leaves are worked in radiating satin stitch. I recommend working the purple rings first, before filling in the rest of the leaf
● FINISHED!
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Changing your Sewing Machine Needle It’s important to change your sewing machine needle regularly as needles quickly become blunt, or even slightly bent which can cause real problems when stitching. In fact almost the first thing I do when I’m experiencing problems with my machine is to change the needle. This can be a little fiddly, but isn’t hard to accomplish with a little practice ….
there’s no danger of inserting it the wrong way round. Generally the flat surface is towards the back of the machine, but do check your manual if you’re in any doubt. ● Holding the needle in position tighten the screw by hand, then finish with a couple of turns with the screwdriver. It’s important the screw is tight to stop the needle becoming loose due to the vibration and movement of the machine as you stitch. A needle that becomes loose will wobble about and bend or break, in the worst case damaging the throat plate and bobbin case.
● Place a small scrap of fabric under the presser foot, then using the screwdriver that came with your sewing machine loosen the screw holding the needle in place by turning it anti-clockwise. The needle will just drop out of the holder and the fabric will prevent it from dropping through to the bobbin.
● If your needle does break when you’re stitching then this might be because it’s the wrong size (generally too small) for the materials you’re using. Try a size up and see if that’s any better.
● Choose the right needle for the project you’re working on and insert as far as possible into the holder. Machine needles have a flat back so
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This month we’re so excited to be able to introduce you to Megan Eckman, the owner and head designer at Studio MME, and find out more about her about her monthly Super Stitcher’s Club. Hi, I’m Megan and together with my husband and our CFO (Chief Feline Officer), I create approachable embroidery designs for the modern stitcher. But if you’d have told me that I would be working with thread and fabric for a living a few years ago, I would have laughed out loud. I grew up with a terribly over-active imagination. Most people think that sounds like a lot of fun but if you can imagine fairies and griffins and happy things, you can also create ghosts and people under your bed. Yeah, my parents had a handful getting me to sleep at night and my husband still has to follow the routine of no open closet doors and no clothes on chairs. But I harnessed that energy and went to art school, where I received dual degrees in drawing and creative writing.
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After graduation, I jetted off to Silicon Valley with my then-boyfriend so he could get his Masters’ degree in Photography. I worked odd jobs to pay the exorbitantly skyhigh rent but I knew I wanted to work for myself. Then one night, in a bit of a creative funk, I pulled out some scrap fabric and thread and turned one of my drawings into an embroidery. It all sort of snowballed from there, honestly. I shared the image online and soon I had an inbox full of people asking me if I sold patterns. So I opened an Etsy shop and began learning how to run a business. It was very odd for me to find myself in the embroidery industry all of a sudden because I had actually kind of flunked my grandmother’s sewing lessons. She taught me one summer when I was about seven. I had so much fun picking out the colors and she had
Meet the Designer
a lot less fun picking out my knots. I was the queen of knots! In fact, we only made it through learning four basic stitches before my grandmother called it quits for fear of losing her eyesight (or perhaps her patience). So there I was, a woman who could only sew a running stitch, a backstitch, a split stitch, and a pretty bad satin stitch, running an embroidery business. My limited skills actually turned into a blessing for two reasons. First, I didn’t even consider selling finished pieces because then people would see how big I could make my rats’ nests. Second, I designed patterns that used only the basic stitches, making them perfect for beginners. Over the last five years of running this business, I’ve realized that while my designs are not the most complex, they do
A selection of Megan’s modern embroidery designs
allow people the ability to learn a new skill without the fussiness of French knots in your first piece. They can curl up on the couch, turn on Netflix, and feel good knowing that I designed my pieces to be sewn while distracted. (Heck, sometimes I even test out how good the designs are by seeing if I can drink a beer and stitch and have it look just fine.) One thing I didn’t expect about running an embroidery business, though, was my ability to get people...well...a bit addicted. Last year I had people banging on my social media door asking for more patterns every month. I had customers who wanted more than just four or six new patterns a year. They wanted one a month! So I decided to launch the Super Stitchers’ Club. The club had been percolating for a while but I wanted to work out all of the bugs first to ensure that my club members had the best experience. The premise of the club is that every month a new embroidery pattern printed on fabric comes to your mailbox along with the coordinating thread. You get to dance around in joy and then sit down to stitch it. Then you wait until the start of the next month and repeat the process. I was REALLY nervous when I launched the club last September. My biggest fear would be no one joined and I would have to quietly sweep it under the rug, hoping no one had noticed. Instead, I had 50 people join in the first month. I was
floored! Suddenly this club was huge and a thing and I had to make sure it was awesome for 50 people! The club has continued to grow and I’ve added a few other membership options to make it the best fit for people. For internationals, I ship packages of three patterns every three months to give you the same free shipping my US domestic members get. For those in the US who have busier lives, I have a quarterly club where you get one pattern every three months. (This prevents your to-do crafting pile from giving way in an avalanche.) As the club continues to grow, I’ve started to work with other embroidery businesses to offer members new experiences. I just joined forces with Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching to start sharing her beautiful embroidery floss in the packages each month. I’m also working with Colour and Cotton to have some hand-dyed, custom threads made for me. I really love seeing how other makers can inspire one another. Looking in Studio MME’s future, I would love to incorporate more foreign travel. I’m off to Sicily this fall for a few weeks and I can’t wait to see what comes of it, whether it’s just one design or a travel-themed, limited edition set. My husband and I love to roam and we’re working to set up Studio MME so that we can be location independent while still creating an amazing array of designers for our stitchers.
If you’re interested in learning more about the club, you can find all of the membership options at:
https://www.studiomme.com/page s/super-stitchers-club
Want to try your hand at one of my patterns? Then you can find the pattern above, which was the March design for my club, here:
https://www.studiomme.com/blog s/view-from-the-studio/flourishpattern. You can download the PDF and then use a light window and pencil OR an iron-on transfer pencil to transfer the design to any piece of fabric you’d like. The instructions are at the beginning of the PDF and I also list the thread colors for you, in case you want to stick with the originals.
The Countryside in June June - the month of the peony, the lily, and the transcendent rose; the month of the tall, tufted grasses rippling in the light winds, of the hemlock opening its creamy parasols beside the road. June of the mounting sun and lengthening days, of the long evenings filled with the scream of the arrowy swifts; of dazzling afternoons when the cattle stand hock-deep in the shaded pond and the murmur of the flies grows louder day by day, and the young thrush in the clean brown spots of his first plumage hops on the lawn; wherever the eye moves it seems to meet the flurried, uncertain, stumbling flight of fledglings new from the nest. The summer has ascended to a state of certainty; the fruit is set upon the apple tree, the pears are firm against the warm south wall; while under their lower nets the gleaming strawberries are luscious in their prime. June - the month of the short nights where the owls call, the nightjar spins his uncanny harmony on the long fir bough, and the hedgehog snuffles through the darkness after snails. Sweet June, indeed, with her scent the scent of mignonette and of hay-time, her garment the heavy cloak of midsummer green, embroidered almost beyond the believing with the exuberance of the rose, the stitchwork of the border flowers. Anxiety about the hay - that’s always there in June when the cutting edge is poised between the drying of the morning dew and the menace of the thunderclouds, navy-blue above the horizon. But somehow or other the hay is always mown, whether it be a a rich, dry, delight, or scarcely worth the trouble of mowing it.
C Gordon-Glover Extract from
1953
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All Buttoned Up!
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These days we all take buttons for granted and use them for all sorts of purposes, apart from their original use. But it wasn’t always like this … learn some little-known facts about the humble button Not many people know that ….. ● Button-like objects dating back to around 2000 BC have been found in the Indus Valley of ancient Pakistan. They were not used for fasteners, but for ornaments. Before buttons began to be used as fasteners, pins, leather lacing and belts were used to secure clothing. ● Before buttons could be used as fasteners, the button hole had to be invented! Evidence dates the first button and button hole closure systems to 13th century Germany. This may have been a solution to the problem of how to secure clothing that was becoming more and more form-fitting, without having to resort to sharp pins that might prove at best uncomfortable and at worst a positive danger to the wearer! ● As with almost anything that is new, they became a craze. Buttons and button holes covered the clothing of the wealthy. The number and composition of the buttons themselves became a status symbol and it’s believed that King Louis XIV of France spent over $5 million 1. on them in his lifetime. ● Have you ever wondered why men's suit coats have non-functioning buttons sewn on the sleeves? They may be simply decoration, but there is also the story that King Frederick The Great of Prussia started the fashion in the 18th century. The story is that, after an
inspection of his troops, he ordered that buttons be sewn on the sleeves of their coats to discourage them from wiping their noses on them!
“All this buttoning and unbuttoning” Anonymous 18th century suicide note ● As the cost of ivory increased during the 19th century, button manufacturers began to make their products from a nut from a specific kind of palm tree in South America. This is called vegetable ivory, or corozo. When the nut is dried, it is a very reasonable facsimile for genuine ivory, and is still used today. ● The first buttons made from celluloid, one of the first types of plastics, were made in the 1860's.
And finally, a couple of useful buttonrelated tips….. ● When you’re shopping for buttons, take 2.a fabric sample with you to ensure a 3. good match and choose buttons that are compatible with the care instructions for your fabric. I ● t’s always a good idea to purchase one more button than you need, so that you can sew a spare one to a seam as a replacement if one is lost.
Look! -------------------
a lovely idea
Sock Kangaroo
This must be one of the cutest, and most original little sock animals I’ve ever seen. I love the idea of giving Mama Kangaroo a little stitched pouch to keep her baby safe. Thanks so much to Joanne of Craft Passion for sharing this little lovely with us! You can find the full tutorial over on the Craft Passion website (link below)
Free from Craft Passion : Sock Kangaroo Pattern 18
Wilderness Bear This little bear is keen and eager to set off on his very first adventure and I’m sure that he’ll have no shortage of young explorers happy to oblige! He features a hand embroidered tummy which is appliqued to his round felt body. His nose is also felt and his eyes are embroidered so there are no little pieces to cause a choking hazard. I’ve stitched his headband and feather very firmly to his head and I’m sure my young grandson will enjoy playing with him. The wilderness bear measures approximately 14” tall (excluding his feather!) ● Bondaweb
Materials
● Embroidery foot for your sewing machine
● 18” x 20” grey marl wool blend felt
● Toy stuffing
● 12” square cream felt
● Stuffing stick - this can be as simple as a bamboo skewer with the point broken off and the end frayed so it “grabs” the stuffing as you insert it.
● 2” square black felt ● Scraps of coloured felt for feather and headband.
● Fabric glue
● Stranded cotton floss in black and 4 bright colours (make sure your colours work well together and with the felt you’ve chosen for the headband and feather)
● Temporary fabric marker pen (optional)
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● Position your applique pieces on the body front and pin or secure with temporary fabric adhesive if you prefer.
Method
● Mark the pieces that need to be cut from cream felt onto your piece of felt. Do not cut them out yet. ● Now transfer the embroidery design to the cream tummy piece you’ve marked and work the embroidery. It’s much easier to do this before cutting out as it would be very hard to hoop up the tummy panel once cut. Be very careful not to stretch or distort the felt in your hoop. ● The embroidery is worked in back stitch and three strands of black floss, then some coloured straight stitches were added to the arrow and a few coloured French knots to the wigwam. (1) ● When your embroidery is finished press lightly on the reverse. Still do not cut out the shape. ● Trace the nose shape onto the paper side of your Bondaweb and cut out roughly. Fuse to your black felt with a hot iron and cut out carefully. ● Position the nose on the muzzle shape you’ve marked on your cream felt and fuse into place with a hot iron, using a cloth to protect your work if necessary. Stitch the vertical line using 3 strands of black floss and back stitch. ● Now - at last (!) - You can cut out your cream pieces for applique. Also cut out the two main body pieces from the grey felt, remembering to add ¼” seam allowance all the way around.
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● Fit the embroidery foot to your sewing machine and drop the feed dogs. With black thread in your needle and a pale colour in your bobbin stitch twice around the edge of each shape. Don’t be too neat, you’re aiming for a sort of scribbled effect. ● Return your sewing machine to “normal mode” ready to join the body pieces together. ● Before joining them, again with 3 strands of black floss, embroider the eyes with satin stitch and the fur with straight stitches. You can’t hoop up for this, but the stitching is quite straightforward and as the felt has a bit of body to it (as my mum would’ve said) you should be ok to do this without a hoop. ● Place your body pieces with right sides together and pin or baste. ● Join the pieces around the edge with a ¼” seam allowance leaving a 3” stuffing gap along one side (beneath the arm). ● Clip curves and corners, then turn right side out and press. ● You will see the red lines marked on the template between the paws and body. With the bear right side out machine stitch along those lines - this just gives a little shaping and definition to the bear’s paws and lower arms rather than it just being a blob. ● Stuff your bear firmly. Do take your time over this and don’t be tempted to push in large pieces of stuffing to fill this fairly large softie quickly. This will only lead to a rather lumpy and unattractive effect. Insert small pieces of stuffing and push them well into all the corners, especially the ears and lower limbs. Fill the main body in the same way, turning
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it round and round in your hands as you insert the stuffing to make sure you’re achieving a nice shape. You can also mould the body with your hands as you go. Stuff your bear quite firmly, but don’t overstuff so the seams are strained and the felt stretched. Firm is good though, as the stuffing will compress over time and you can’t go on an adventure with a wobbly and floppy bear!
● Glue the small feather shape to one of the larger shapes. Stitch the centre of the feather either by hand or machine using black floss or thread - this is purely down to personal preference. I stitched mine by machine. ● Now glue the second feather shape to the back of your two pieces - this will cover the back of your stitching and give a nice neat finish.
● When you’re happy with the stuffing close the gap using ordinary sewing thread and ladder stitch. It’s easiest to do this if the area next to the stuffing gap isn’t too firmly stuffed to begin with, then as you close the gap keep inserting more small pieces of stuffing and push them into place with your stuffing stick.
● Cut a ¾” x 12” strip of fabric for the headband. ● Decorate with some geometric shapes (I used diamonds) and a little stitching using the same coloured flosses that you used for your tummy panel.
● Your main softie is now finished - time for his headband.
● Stitch the feather in place to the centre back of the headband.
● From your scraps of coloured felt cut two large feather shapes (the outer line of the feather template) and one small feather shape.
● Wrap headband around head and stitch securely into place. Stitch the base of the feather to the head too so it stays in place through even the most action-packed adventures! ● Your bear is now finished!
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A (very) Little Guide to Fabric Choosing the right fabric is possibly the most important part of your project, since if you don’t get this right, then nothing else will work out properly. That’s why it’s essential to understand the terms used to describe the make up of a piece of fabric especially if you’re ordering online.
which run across the fabric at right angles to the warp threads are the weft threads. The right side of a piece of fabric is the outside or finished side - the side that you want to be visible when your project is finished. It’s very easy to tell which side is the right side on a printed fabric, though can be harder on a plain fabric. It’s pretty obvious then, that the wrong side must be the inside or unprinted side of the fabric - the side that shouldn’t be visible when your project is complete.
The selvedge (or selvage) is the finished edge of the piece of fabric. It’s very tightly woven and won’t fray. It may be printed with the same design as the fabric itself or it may be a solid background colour with dots or squares of the colours used in the design spaced along it. (These are very handy for matching different fabrics together). It may also feature an arrow pointing towards the top if the fabric has a directional design.
And finally, if you imagine a line drawn across your fabric at 45 degrees to the selvedge, then this is the bias. A woven fabric will have some stretch when it’s cut in the direction of or “on” the bias, which is why bias binding is so good for fitting around curves.
The threads that run parallel to the selvedge, ie lengthwise, are the warp threads. Those
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The Romance of the Rose
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The rose must be one of the best loved flowers anywhere in the world and here in England, no garden is complete without this country classic. They appear again and again in poetry, prose and art and carry a powerful symbolism. Roses have a long and colourful history, and according to fossil evidence the rose could be 35 million years old. Today there are well over 30,000 varieties of roses world wide After the Second World War, new rose varieties in vibrant colours became fashionable. In the fifties, garden centres - a new concept imported from the USA - presented roses in serried ranks of containers that were snapped up in their thousands - back then “manmade” was the must-have and natural was definitely out of favour. Novice gardeners could now buy plants easily without having to locate specialised nurseries where they had to be ordered in advance and then would 1. arrive bare-rooted, requiring careful preparation of the planting area. Only experts in old-fashioned roses knew where the varieties beloved of poets over the years could be found. By the 1980s however, things were changing and
the nurseries that had remained loyal to the oldfashioned roses found their loyalty rewarded as they regained their popularity. Today good garden centres will stock a variety of all kinds of rose and as they’re container-grown they can be planted at almost any time of year. Roses are very tolerant plants and although they do prefer a clay soil will grow almost anywhere so your soil type needn’t limit your choice.
The reason the oldfashioned shrub roses blend 2. so well into a mixed border is that their colours are more muted and their growth less stiff and formal than the modern varieties. There is no definite date that divides old roses from modern ones, but unless you want to be purist about it, then I don’t think this really matters.
Since the 1970s there has been a category called English roses which combine the appearance of old roses with improved disease resistance and if, like me, you don’t want to spray your roses with chemicals then you may like to consider these varieties. But in any case, some of the old varieties are so lovely, not even a little blackspot can detract from their beauty. Certainly Gertrude Jekyll and Vita Sackville-West who revived interest in old roses in the first part of the 20th century weren’t too worried about this. The pleasure and romance of growing a rose that was a favourite of the French Empress Josephine in her garden at Malmaison more than makes up for a few flaws. However the English roses do also have the advantage of repeat flowering whilst most of the old varieties give you one wonderful flush of flowers then it’s all over until next year. If you have just one rose in 3. your garden, then consider making it a climbing rose. Their height adds a new dimension to your planting scheme and they are generally trouble-free. There are two types of climbers “ramblers” have large trusses of small flowers that appear once in the summer, whilst
“climbers” have larger flowers, stiffer stems and may be repeat flowering. Check the eventual height of the rose before purchasing and be sure to plant it at least 18” away from the wall or post you want it to grow over. Arches are also great supports for climbing roses, choose varieties with extravagant blooms and maximum fragrance that will hang their heads under their own weight to experience the maximum waft of fragrance as you walk beneath them. Roses are very long-lived which makes them relatively
inexpensive to purchase compare to the cost of annual bedding plants, so can be relied upon to be a permanent feature of your garden for many years to come. If however, you decide a certain rose isn’t exactly what you envisaged, and decide to uproot it and replace with a different variety, then it’s important to replace the soil around it to avoid disease. I always try to choose supports for my roses that look old or natural, rather than modern plastic ones. A woven hazel arch, or a reclaimed old railing will blend beautifully with a climber and
if your roses are in an enclosed area, then making a simple frame from hazel poles will give your display a simple rustic charm. And finally, if like me, you are a rose-lover, then a wonderful June outing is to visit a notable rose garden for inspiration where you will find old fashioned scented roses, rambling roses and modern roses in borders, along trellises and in special beds. Click here to find a rose garden near you (UK) Learn more about the history of the rose.
The Lavender Bush At her doorway Mrs Mayle Grows a bush of lavender. Large, and round, and silver-pale, Where the blooms, a misty blur, Lift their purple spikes on high, Loved of butterflies and moths, And on these, to bleach and dry, Mrs Mayle spreads little cloths. Tray cloths, mats of cobweb-weave, All of them too fairy-fine For a careful soul to leave Dangling on a washing line, Mrs Mayle lays softly there Till she brings them in once more, Sweet with blossom-scented air, From the bush beside the door.
Elizabeth Fleming
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Tropical Leaf Cushion Freestyle machine applique doesn’t seem to be such a popular technique lately - or at least I don’t seem to have been seeing it as much. But I love this technique, it’s a quick - and once you’ve got the hang of it - really quite an easy way to achieve impressive results. If you enjoy free motion quilting then you’ll find this technique oh, so very simple. The success of this project depends on accurately cutting out your leaves - this is made easy by the use of bondaweb, large sharp shears, and sitting comfortably, taking plenty of time - oh, and because I’m English, having a nice cup of tea to hand! Finished cover is sized to fit 14” x 24” pad.
2 long strips measuring 24” and 2 short strips measuring 18” long.
Materials ● 14” x 24” rectangle of natural coloured medium weight cotton or cotton blend fabric
● Assortment of green felt pieces for leaves. (Templates are actual size which will show you the size of the pieces of felt you need).
● Two 16” x 16” squares of the same fabric for the reverse
● Bondaweb ● Embroidery foot for your sewing machine
● Four strips of 1 ½” wide cotton fabric (quilting cotton is a good weight for this).
● 14” x 24” cushion pad
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edges of the leaves. Then get creative (3 and 4). I went around some leaves twice, added veins to others, seed pods to the fern and even a bit of free motion quilting drunkards path stitch to the largest fern leaf!
Method Use a ¼” seam allowance throughout. ● Carefully trace the leaf shapes onto the paper side of your Bondaweb. I find a sharpie is the best tool for this (1).
● When you’ve finished press your work lightly on the reverse.
● Make a cut into each shape (2). This will make it much easier to peel away the paper backing.
● Join your two long strips of fabric to the bottom and top edges of your panel, and the shorter edges to the sides (5).
● Cut out the shapes roughly, then fuse to your pieces of green felt. Now cut out the shapes carefully using long slow strokes of your scissor blades and moving the fabric around the scissors, not the other way around.
● Press seams open to minimise bulk. ● Hem one edge of each of your 16” squares ● Place your front panel face up on a clean flat surface then place your squares face down on top aligning the side edges so that the finished sides overlap at the centre to form the envelope closure.
● Peel off the paper backing and using the diagram at the front of the templates page, position your leaf shapes on your main cushion panel. When you’re happy with the positioning fuse into place using a hot iron and protecting your work with a cloth if necessary.
● Stitch around the edge. Clip corners, turn right side out and press. ● Stitch in the ditch along the seam between the main fabric and the border panel (6). This will form a nice trim around the edge of your cushion.
● Fit the embroidery foot to your sewing machine and drop the feed dogs. With black or dark green thread in your needle and a pale colour in your bobbin go around the
● Press again and insert pad.
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A Country Diary Miss Simpson came to colour the rooms. I began with white-washing the ceiling. I worked with them (William was very busy) till dinner time, but after dinner I went to bed and fell asleep. When I rose I went just before tea into the garden. I looked up at my Swallow’s nest and it was gone. It had fallen down. Poor little creatures they could not themselves be more distressed than I was. I went upstairs to look at the Ruins. They lay in a large heap upon the window ledge; these Swallows had been ten days employed in building this nest, and it seemed to be almost finished. I watched them early in the morning, in the day many and many a time and in the evenings when it was almost dark I had seen them sitting side by side in their unfinished nest both morning and night. When they first came about the window they used to hang against the pains, with their white Bellies and their forked tails looking like fish, but then they fluttered and sang their own little twittering song. As soon as the nest was broad enough, a sort of ledge for them they sate both mornings and evenings, but they did not pass the night there. I watched them one morning ‌ for more than an hour. Every now and then there was a feeling motion in their wings, a sort of tremulousness and they sang a low song to one another.
Dorothy Wordsworth (25 December 1771 – 25 January 1855) was an English author, poet and diarist. She was the sister of the Romantic poet William Wordsworth, and the two were close all their lives. Dorothy had no ambitions to be an author, and her writings consist only of series of letters, diary entries, poems and short stories.
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Choosing and using your thread ….
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Choosing your thread Almost any kind of non-elastic fibre can be used for embroidery - as long that is as it can be threaded for a needle and a suitable material can be found to support your stitches. However, until you’ve tried a few different types of thread it’s perhaps best to keep to manufactured embroidery flosses that are tried and tested for strength and colourfastness, and that are suitable for embroidering on many different types of background fabric. Threads come in all colours of the rainbow (sometimes all at once!) and are packaged in many different types of skeins and hanks. Some are wound so that lengths can be pulled out easily (if you choose the right end that is!), as in stranded cotton. However many brands, and artisan threads, need the skein bands removed and the yarn untwisted or unfolded before they can be used. Many of these kinds of threads once untwisted will fall out into a skein that can be cut at each end to create a bundle of threads the right length for stitching. If this is the case then knot the bundle loosely in the centre so it will keep tidily together and not fall apart and tangle. Don’t use an elastic band to hold the threads together, as rather in the same
way that they’re bad for your hair, they’re bad for floss too. Stitches can vary markedly in appearance when they’re worked in different threads. Try a variety of thicknesses and types of thread in one stitch to gauge the different effects achieved. Some stitches are much easier to work in finer threads, but the boldness of heavier fibres can create a dramatic effect.
More usual types of thread ● The most commonly used thread for embroidery is stranded cotton floss. It has a silky sheen and is widely available in several hundred colours. It is usually composed of six strands that can be separated to create different weights of thread. Always choose a good brand and don’t be tempted by bundles of cheap threads, in my experience they’re not nice to work with and the frustration they can cause may even put a beginner off stitching altogether. ● Pearl cotton (or cotton perle) is also commonly used. It has a lustrous corded finish and the strands can’t be separated. It is available in four different gauges, 3, 5, 8 and 12 with 3 being the heaviest.
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● Soft embroidery cotton is a relatively thick, single thread fibre with a matt finish. It’s best restricted to loose weave fabric as it’s hard to pull through tightly woven ones and can look lumpy. ● Crewel wool is a fine woollen (obviously!) Thread that can be used singly or stranded together as required.
Threading your needle Many stitchers find threading their needle difficult due to poor eyesight (I totally empathise here, having had to wear glasses for close work for many years now), or perhaps through not knowing the best way to do it. If you’re having problems then you might like to try the following method shown to me by my own grandma a long time ago: ● Hold the needle in your right hand (or left if you are left-handed) and with your other hand loop the thread over the point of the needle and pull it tightly. ● Hold this loop firmly between your thumb and first finger, then turn the needle around, place the eye of the needle over the loop and move it downwards so that the loop of thread passes through the eye.
Positioning your first stitch This may not be something that occurs to inexperienced stitchers, but where you should begin working on your project is actually a very important decision, and it’s worth taking the following points into consideration: ● It’s always a good idea to work in a continuous flow, rather than jumping between different points and then discovering your work doesn’t join up successfully. This is extra important for counted stitches as it’s almost impossible to retrieve the situation in these circumstances, though if you’re working freehand you could try to work the mismatch into your design - calling it artistic licence perhaps?! ● Where a design requires very dense areas of stitching the it’s easiest to start in the centre and complete the main features before working outwards. This is because it’s easier to work into plain fabric than to try to squeeze your needle between earlier, closely spaced stitches.
Beginning your thread A good rule of thumb - and again a tip from my grandma is to make sure your thread is
approximately the same length as the distance between your wrist and elbow. As a youngster I used to be very tempted to use longer threads so I wouldn’t have to start and stop so often, but soon learned this wasn’t such a great idea as if your thread is much longer than this then stitching becomes uncomfortable for your arm and shoulder, as well as an increased risk of knots, twisting and fraying. ● For most projects, the neatest way to begin is to make a few small stitches, leaving the end of the thread at the front, within an area that you intend to cover with the thread already on your needle. It’s important to cover the starting stitches with the same colour floss to ensure that the colours don’t overlap, causing the thread of one piece of work to be inadequately covered by another colour. ● If this method is unsuitable as your small starting stitches won’t be covered by your embroidery - if you’re working French knots, detached chain stitch or other more widely spaced stitches for example - then run the thread under a few stitches at the back of your work before starting. Do try not to run dark threads into an area of lighter stitching - or vice versa - as they may show through. If you’re
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beginning in an area where there aren’t any stitches, then leave a long thread at the back and stitch it in once you’ve worked some embroidery.
Finishing a thread This can be done in a similar fashion to beginning your thread. ● If you will be 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 and snip it off when you reach it. ● If you’re going to change to a contrasting colour, then turn your work over and run the thread under a few stitches at the back. Never run your thread behind the work across an area that isn’t going to be stitched. This can cause puckering and gathering, may show through to the front of the work, and if the item is going to be used and laundered the thread may catch and break, causing areas of your design to come unstitched. It’s really important to cut the thread off once you’ve secured the end as if you leave your threads hanging they will tangle or get caught up and interfere with your stitching.
Inspiration
inspiration
A closer look at some of the accounts we love…
@alittlepatchwork
@madeweavelove
Ange loves quilting and patchwork and blogs about her latest projects. We absolutely adore Ange’s feed - such pretty patchwork!
Phoebe makes these gorgeous wall hangings from her home in Dorset. She started her business just over a year ago and makes the loveliest weaves we’ve ever seen!
@ohmyheartembroidery
@rebekahsattic
Kari creates the most gorgeous embroidered jewellery and bridal portraits from her home in Canada. We especially love the necklaces she creates - they’re just so beautiful.
Rebekah’s feed is full of the wonderful, colourful handmade flowers that she makes from her home in Scotland. Guaranteed to brighten even the gloomiest of days!
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Blossom Bear Pin Cushion Blossom is the prettiest little bear ever to wander out of the forest, decorated with delicate embroidered blooms. She stands a petite 3 ½” tall and 6” long (approx) and is completely hand stitched. My Blossom is now sitting in pride of place on my shelf, next to my collection of project tins - but there’s just one problem - I haven’t been able to bring myself to stick any pins in her just yet! Unusually for me I haven’t specified any particular floss colours - to be honest I don’t think it really matters which exact shade of light pink or dark green you choose - of if you want to change the colours of the embroidery to fit in with your own colour scheme.
Note:
Materials
You will see my bear has a floral underbody, tail and ear linings. If you would like your bear to have this floral finish there are two ways of achieving this.
● 9” square taupe wool blend felt ● 6” square light pink felt ● 6” square floral Tilda fabric (optional, see note) ● Two 3 mm spherical black beads for eyes ● Stranded cotton floss in flower colours and greens also black ● Toy stuffing
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The first is the easy way - you can purchase self-adhesive Tilda fabric sheets - I found mine here. Simply peel off the backing and stick to your pale pink felt before cutting out the pieces in the usual way. Alternatively you can use spray fabric adhesive (the sort you use to baste quilting layers) to join the felt and fabric before cutting. If you don’t want a floral finish then just cut the pieces from felt.
● If you use a hoop then hoop up, being careful not to stretch or distort the felt and work the embroidery using two strands of floss throughout.
Method ● Trace the bear bodies onto your taupe felt (don’t forget to reverse the template for the second side) but don’t cut them out yet.
● The large flowers are radiating straight stitch from a central cluster of French knots. I find it easiest to work stitches at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock then fill in
● Transfer the embroidery to the bear main bodies using the photographs above as a guide to positioning.
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between them. This keeps my stitches radiating evenly.
● Close the top seam. ● Stitch the straight edge of the tail along the line formed by the darts using cross stitch.
● With RIGHT sides together sew up the darts joining C to D on the rear of each body piece.
● Insert paw pads in the same way, inserting more stuffing through the paws to make sure the legs are well stuffed before you close the seam.
●
● Cross stitch around the edges of the ears, then make a small tuck in the base so that the ear curves inwards slightly. Stitch into place on the side of the head. ● Use glass headed pins to determine the position of the eyes. Take your time over this as their position will affect the final expression of your bear. Try to resist the temptation to place them too high and wide apart, they usually look better slightly closer to the nose.
● Join the body gussets to the body side pieces from E to F, G to H and J to K (ie leaving the ends of the legs open) ● Join the head gusset piece to the first side body piece from A to B. Repeat on the other side, then join A to K. ● Join the two body gussets together from K to E.
● When you’re happy with their position stitch into place with black thread. Take your needle right through the head and pull the thread to form a small hollow for the eye to sit in (you don’t want Blossom to have bug eyes!).
● Join the body side pieces from E to 1” up from the darts. ● Now stuff your bear. Use small pieces of stuffing to avoid lumpiness and push well into the nose and down the legs. Your bear needs to be quite firmly stuffed to give her body a nice rounded shape, but don’t be tempted to overstuff as this will distort the shape and may tear your stitches. Mould the softie in your hands as you go, turning it around to make sure it looks good from all angles.
● Make a few stitches over the end of Blossom’s nose with two strands of black floss. ● Add claws with black floss (optional). ● Your bear is now finished!
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Organising your Work Space Keeping your work space wellorganised and clutter-free is the key to creativity. If your space becomes untidy and disorganised this will definitely have a negative impact on your creativity as dealing with a horrid mess of tangled tapes and ribbons, oddments of fabric and stabbing your fingers on pins that aren’t where they ought to be will make you lose valuable sewing time, and sap your creative energy too. But don’t despair, speaking as one who finds her workroom only to quickly descends into chaos if she doesn’t impose a little self-discipline, I have a few tips that will help you take control of your work area, giving you more time for the activities you love. Firstly, it’s important to choose a location that can serve as a permanent space to keep all your supplies, equipment and materials together. If you’re lucky enough to have an entire room at your disposal then that’s great. But if you’re short of space then don’t despair, even a corner of a room or a roomy cupboard can serve this purpose. Consider natural light sources where possible as you won’t want to work under artificial lighting
unless you have to (at least I prefer not to). Next take an inventory of your supplies and start organising them into categories. The most important principle here is to group them together in a way that makes sense to, and works for, you. Keep everything you use on a regular basis handy so you don’t have to rummage around to put your hand on,say, your fabric shears - items like these should be very easy to retrieve. (And replace after using!) Once you’ve sorted your supplies then it’s time to consider the available storage options. The right containers will make such a difference when it comes to locating and using materials. Don’t limit yourself to plastic bins (useful though they are) but get creative. I store a lot of my fabric pieces in old apple crates, carefully varnished and lined with oilcloth, whilst my buttons live in tall glass jars so I can see the contents at a glance. Using slightly off-beat storage works for me as visually I gain a lot more pleasure from my slightly wonky and eccentric containers than I would from
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serried rows of neat plastic boxes - but that’s just my personal opinion of course. But whatever storage solution you choose, do make sure that it’s versatile and can easily be adapted to your changing needs. Consider what items are pleasing to the eye and have them on show for inspiration. Why not create one or more mood boards filled with pretty scraps, images and special notions that will help inspire you as you work? A sturdy chair is vital of course and again - as we crafters and stitchers tend to be visual people - it’s nice if it can be stylish too. I have a nice solid pine chair without arms (they’d only get in the way) but I must admit I would love a chair with wheels as I’m always up and down from my seat when working. And finally, thinking of moving around your space, try to avoid carpets and rugs if possible. Chair legs can easily become caught up in rugs which can then become rucked up and possibly a trip hazard. Hard flooring is much easier to sweep clean of fluff and thread ends, so you don’t have to keep getting out the vacuum cleaner.
Rosie’s Recipes: Berries and Cherries
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I absolutely adore this time of year as all my favourite fruits are in season now, ready to enjoy in so many wonderful ways. When I was little we used to go strawberry picking, (I never grew out of eating more than I put in my basket!) And then Mum would make strawberry jam which didn’t always set properly but was always delicious! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this month’s selection of our family favourites…
Auntie Jane’s Fresh Cherry Cake I have no words to describe this cake - sheer heaven on a plate!
Ingredients ● 140 g self-raising flour ● ½ tsp ground cinnamon ● 50 g golden caster sugar ● 1 egg ● 4 tbsp milk ● 85 g butter, melted ● 350 g juicy, ripe cherries ● icing sugar, for dusting
For the topping ● 25 g plain flour ● ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ● 25 g golden caster sugar ● 25 g butter, at room temperature
Method ● Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease and base line a 20 cm round cake tin, about 5 cm deep. ● Sift the flour, cinnamon and caster sugar into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the egg, milk and melted butter, then combine with a wooden spoon or electric whisk. Beat well to make a thick, smooth mixture. Spoon into the tin and spread evenly. ● Remove the stalks and stones from the cherries, using a pitter if you have one to keep the fruit whole. Scatter the cherries over the mixture and gently press them in. ● To make the topping, tip all the ingredients into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingers to make a crumb-like mixture, then work the mixture until it comes together in pea-sized pieces. Scatter the topping over the cherries. ● Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin until cool enough to handle, then run a knife round the edge, remove the cake from the tin and leave on a wire rack until completely cold.
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Baked Strawberry Cheesecake Cheesecakes have been enjoyed in traditional British Cookery for a very long time and many variations exist. This is one of my faves, especially when it’s made this month with lovely sweet new season British berries. This recipe serves 6 to 8 people (or less if you’re a bit greedy like my family haha!!)
Ingredients ● 75 g self-raising flour ● 25 g cornflour ● 75 g butter ● Fresh milk for mixing ● 100 g strawberries, hulled and sliced for the cheesecake ● Extra strawberries (as many as you like) to decorate the top ● 225 g medium-fat curd cheese ● 50 g caster sugar ● 2 eggs, separated ● 150 ml fresh soured cream
Method ● Put the flour and cornflour in a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add a little milk to mix. ● Roll out on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a 23 cm (9”) spring form tin. ● Bake blind for 10 min at 200C until set. ● Arrange 100g strawberries on top of the pastry case. ● Blend together the cheese, sugar, egg yolks and soured cream. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the mixture. Pour on top of the strawberries and bake at 180C for 40-45 minutes until firm. ● Can be served hot, or we prefer to let it cool and then decorate the top with MOUNTAINS of sliced strawberries - delish!
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Individual Summer Puddings with Mint Ice Cream 43
Summer pudding is, I think, one of England’s great culinary inventions - a beautiful dish of seasonal soft fruits encased in juice-soaked bread. And it’s so easy to make for everyday eating too, whilst this version with raspberry sauce and mint ice cream (a chance to use some of that mint that’s running riot in the garden round about now!) makes quite an impression if you’re dining with friends and/or family.
Individual Summer Pudding with Raspberry Sauce Ingredients
Method
● 100 g fresh black currants, stalks removed ● 100 g fresh red currents, stalks removed ● 225 g raspberries strawberries, hulled
and/or
● 350 g cherries, stoned and halved ● 75 ml water ● 10 - 12 slices white bread ● 50 g caster sugar
For the sauce ● 900 g raspberries, hulled ● 50 g icing sugar, sifted
● Reserve a few of the fruits to garnish. Place the rest in a large saucepan with the water. Bring to simmering point over a gentle heat, stirring, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar. Cool. ● Grease 6 individual pudding basins. Trim the crusts from the bread. Line the basin with bread, cutting as needed to make sure there are no gaps and the edges fit neatly. ● Fill with the fruit and enough of the juices to just moisten the bread. Cover the top with a circle of bread and moisten with a little juice. ● Place a small flat plate on top that just fits within the rim of each basin and weigh it down with something heavy. Chill overnight. ● To make the raspberry sauce, whiz the raspberries and sugar together in a blender. Pass through a sieve to remove the pips. ● To serve invert the puddings onto plates and pour the sauce over the top. Garnish with the reserved fruits and serve with mint ice cream (see below)
Light Mint Ice Cream Ingredients
Method
● 8 small young mint sprigs, taken from the top of the stem
● Chop the mint leaves very finely then put into a blender with the sugar. Blend until well mixed.
● 75 g caster sugar
● Stir the sugar and mint mixture into the crème fraiche. Fold in the egg whites.
● 350 ml crème fraiche ● 3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
● Freeze in an ice cream maker, or in your freezer for at least 4 hours, stirring from time to time.
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Spiced Chocolate Custards Strawberry Roulade
This is a lovely recipe for Easter, combining as it does my favourite ingredient chocolate with the
I’ve called this Strawberry Roulade as that’s the fruit we most often use for this indulgent summer traditional spices thateveryday appear inSwiss so many recipes this it’s timesuper-lovely of year. What could be nicer? version of your standard Roll. But Iatthink if you replace someJust of the garnish with orange zest for a sophisticated look, or again you could use mini-eggs for a seasonal strawberries with blueberries for a slightly tart contrast to the sweetness of the cream and variation. These amounts make enough for six people. strawberries..
Ingredients Ingredients For the sponge:
● 225 ml milk ● 4 eggs
● 2 crushed cardamom pods ● 110 g caster sugar
● 1 vanilla pod
Method Method ● Pre-heat your oven to 200C.
● Pour the milk into a pan. Add the spices, bring the milk to boiling ●point Line and a 20 leave cm x 30 cm baking withminutes. parchment. to infuse for atinfew Strain and discard the spices. ● Separate the eggs and beat the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract
● 25 g icing sugar
together until creamy. a separate bowlit to beat eggPlace whiteover and ● Break the chocolate intoInpieces and add thethe milk. icing sugar until stiff. Fold into the yolk mixture. a low heat and stir until the chocolate has melted and blended intothe theflour milk.and baking powder and sift over the egg ●thoroughly Sift together
● ½ teaspoon baking powder
● Add the egg yolks and beat well.
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● 1 crushed cinnamon stick
● ¼ teaspoon freshly grated ● 75 g plain flour nutmeg ● 200 g good quality plain For the filling: chocolate 600 yolks g strawberries ● 5● egg ● 200 whipping cream ● 140 mlgsingle cream
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● Zest of an orange.
whites. Mix together carefully trying not to squish too much air out of the mixture.
● ●Continue cooking the mixture on atray lowand heat, stirring continuously Spread onto the prepared baking bake for 15-20 minutes. until it thickens and becomes creamy.
● Turn the warm sponge over onto a clean tea towel dusted with
● Remove stir occasionally while the mixture is off. cooling. sugar. from Brushheat theand baking paper with cold water and peel Roll up the sponge immediately and leave to cool. ● Swirl in the cream and then pour into six small dishes or glasses. Slice up the strawberries. Beat the cream with the vanilla extract ● ●Sprinkle the orange zest on top to decorate. and mix in the strawberries.
● Gently unroll the sponge and spread with the berries and cream mixture. Roll up again and place in the fridge to set.
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Here comes the sun - hat(!) With this great tutorial from Shwin and Shwinsisters that create. My little grandson Freddie hates wearing his sun hat, but I think he’d look super-cute in this design - maybe in a dinosaur fabric!
Look! -------------------
a lovely idea
Here comes the sun-hat!
Free from Shwin & Shwin : Here Comes Sun-Hat 46
Summer Flamingo Hoop If summer is all about vibrant colour, in-your-face florals and possibly flamingoes too, then this hoop definitely fits the bill (!) The outer ring has been bound in oddments of the most vibrantly coloured floss I could find - the perfect way of using up some of the colours you sometimes get in bundles - but which you know you’re most unlikely to use in the normal course of events. The flamingo is simple felt applique and the design is shown mounted in a 7” hoo.
● Pale pink floss to match the pink of your felt
Materials ● 12” square duck egg blue fabric
● Bondaweb
● 5” x 4” pale pink felt
● Glue gun or PVA glue
● Small scraps black and white felt
● Temporary fabric marker pen
● DMC stranded cotton floss in colours 310, 472, 704, 727,761, 905, 3804, 3807, 3854 and blanc ● Assortment of brightly coloured flosses or perle threads for wrapping around hoop
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Method
Stitching notes ● The flamingo’s eye is black satin stitch with a tiny white highlight.
● Place your hoop in the centre of your fabric and draw around it with a temporary fabric marker pen. This will help you position your design correctly.
● The text is worked in 310 black, back stitch. ● The large flowers are worked in radiating straight stitch and their centres are clusters of French knots.
● Trace the flamingo shapes onto the paper side of your bondaweb using the REVERSE design. Allow a little extra where they overlap to avoid awkward gaps.
● The small yellow flowers are radiating fly stitch with one French knot at the centre of each one.
● Cut out roughly and fuse to your felt. Cut out carefully, making sure the edges are really smooth - as this is a such a simple shape any rough and jagged edges where you moved your scissors will really show.
● The small blue flowers are each three bullion stitches. ● The leaves are satin stitch and the stems are back stitch.
● Position the shapes on the background fabric and fuse into place.
● When your work is finished press lightly on the reverse.
● Secure the shapes into place using small straight stitches worked at right angles to the edge of the shapes and matching floss.
● Take the screw out of the top ring. ● Using all six strands of floss, secure the end of your first colour choice to the interior of the ring with a small dab of glue. Wrap around the hoop making sure there are no gaps.
● Transfer the embroidery design and work in accordance with the colour chart.
● To change colour simply snip the end and secure with glue in the same way before beginning your new colour. Keep the colours quite random and of different lengths. ● When you’ve finished reinsert the screw and mount your flamingo. ● FINISHED!
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A Country Diary The weather being fine we called for half an hour at Mr Bowens’ parsonage at Temple Guiting, who shewed us his handsome church, and took us a little circuit in Mr Talbot’s grounds which are very pleasantly and tastefully laid out, the ground being undulating, the meadows rich and now all alive with haymakers, the distant plantations covering the horizon, the groves under which we strolled cool and umbrageous, the lawns pleasantly broken with single trees and bordered with thickets, the walks neatly kept, the grotto cool and dark, all bespeaking good taste and opulence. The family is in town; so it is that fashionable people desert their country seats, their rich parks and lovely garden in the finest season and live there in onlly the gloomiest months of the year; for when the London season is over, fashion dictates a second edition on an inferior scale at some sea-bathing or watering place or some rambling tour in search of ever-eluding pleasure.
Rev Francis Edward Witts (1783-1854) was Rector of Upper Slaughter in Gloucestershire from 1808-1854
Stourhead, Wiltshire taken last year on a picnic with Rosie and Freddie
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Meet Jo Lucksted who creates quirky ceramic pieces for both practical and ornamental purposes Hello Jo, and welcome to Bustle & Sew. We’re really looking forward to hearing more about you and your original designs, so let’s begin‌.
and challenging so when you have been able to translate an idea successfully into a well glazed, fired, finished piece it feels as if you and the clay have to come an agreement!
What drew you to Your pieces are quite working in ceramics? I studied 3.D Art at 'A' unique-where do you level but then returned find your inspiration? to college as a mature student after years dabbling in various crafts and running art and pottery workshops for children. I took a part time Art Foundation course and it was still ceramics that really grabbed me, especially, at that time, working with porcelain. I stayed on to study advanced ceramics and then a few years later circumstances allowed me to set up doing ceramics for a living. For me, handling a lump of clay is less threatening than being faced with a blank canvas. It's responsive
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Many sourcesmythology and folk tales, belief systems, the natural world. It's important to me that my work comes with a story...that a bowl isn't just a bowl, but a nest, maybe lined with found objects and trinkets. I'm particularly interested in zoomorphism at the moment, and am exploring making animal masks for ceramic human head sculptures. When it comes to being inspired by other artists I love looking at the work of Henry Moore, John Maltby, Elisabeth Frink, Claire Curneen and of course, Grayson Perry.
Meet the Maker
How long does it take to create, for example, one of your quirky hanging planters? It is really difficult to time how long pieces take to make from start to finish. Because of the nature of the material you have to work in stages so it starts by airing the clay so it's workable. Then I form the basic pot shape by hand and put to one side to dry out a bit more. Once I have finished forming and refining the bowl shape I make and attach the ears and any hair decoration, along with scoring the 'hair style' into the clay! Then the piece needs to dry and go through a bisque firing. Once fired I paint on the face and hair using underglaze colours. Any areas which I want glossy such as the hair, lips and eyes have transparent glaze painted over them and
have transparent glaze painted over them and the piece is returned to the kiln for the second firing which goes up to 1150 degrees centigrade. This firing takes about 12 hours with additional cooling time. It's not over yet! The pot needs to be strung on cotton cord and I add the final touches of handmade beads and earrings.
Can you tell us just a little about the techniques you use? I mostly hand build all my work as I really enjoy sculpting. There are a few pieces where I use plaster press moulds which I made about 12 years ago, they are on their last legs really! When I do use them though they are just to create a basic form which I then build on. I like to work at quite a slow pace so don't use a wheel or slip cast even though that would be much more efficient for any bowl shaped forms. I work with the clay building up the forms or creating slabs by rolling the clay out. I enjoy surface decoration and texture, and have collected lots of different mark
making tools. I often pick things up off the ground to impress in the clay (rusty washers are a favourite!). I have experimented in the past with ceramic transfers but as these require a third firing I'd rather paint designs freehand instead. I mostly use underglaze colours to glaze my work. The colours can be mixed and diluted so they go well with a decorated, textured surface without smothering it and can be used in a very painterly way.
Could you describe a typical working day? Yes-usually every working day is a fight with procrastination! Once I get down to it though I check emails and social media (procrastination usually pops up again) and then go over to my studio to begin on orders or making for galleries/commissions. I work in a shop space which I took on 8 years ago, so it's very much an open studio, with visitors and browsers popping in off the high street while I work.
Hands on clay time is squeezed in between the school run, so once I've finished in the studio and packed any orders up at home family life kicks in for a bit. Evenings are spent uploading images to Facebook, glazing (my kiln is at home) or dealing with admin and the business side of things.
What's been your proudest moment so far? I feel like it's an achievement to still be here after 8 years, doing what I enjoy and being able to make a small living in difficult financial times. (And maybe selling two of my hipster planters to Fearne Cotton!)
And your biggest challenge? In my third year of trading I had a personalised product feature in the Not On the High Street Christmas catalogue. I had no idea how many orders I was going to receive so I almost had a nervous breakdown fulfilling about 900 orders and making over two thousand personalised doves. I did it, and everything arrived before
Christmas, with only one breakage, but I couldn't have done it without help from my family. It still makes me shudder to think about it‌
Do you have any advice for others wanting to start their own creative online business? Marry a website designer. Know your audience and have a good product, strong style and sense of what you do. Get your head around social media and which platform suits you best. But mostly just enjoy what you do because it's going to take up a lot of your time so you need to be passionate about it! On second thoughts, don't marry a web designer...they never have time to do your updates!
What are your plans for the future?
To carry on doing what I'm doing, but I would like to free up more time or manage my time better to give me the space to develop more new ideas and bigger sculptural pieces for exhibitions as I miss being able to be freely creative and explore new ideas. Plus I now have a new phone with a decent camera so, Instagram - here I come!
How do you spend your spare time? I have an allotment where I grow flowers, herbs and veg. At this time of year it demands a lot of attention, some of which it receives when weather allows. I have two (of three) children still living at home (8 and 19 years) so I drag them to exhibitions or galleries. I'm lucky to live near Hauser and Wirth in Bruton and am not far from Bath so there's plenty of places nearby
to see the work of quality artists. I also love reading but it's a very guilty pleasure as everything gets neglected when I'm immersed in a good book.
And finally, can you describe your style in just three words? Weird. Whimsical. Engaging (I hope!)
Visit Jo online at the following links: Website http://www.jolucksted.com Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/jolucksted Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joluckstedcera mics
A (very) Little Guide to Pins A box (or tin) of pins is an essential part of any stitcher’s work box. But did you know how many different kinds of pins there are to choose from? All the different types have different dimensions and specific uses. First consider the head - they can be either spherical or flat head. Flat heads are just tiny metal discs which are ideal for hand sewing as your thread doesn’t get caught on them. Spherical heads can be made from plastic, metal or glass. Beware though, the plastic heads can melt if you accidentally iron over them, whilst the glass or metal won’t - though they will become very hot. Pins have different kinds of points too and you should choose the type that slides easily into your fabric without catching on the threads. Sharp point pins are all-purpose and can be used for both medium and
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heavy-weight fabrics. You can obtain extrasharp points for more delicate fabrics and ballpoint pins for knits. Pins also come in a variety of lengths. A general rule is to use short pins for thin delicate fabrics and longer pins for heavier ones. Use the finest pin you can push through the fabric without bending so that it doesn’t leave holes. When you’re stitching straight lines place the pins at right angles to the fabric - this means you can stitch over them, even with your machine, without breaking your needle. Try to keep your pins within the seam allowance in case the pin holes do mark the fabric. For straight seams use one pin every 2” or so, but for curves and slippery fabrics use more pins to hold the pieces together securely.
Summer Florals Device Sleeve As the summer gets underway, I like to get out and about, and often take my iPad too so I can enjoy a little al fresco reading in the shade - hopefully with a nice glass of lemonade or even a freshly baked scone (in my dreams, unless I’m very lucky haha!) Last summer I stitched a colourful mustard-coloured design - and I’ve included that pattern here as the sleeve is made in exactly the same way, only the embroidery differs. If your device doesn’t need a new look, then why not consider stitching this pretty wreath onto a garment - perhaps a pocket (embroidery is so on trend at the moment) and enjoy the compliments you’re sure to receive? Finished sleeve measures 10 ½” x 7 ½” but you could easily resize if you wished.
Materials ● 11” x 17” outer fabric - use a medium weight linen, cotton or cotton/linen blend. ● 11” x 17” lining fabric - I used a quilting cotton ● 11” x 17” wool blend felt - choose a 3 mm or 4 mm thickness to give your device some protection without being too bulky. ● DMC stranded cotton floss in 156, 470, 727, 761, 905, 3345, 3804, blanc
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● Clip the corners of both parts, then turn the outer the right way round and push down inside the lining so the right sides of both are together. (See photo)
Method Method ● The measurements given are to fit an iPad Air. If you have a different device then simply adjust the measurements, remembering to add a little extra for ease. ● Cut two rectangles measuring 8 ½” x 11” from the lining, outer fabric and felt. ● Transfer the embroidery pattern to one of the outer rectangles 1 ½” up from the lower edge and centrally. Work the embroidery following the stitching notes on the next two pages. When you have finished press lightly on the reverse being careful not to flatten your stitches.
● Pin around the top, matching side seams, then stitch around the top edge. Trim surplus fabric away, then turn right side out through the gap you left in the bottom of the lining. Topstitch the gap closed.
● Place your lining fabric rectangles right side down on a clean flat surface and place the felt rectangles on top. Baste around them 1/8” from the edges to hold them together. Then place your two rectangles right sides together and stitch down the long sides and across the bottom with a ¼” seam allowance leaving a 3” gap in the bottom for turning.
● Push the lining well down inside the outer and press all seams. Top stitch around top 1/8” from the edge. ● Your device sleeve is now finished.
● Place your outers right sides together and, again with a ¼” seam allowance stitch down both sides and across the bottom.
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If you do choose to work the design on a lighter colour then you might like to consider choosing a deeper yellow floss and of course you’ll need to replace the white daisy petals with a different colour!
Stitching Notes (Summer Floral Design): Transferring your design onto black fabric is always tricky, but by far the easiest way I’ve found is to use Sulky Sticky Fabri Solvy. It’s readily available online, even through Amazon! If you’re not familiar with this product then just click here to visit my blog where I talk about it at some length. I’ve included a pink template too in case you find that easier to see if you are using a black background and Sticky Fabri Solvy. I must admit I do like the effect of florals on black and for me it is worth the effort.
The design is stitched using two strands of floss throughout and you will find colour charts and stitching notes on the following page.
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fabri solvy (it’s the right size) and then stitching over that. I often do this and find it’s a really good way of getting the colours just right. Otherwise please just refer to the two images for guidance and use the full size templates provided. Use two strands of floss throughout.
Stitching Notes (Wildflower Design): I have included the original watercolour drawing for this design on the following page, as well as the embroidered version above as I thought you might find this useful when stitching your design. If you are using Sulky Sticky Fabri Solvy you might like to experiment by printing the watercolour version onto your
(1) St John’s Wort; the flowers have vanished and all that remains are the beginnings of the seed heads. Work this in stem stitch in two shades of green - 470 and 906.
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(2) Cow Parsley: the stem is stem stitch 906 and the clusters of tiny flowers are single twist French knots in 4150 (3) The Knapweed is a little like a small thistle. The leaves and stem are worked in stem stitch in 906 and 987. The base of the flower is worked in tiny single twist French knots using the same two colours, concentrating the darker green on the right hand side. The
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petals are stem stitch worked in 718 and 814. (4) The Vetch stems and leaves are worked in stem stitch in 4045. The curly tendrils are detached chain stitch linked by straight stitches. The flowers are 552 ad 791 satin stitch.
Home Comforts At this time of year outside dining comes into its own again. Make meals with family and friends extra special by dressing your table with burlap, potted plants - perhaps those enjoying their summer break in the garden - and pretty napkin rings. Either bind your napkins with a little jute twine and slip a sprig of foliage into the ring, or use a complete circle of fresh foliage (a great way of using up those prunings!). Creepers and climbing plants have naturally pliant stems that can easily be bent into shape - try ivy, jasmine, clematis and even hops. Join the stem ends by binding them with florist’s wire and lay the napkins join side down.
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to download pdf file containing full size templates for all projects in this issue. 63