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A Bustle & Sew Publication Copyright Š Bustle & Sew Limited 2018 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 2018 by: Bustle & Sew The Cottage Oakhill Radstock BA3 5HT UK www.bustleandsew.com
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Welcome to the March Magazine This month’s magazine is full of spring delights - and is even the cover is the colour of early spring. a vibrant daffodil yellow! Easter is early this year, so I’ve included some bunny patterns perfect for the festivities - and a couple that will be just perfect for Mother’s Day too, which here in the UK falls on Sunday 11 March this year. And as a special treat we are featuring not two but three small business run by incredibly talented individuals - I was delighted to be sent a beautiful hoop from one of them, Auburn Hoops, to review and you can discover what I thought on page 33. They’re also offering a special discount for Bustle & Sew readers - you can find the code at the end of their feature. Elsewhere in the magazine Rosie has cooked up some delicious Easter treats - they’re not all chocolate, though she took some persuading to include other recipes, and we look at the almost unbearably cute English Angora Rabbit. With all this going on there wasn’t room for our series on starting your own business, but that will return next month. I do hope you’ll enjoy this month’s edition, and just a quick reminder that the April issue will be published, as always, on the last Thursday of the month - in this case Thursday 29 March. So if you’re a subscriber watch out for it arriving in your inbox then! Until then, I hope you have a wonderful month!
Helen xx
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Between this month’s covers … Tips for Stitchers
Page 4
Sloth Love Cushion Cover
Page 35
March Almanac
Page 6
Taste of the Season: Sweet Potatoes
Page 38
Simply Bunnies Hoop
Page 8
Rosie’s Recipes: Easter Treats
Page 39
A Little Guide to Transferring your Design
Page 11
Taste of the Season: Leeks
Page 45
March Quote from Dickens
Page 13
Monstera deliciosa Hoop
Page 46
Meet the Maker: Mariah Behrens
Page 14
Tips for Successful Satin Stitch
Page 49
Lovely Idea: Orange Bath Bombs
Page 17
A Childhood Favourite: Growing Cress
Page 51
Here Comes the Sun Pennant
Page 18
Instagram Inspiration
Page 52
The English Angora Rabbit
Page 21
Meet the Maker: Rebekah Wright
Page 53
Tips for Craft Show Success
Page 24
Bunny Cache Pot
Page 56
Poetry Corner
Page 26
Country Diary
Page 58
Baby Bunny Softie
Page 27
Home Comforts
Page 59
The Countryside in March
Page 29
In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
Page 60
Meet the Maker Special: Auburn Hoops
Page 31
Templates
Page 61
Auburn Hoops Product Review
Page 33
Lovely Idea: Easy Felt Bunny
Page 34
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March March is named for Mars, Martius, the Roman god of war and Roman military campaigns originally began at this time of year. In ancient Rome March was the first month of the year - as it’s in this month that the vernal equinox falls. On March 20 (this year, it varies slightly year on year), day and night will be of equal length and here in the UK the clocks go forward on Sunday 25, giving us an extra hour of daylight every evening. Spring is really upon us by then as migratory birds begin to return to their summer haunts, bumblebees are buzzing around the early spring flowers and it’s time for keen gardeners to get outside and prepare their borders ready for spring planting. I always feel that yellow is the colour of early spring - think of bright golden-yellow daffodils, primroses, winter aconites and yellow brimstone butterflies. And, if we’re lucky there may also be some bright crisp spring sunshine to enjoy - if we can dodge the
showers that is - whether of rain, hail or snow! Indeed blizzards are not unknown in Britain this month - in 1891 the Great Blizzard raged across the southern half of the country for four days and nights with snowdrifts reaching depths of twenty feet here in the West Country. Trains were buried in
“In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love”
these drifts, one remained immobile for two whole days before it was located and the passengers rescued. Several people froze to death, thousands of sheep and cattle died and in the English Channel 220 people were drowned in 65 separate shipwrecks. The snow didn’t finally vanish from the high ground of Dartmoor until June.
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March begins with St David’s Day on the first. St David is of course the patron saint of Wales and his sign of the leek was traditionally worn in hats on this day. Today however, you’re more likely to see another national symbol of Wales, the daffodil - traditionally said to bloom for the first time on 1 March - worn in buttonholes - for obvious reasons! Our native daffodil is pretty, pale and delicate, quite unlike garden variety. Once widely spread across the country it isn’t nearly as common as it once was, but clumps can still be found across the western part of the country. It was affectionately known as the “daffydowndilly.” If you are in Cornwall then look out for clumps of unusual daffodils flowering oddly and in isolation along the hedgerows. These may well be the remains of heritage varieties, once the mainstay of the Cornish flower industry, but dumped
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“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold; when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.�
Charles Dickens: Great Expectations 1861 8
“Occasionally I work in my pyjamas!”
Meet the Maker
Mariah Behrens talks to us about her business, Afternoon Faun, her creative journey and her plans for the future of her adorable crochet creations Can you tell us a little about your home and where you live? I live in a tiny apartment in Seattle (upper northwest of the USA) with my partner. We daydream about becoming financially comfortable in our given creative fields while we currently hustle away. He is a musician and I'm a stuffed animal maker and aspiring graphic designer.
Do you have a creative background? I've always been creative, which I assume is the obvious answer. More specifically, I think I've always been drawn to the idea of owning my own creative business because my parents are both self-employed as well. I think their work adds to why they are incredibly happy and that's contagious to me.
How did your business begin? In high school I tried multiple times to start my own Etsy shop with either knit hats and scarves or sewn skirts with funky fabrics. I always enjoyed making things with my hands, and giving handmade gifts was always a requirement for me. Somewhat naturally (although throughout many, many years) I found myself attempting to crochet animals. I don't remember exactly how this idea popped into my head, but my initial dreams of becoming a teacher had faded and I thought the next best thing to impacting children in some way was making toys. Luckily, at that point in time I had surrounded myself with really supportive friends and family and they pushed and encouraged me to give this animal making business a try. Truly, without those people in my life at that time, I don't know if this business actually would have started.
There's a lot of trial and error, but sometimes the animals come together almost perfectly in the first couple tries. There's actually a lot more math involved in my creative process than one might think. I'm constantly counting. I think I've become a better multi-tasker because of this, haha.
Where do you get the ideas for your beautiful animals? Honestly, the animals I have made are mostly from customer requests and what I think would be popular. I am very open to suggestions because I want to make sure there's an animal for everyone!
What are you working on now? I haven't made a new animal pattern in a while. It's a bit of a production factory in my studio now while I try to keep up with orders, but I love it. In the meantime, I am also attempting to illustrate a children's book my partner helped me write. That has always been my ultimate dream. It's based off my top selling whale.
In a popular and crowded market, what do you think makes your work unique? hmmmmm, I think the shapes I create are a bit different. I always love watching people's reactions when they touch or hold my animals. They are very light and squishy. People don't expect that.
Can you tell us the secret of your success?
These things take a village — that's the truth. This leap happened nearly 3 years ago (wow) and every year it keeps getting bigger and bigger.
I can say this humbly, I think I am simply a nice person. That's ultimately what it boils down to. I try to listen to my customers and make sure they get what they want. I am very transparent, and I think that's important for company/customer trust. Hopefully my customers feel the same way!
What gets you out of bed in the mornings?
And what's the best thing about running your own business?
Making things. The process. There is something so therapeutic about crocheting. If I've had a bad day, I go to bed early, and then wake up early the next day excited to get cozy and crochet and start over.
What are your plans for its future?
How did you choose your totally wonderful company name? My first run through college I studied music. Afternoon Faun comes from a Claude Debussy piece, Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. It was always my favourite piece to study. whimsical and magical —it just felt right to name my business after such a special piece.
And what inspired your logo? I really love drawing and so naturally I always attempt to draw the animals I create. The logo is based on my fox. It's gone through many versions, and I'm actually already focusing a little bit on a partial brand refresh over the next few months now that Afternoon Faun is a bit more established.
How would you describe your creative process? When I create a new animal I always have a very strong vision in my mind of how I want it to look. And then, as cheesy as this sounds, I build the animal as if I'm working with clay. I follow each curve carefully to make sure it's moving exactly how I want it to.
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The freedom. Having my own schedule. Occasionally being able to work in my pyjamas, although I try not to :) I have some big goals for Afternoon Faun's future. On top of work I am also a full time graphic design student. I graduate in June, yay! I hope to expand Afternoon Faun into more mediums, including that children's book I mentioned earlier. Crossing my fingers!
How would you spend your perfect weekend? I am a morning person, so I would still wake up early on a perfect weekend. I would drink many cups of coffee before my partner even wakes up. I love crocheting while the sun comes up. Maybe some long walks in the parks/forests around my home. And a big soup for dinner that had to simmer all day long. I'd prefer my whole family to be there with me on this perfect weekend. Nothing crazy — just a lot of quality time we don't always get with our busy schedules.
And finally, please describe your style in three words. Soft, quirky, and friendly
Soft, silky and cute : The English Angora Rabbit
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Some Tips for Craft Fair Success In December last year we attended our first craft fair for quite some time and enjoyed a wonderful day. I used to attend quite a few fairs in the early days of Bustle & Sew, before I decided to concentrate more on pattern design and the magazine, and have always really enjoyed the opportunity to meet customers, both existing and new, as well as network with other makers and small business owners - especially as I work from home so don’t get the chance to meet other like-minded people in the “real” world very often. I chatted to quite a few of the other makers that day, and thought that, particularly as now is the time that many maker/sellers will be planning for the coming season, it would be fun to share with you some of their tips, as well as some that I picked up many years ago when I attended fairs in Devon.
1. Choose your fair wisely It’s really important to check that the event is a “good fit” for your work. Ideally try to attend as a visitor before you apply for a stand and talk to exhibitors about their experiences of that particular event. Read any literature carefully - ask how the organisers will promote the show, check accessibility and location of the venue and anticipated footfall.
2. Put together your application carefully The most popular fairs are oversubscribed and have deadlines for applications months before the day itself.
You’ll need good images of your work to include with your application that will make your creations stand out, especially in crowded markets such as textiles or jewellery.
3. Plan and prepare There’s a lot to organise when you’re attending a show. Make a list of everything you’ll need to think about well in advance. This isn’t just about making sure you have enough stock to sell on the day, practising your display (it’s a good idea to have a trial run beforehand), transportation to the event, how you will take payments, flyers and cards, packaging - definitely a list-worthy process!
4. What stock will you take? When I first started, I used to make the mistake of making things which needed a lot of work but wouldn’t necessarily give me the financial return for all the time I used to spend on them. I had to learn to simplify things a little while still keeping that special something. If you can, try to have a range of products at different price points to appeal to all budgets. “Pocket money” items - very small purchases may well lead to your happy customers returning to make a larger purchase at a later date.
5. Price your work properly Make sure your prices reflect the materials and time you’ve put into making each item - don’t forget to pay yourself! It isn’t possible to compete with cheap imported goods, so don’t even try -
Ready for the craft show!
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discerning customers will be very clear that their shopping for handmade quality items with a story behind them. Show your prices very clearly and if you feel uncomfortable with charging the “right” price for your work, perhaps add a little description: “hand stitched embroidery on pure linen” gives the customer a clear reason why this item is more expensive than superficially similar mass made products.
6. It’s not just about your products If people fall in love with your work, they’re probably going to want to know a little more about you and your creative process - how you get your ideas and inspiration and how you make your creations. It’s up to you how much you want to share of course, but if you stick to talking about your work then all should be fine Selling at an event can be the first and only time a customer meets you, so it’s important to try to make a good impression. Don’t lurk behind your stand out of sight, stand up as much as possible, be friendly and ready to talk about your work (even if you’ve explained the same thing a dozen times already that day!). If there is a way you can demonstrate your craft it can be a great talking point and instantly shows people you are the maker and demonstrates your skill. Be friendly and engaging - a smile is probably the best sales tool you have!
talks to Rosie about how her and her husband juggle family life with running their business, The name Auburn Hoops came from the small town my husband grew up in called Auburn. Picking the name came about quite simply. My husband and I were strolling around our neighbourhood with our first born dreaming about creating our hoops when he first suggested it. As we kept dreaming and I began embroidering in the final developing our hoops we kept days of my pregnancy with our referring to them as Auburn firstborn. A few months after she Hoops and it just kind of stuck! was born I opened an etsy shop selling my embroidery art framed in the old fashioned hoops. I did my first craft show and I was so As we developed prototypes of discouraged because many our hoops we went through quite people complimented my art but a few ideas but our key thoughts then would ask “what do you do were to create a decorative with it?� I explained over and over circular frame that got rid of the that the hoop acted as a frame outer clasp that an average and you can hang it on a wall or embroidery hoop has. As we display it on a shelf. After that arrived closer to what the Auburn craft show my husband began hoop is today, we realized that seeking a way to help people we could not only fill the need of appreciate and understand my art a circular frame but that we could by developing a frame. also improve the standard embroidery hoop by creating a more taught hold on the fabric.
Based in Alabama, Chelsea and her husband Brandon run their business from home, alongside raising their two children. We spoke to Chelsea to find out more!
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Rosie’s Recipes: Easter Treats!
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Tastes of the Season: Spring Onions Also known as Scallions, March is the time that the aptly named Spring Onion comes into season. With its long slender green stems and small white crunchy bulbs every part of this tasty vegetable may be eaten, either raw or cooked. It is rich in vitamins K and C, which are essential for strong bones and also contains vitamin A which has strong anti-oxidant properties that help to reduce the risk of heart disease. There’s a lot of taste and goodness packed into this small onion which can be sliced into rounds and used as a garnish over meats and salads, adding flavour as well as good looks - especially if you’re able to obtain the variety that comes in a wonderful deep red hue that fades to white tips at the ends of the bulbs.
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Some Tips for Successful Satin Stitch Satin stitch sems to be a very popular stitch at the moment, featuring in lots of the lovely designs I've been seeing lately. You might think that satin stitch is an incredibly easy stitch to sew - after all you just go in and out, out and in, from one side of the shape to another - and in one sense you'd be absolutely right. But satin stitch is in fact rather like the English language According to my Russian friend Elona who was once heard to remark ... "English is a very easy language to pick up the basics, but a very difficult language to speak well." I think the same is probably true of satin stitch, so I thought I'd share a few of my tips with you - though I am by no means suggesting I'm an expert, or that this is a fully inclusive list - these are just hints that my mum and grandma passed onto me. 1. Use a good quality floss. You won't get good results with any kind of stitch if you're using cheap floss that breaks and tangles and is horrible to work with. 2. I usually like to work with two strands, and personally would be unlikely to use more than three for a nice smooth stitch - but that really is a matter of choice. No matter how many strands you use, when you're separating them from the skein, do so one strand at a time and then line them up together to thread your
needle, making sure they're not twisted in any way. I have heard from stitchers that like to iron their floss before working satin stitch, and I can see how this would indeed give very good results - but I am far too impatient to begin stitching I'm afraid. 3. Make sure the outline of your shape is nice and clear and unambiguous. You don't want to be wondering where is the best place to pass your needle through the fabric as you work. For a nice plump stitch you can outline your shape with running stitch first, then work the shape by taking your needle through the fabric just outside your back stitches so that the satin stitch sits over them. This works well for simple shapes, but isn't always practical if your shape is quite irregular - like the Monstera deliciosa leaves on the previous page. 4. Use a hoop. Even if you normally prefer to stitch without one, then give it a go - you may be surprised. If you don't have a hoop to keep your fabric taut, then it's possible your satin stitches may grow tight causing your fabric to pucker beneath them - or alternatively loose, in which case they won't sit beautifully straight on top of your fabric. 5. Choose the angle at which you're going to work your stitches (this will depend on the shape you're stitching - if, for example you need to slant your stitches around
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any curves). Once you have chosen your angle, then stick to it! Beware your stitches drifting away from your chosen direction. I am particularly prone to this happening (I think I forget that floss has width as well as length and so my stitches tend to become bunched together at one end and fan out at the other). There are two ways round this problem - either draw parallel lines across the shape with a sharp pencil (preferred) or work stitches at intervals then fill in between them. This is less satisfactory as the gaps you leave may not be the exact intervals to fill with strands of floss - you may have to squeeze extra stitches in from time to time. 6. Do not be tempted to bring your needle in and out of the fabric in one movement (My grandma was especially strict on this!) because (1) you will find it more difficult to follow your outline accurately and (2) the floss will enter and leave the fabric on a more oblique angle that will make your stitch flatter and far less lovely - you have been warned! 7. Don't try to carry your floss across the back of your work between areas of stitching. Work each area separately, starting and finishing off as necessary as I have done below. Because satin stitch depends so heavily on achieving the right tension, carrying your thread can be risky as your stitches may become loose and "wobbly."
A Country Diary The smell of the earth? Yes, we’ve got it now, and the tang of wet leaves and bracken under a thin diaphanous mist that enhances the colours close at hand, and drops a light veil over the distance. Larches rise from a floor of glowing orange fern and soft brown needles and stand ghostlike and shadowy and grey, just dimmed by mist, each drooping branch and twig encrusted with grey lichen. The sloping field beyond the wood has a bloom on it like dew. In the brown and purple hedges catkins have shaken loose and changed to gold. Low clouds hem us in, with just a line of light on the horizon. Looking back you see the sloping field now has pale sunlight breaking over it. A magpie crosses the path. The tail feathers of a jay make a pied streak as it disappears among the bushes. In the shallow pool among the furze bushes, where the frog spawn lay is now a congested mass of small black tadpoles.
Janet Case 23 March 1931, The New Forest, Hampshire, England 17
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