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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 September Issue I hope you have a lovely month, and do look out for the October Magazine which will be published on Thursday 28 September Have a lovely month!
Helen xx
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Tips for Stitchers When choosing the right needle for your work, an easy rule of thumb is that the thickness of your needle should match the thickness of your thread. If you’re using stranded embroidery floss, then this can be split. The number of strands of floss you use will depend upon the fineness and detail of the stitching in your project. When you’re deciding how many strands of floss you need (if your pattern doesn’t tell you) then a simple rule is never to use a thread which is thinner than the thread of the material – it will look insignificant and puny against the background. My mum taught me this simple rule of thumb and it works in 99% of cases – the exception being if you’re working very fine detail in a small area of your work.
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60 Between this month’s covers … Tips for Stitchers
Page 4
Lovely Idea: Pumpkin Decoration
Page 35
September Almanac
Page 6
Christmas Bear
Page 36
Bloom & Grow Hoop
Page 8
Poetry Corner: September Song
Page 39
Michaelmas Daisies: Stars of the Season
Page 10
The Countryside in September
Page 40
Meet the Maker: Leigh Bowser
Page 11
Instagram Inspiration
Page 41
A (very) Little Guide to Fabric Types
Page 14
Flowers for Next Summer
Page 42
When Day Equals Night
Page 15
Some Things Never Change
Page 44
Festive Friends Advent Calendar
Page 16
Floral Whale Door Sign
Page 45
The Darker Side of Stitching
Page 19
A (very) Little Guide to Sewing Machine Needles
Lovely Idea: Pebble Succulents
Page 20
A Little Look at Smocks and Smocking
Page 21
Meet the Maker: Jane Carkill
Page 50
Country Diary
Page 24
Country Diary
Page 53
Four Painterly Feathers
Page 25
Pompom Book Marks
Page 54
Tastes of the Season: Blackberries
Page 28
Home Comforts
Page 57
Rosie’s Recipes: Harvest Home
Page 29
In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
Page 58
Tastes of the Season: Marrows
Page 34
Templates
Page 59
Page 48
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September September is a month of transition and change, marking, as it does, the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Children return to school at the end of the long summer holidays and life returns to normal. For farmers this is the climax of the grain harvest, a time of hard work followed by celebrations later in the month. Celebrating the safe gathering of the harvest is a ritual that dates back to pagan times, when people gave thanks to the corn spirit for a good crop and special ceremonies were performed to ensure a successful crop the following year. People believed that the “spirit” of the grain they were harvesting resided in the crop itself and so, to prevent its death when the last stalks were cut certain procedures had to be followed. In many places the last sheaf was decorated with ribbons, flowers and even clothing and honoured as a harvest doll or queen. It was carried with ceremony to preside over the harvest home or supper and hung in the barn to supervise
threshing before spending the winter in the farmhouse. In spring the grains rubbed from the ears
“In London, on the evening of 2nd September 1666 a fire commenced by which about two thirds of the city burned down, including the cathedral, the Royal Exchange, about a hundred parish churches and a vast number of other public buildings. The conflagration commenced in the house of a baker named Farryner at Pudding Lane, near the Tower, and, being favoured by a high wind, it continued for three nights and days, spreading gradually eastward, till it ended at a spot called Pye Corner in Giltspur Street.”
were either sown with the new grain or fed to the plough horse to restore the corn spirit to the land.
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Nature’s harvest is upon us too, and the hedgerows are laden with hips, haws and berries. Elderberries have been ripening since August, handing in dense deep purple clusters on their claretcoloured stems, bringing colour and richness to the countryside. They are particularly rich in vitamin C and make dark wines, jams and jellies - good for warding off those pesky winter sniffles. Well into late autumn, the elder bushes are a larder for all kinds of birds who also enjoy their rich, succulent berries. In London 350 years ago, however, September brought the most devastating event in the city’s history as what we now call “The Great Fire of London” began on September 2nd. Although at the time it was devastating, it did clear away the old medieval warren of streets and allowed significant improvements to be made in the structure and layout of the city, straightening streets and replacing timber with brick. Sir Christopher Wren was responsible for the rebuilding of more than 50
churches destroyed in the blaze, notably St Paul’s Cathedral, and for the construction of a Monument to the Great Fire which stands 202 ft in height and the same distance from the site of the infamous bakery in Pudding Lane where the fire began. September 3rd wasn’t a good day either - at least in 1939 as it marked the beginning of the Second World War. The UK had originally followed a policy of appeasement, and in September 1938 the then Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, brought home the Munich Agreement - an event famously described by him as achieving “peace for our time.” After the invasion of Poland however, Chamberlain’s “peace” was in tatters and the British nation was at war. Holy Cross Day, which falls on the fourteenth, is one of two days also known as “Devil’s Nutting Day”, the other being St Matthew’s Day on the 21st. It was said that those who went nutting (gathering hazelnuts) on this day would meet the Devil engaged in the same task. Three days later, across the “pond” in the US, people will be celebrating Constitution Day, that commemorates the signing of the US constitution in 1787. It was adopted in 1789 and since then
amendments have been added over the years including the thirteenth which in 1865 abolished slavery and the nineteenth amendment in 1920 that introduced national women’s suffrage.
“And when the tenants come to pay their quarter’s rent, They bring some fowl at Midsummer, a dish of fish in Lent, At Christmas a capon, at Michaelmas a goose, And somewhat else at New Year’s tide, for fear their lease fly loose.”
As the month progresses and the weather becomes cooler and damper, wild fungi begin to appear in fields and woodlands. They come in an amazing and fascinating variety of forms and colours, such as the blue shaggy inkcap and the image from a thousand fairytales - the scarlet fly agaric, with it’s white spots - the toadstool with which pixies, fairies, hedgehogs and other characters are invariably depicted. Although it features in so many of our childhood stories, do beware of approaching it in the wild, as it is
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highly poisonous and best left alone. September 22, 23 or 24 (it varies from year to year) brings the autumnal equinox, after which the daylight hours are shorter than those of darkness. The word “autumn” comes from the Latin and its use in English dates back to the fourteenth century. In the US however, the term “fall” is preferred. Both terms were used interchangeably in British English at one time and the latter appears in sixteenth century texts in the longer phrase “fall of the leaf,” but a hundred years later the shorter term “fall” was definitely in use. The feast day of St Michael or Michaelmas falls on the penultimate day of the month. It is the anniversary of the dedication of a church in his honour, the Basilica of St Michael, near Rome. Michaelmas is one of the four days on which quarterly rents are paid. The tradition of serving goose for dinner on this day may stem from the custom of giving one’s landlord such a bird as a gift. It was also thought that eating goose on Michaelmas Day would bring financial prosperity in the year to come. The geese were fattened for the table by allowing them to glean fallen grain on the stubble fields after the harvest.
New Bloom & Grow Hoop This is a really easy little hoop to stitch - and is the latest version of one of my most favourite quotes from the song “Eidelweiss” in the Sound of Music of course. Apparently as a little girl I couldn’t manage to say “music” as the word emerged as “muse-kit” instead! The text is stitched in split and back stitch, whilst the flower is radiating straight stitch and the leaf is satin stitch. The stitches on the leaf are quite long, but as it’s for display only then that doesn’t matter too much. Shown mounted in 6” hoop.
Materials
Notes on stitching
● 10” square white background fabric suitable for embroidery
● Transfer the design to the centre of your fabric using your preferred method and stitch in accordance with the stitch guide on the next page.
● 6” embroidery hoop ● Stranded cotton floss in black, bright pink, and two shades of green. I used 310, 603, 367 and 703. You need very little of the darker green and the pink, a little more of the black and quite a lot of the lighter green.
● Use two strands of floss throughout. ● When finished press lightly on the reverse.
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stitches to avoid crowding towards the base of the flower
● The text is worked in 310. The wider parts of the letters are split stitch, whilst the narrower parts are back stitch smoothly link the different widths by working a few stem stitches that narrow down into back stitch.
● The leaf is satin stitch. Imagine a long vein down its centre and work your stitches at angles to the vein as below:
● The flower is radiating straight stitch worked in the direction shown on the diagram. First work the long stitches, then fill in the wider areas with shorter
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Michaelmas Daisies: Stars of the Season Michaelmas Daisies are named for the Festival of St Michael the Archangel, or Michaelmas that falls on 29 September. These cheerful, star-shaped flowers with purple, white or pink petals and bronze-yellow centres provide valuable autumn colour in the garden from September right through until the beginning of the winter months. Gardeners know them as asters, from astrum, the Latin word for “star”. They arrived in Britain from their native North America in the 1600’s and today are firm favourites across the country. There are dozens of varieities, both single and double, ranging in height from 12” to 70” (over a metre) tall. They are great to pick and bring indoors too, lasting well in water to create a colourful seasonal display in your home.
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Meet Leigh Bowser, a talented embroiderer from the north of England Hi Leigh I really love your embroidery designs, the way you picture all those different animals is simply amazing and your text patches too, thanks so much for agreeing to chat to us! I’ve lots of questions for you, so let’s begin ‌.
Where in the world are you? I'm based in Leeds, UK. I'm from the North East but moved here after attending University in Huddersfield. Leeds is an amazingly creative city and I feel very fortunate to live somewhere that has both the buzz of a city, but is still has beautiful country surroundings. I live in a small flat with my partner Andy and cat Maple. I work from a desk in the corner of my living room - I don't have a dedicated studio but I have everything I need and Maple is a great co-worker (although she
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does hide my threads sometimes!)
Meet the Maker
texture is what makes me happiest.
How did you first start And how did your sewing? business come about? I started sewing as a kid when my mam taught me. I was always creative and making things with my twin sister - papier mache, plastercine, painting, making collages etc. Something about using a sewing machine just stuck. I really started learning how to use it as a tool for my art when I went to college and was introduced to free hand machine embroidery - I love the speed of the machine but the freedom of being able to draw in my own style. I often get asked what type of sewing machine I use - it's just a standard domestic Bernina. There are some amazing digital machines out there, but they're just not for me. I love to create everything by hand through my machine because the process of placing each stitch and creating
I always knew I wanted to somehow make a living from doing what I love - essentially painting with my sewing machine. I always thought I'd have to do this through becoming an illustrator and create artworks for other people, but one evening it just came to me that I should start selling embroidered brooches of the things I like to stitch - at that point it was mostly people and icons from TV/art/film. I used free social media to promote myself and slowly built up a customer base. One day I was asked if I could create a pet portrait and I thought I'd give it ago, not sure if I actually could. That's when I realised this was absolutely what I was meant to do!
If you love Leigh’s work and would like to see more, then please do visit her online ‌.
www.leighlalovesyou.com instagram.com/leighlalovesyou/ facebook.com/Leighlalovesyou/
What do you wish you'd known those days that are ever the same some of their products for the New Year/Valentines Day 2017 marketing and I love it! before you started? campaign.
Do you have a favourite design? If How to do my self assessment! As so please tell us why? It was a lot of work on a very tight boring as that sounds, the rest I could figure out by using initiative I'm very organised so taking on orders, customer service, managing my time and creating the work was never a problem, but learning how to do my taxes was a whole other ball game! They try to prepare you for the real world at University by teaching you how to create a brand, price and sell your work but no one teaches you what to do after that all happens.
And tell us about your typical working day I start most of my mornings being woken up at 6am by my cat who wants to nap with me on my bed. Once I'm up and ready for the day, I check my emails and sketch out the design that I'll be stitching that day. I usually start embroidering around lunch time - I like to listen to a podcast or audiobook whilst I sew, or sing along to some music (sorry neighbours!) I try to take regular breaks from my machine but always aim to complete the piece I've started within the same afternoon. After it's done, I take some photographs of it before packaging it up. I then upload and edit the photographs together to send to my customer before updating all my social media. I do this between 2-3 days a week, the rest of the time I teach adults with support needs - there are no two of
This is tough because I no longer create the same designs over and over, like I did when I first started out - I now tend to create one of pet portraits. I do enjoy stitching cats and dogs, but find that cats have more exciting markings to try and recreate in stitch. A favourite I always come back to is a cat called Mew, who adopted fellow embroiderer Hannah Hill (@Hanecdote) as her human - she has amazing markings!
Where do you look for creative inspiration? I LOVE Instagram! It is the perfect social media platform to connect with other creatives and artists. I follow some amazing embroiderers and textile artists and seeing them working hard every day really keeps me motivated to do the same. There is a sense of community amongst some of the embroiderers and everyone loves to promote each other which is so important.
Your proudest moment? And biggest challenge? They both definitely came hand in hand when I got my biggest commission to date last year. I was approached by a freelancer at Jo Malone London and asked to stitch
deadline - I've never stitched for that many hours of the day before! It was tough, but seeing everything come together the following year was incredible. My work was on display in their stores all over the world - including New York, Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, London, Milan‌you name it! I even saw a photo of it in Korean Vogue which was super surreal!!
Do you have any advice for readers thinking of setting up their own business? Just do it! With free social media to promote yourself and selling platforms such as Etsy, you have absolutely nothing to lose! Get some free listings and just give it a go - the worst thing that could happen is nothing!
What are your dreams for the future of LeighLaLovesYou? I'd like to be able to just keep doing what I'm doing - stitching people's pets is so rewarding. They will send me tons of photographs of the cute companions and some info on their personality. The feedback I get is so rewarding - pets are part of the family and hearing my work helped someone proudly display their love for that pet is awesome. I have the best customers!
“Wearable, personal art. Usually fluffy!�
A (very) Little Guide to Fabric Types Fabrics can be made from different types of fibres, both man made and natural which gives them their properties and determines how they will behave. Fabrics can be woven (the most common type think of quilting cottons, linens and more besides), non-woven - such as felt and knitted too - all of which will affect their weight, stretchiness and how they behave generally.
such as acrylic and polyester come from petroleum oil.
These are formed from two groups of threads at right angles to each other - the lengthwise warp and the widthwise weft.
can be easily divided into those of animal and plant origin. Animal derived fibres include wool, silk, alpaca and cashmere. These are wrinkle resistant and breathable too.
These are fray-resistant, won’t stretch and can easily be cut to any shape you require (which makes them great for children and beginner stitchers). They include fabrics such as felt and fleece which are created by working together woollen fibres.
There are three kinds of plant based fibres extracted from three different parts of the plant - its fruit, stems or leaves. Think of cotton and linen, coconut, jute, hemp and bamboo.
These fabrics are formed by threads that are looped around each other giving the fabric its stretch and elasticity. Double knit fabric is two of these layers combined in a single fabric giving it more thickness and strength but less elasticity. Knit fabrics are almost crease free and are very comfortable to wear.
fibres also fall into different categories. Some are “regenerated natural polymers� such as rayon and viscose are extracted from plant materials such as wood pulp. Synthetic polymers
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When Day equals Night …. September brings a moment of harmony - a time of perfect balance when day and night are of equal length - the time of the Autumnal Equinox. This moment marks the transition between summer and autumn, the time when the new season begins as we move inexorably towards the darker days and longer nights of the winter months ahead. This year the equinox falls on Friday 22 September, when the sun passes over the equator from north to south. In the summer the tilt of the earth’s axis brings the northern hemisphere closer to the sun, which makes the sun’s heat more intense and the days longer. Then as autumn progresses, the North Pole gradually begins to point away from the sun, which day on day rises ever lower in the sky. This makes the days shorter, temperatures begin to fall and autumn has arrived.
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Festive Friends Advent Calendar The first of this year’s new Christmas designs, this calendar is such fun to make. It uses freestyle machine applique and hand embroidery to create a dozen little festive friends adorning simple white felt patch pockets. The other pockets simply carry the number for the remaining days. You do need to be very accurate with your cutting though as if the pockets are a bit wonky (I know mine aren’t perfect!) Then this will show up when they’re stitched to the grey felt background. But even if this happens, I think it adds to the charm - and shows it was made for a special child, with a lot of love!
yellow for the tiger and lion and green for the frog
Materials ● 18” x 26” grey felt - you can use acrylic craft felt if you wish, but whatever you choose make sure it’s good quality and robust ● 17” long narrow doweling rod
● Scraps of yellow, red, green, pink, black and white felt ● Black, red, green, yellow, pink and brown stranded cotton floss. ● Bondaweb
● 18” x 24” white felt
● Temporary fabric marker pen
● Scraps of printed cotton fabric - neutral colours for the “furry” animals, orange and
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● Embroidery foot for your sewing machine.
● Draw in the (very simple) embroidered details with your temporary fabric marker pen and stitch using two strands of floss.
Method ● Using the full size templates cut out the pocket shapes from the white felt. You may wish to do this a few at a time as it’s really easy to lose track of which is which(!)
● More pictures of the pockets are included so you can see exactly how they should look. ● When you’ve finished your pockets position on your grey felt with the bottom pockets 2” up from the bottom of the felt and leaving a 1” border at each side.
● The plain pockets all have the number stitched in the centre in backstitch using three strands of black floss. ● The decorated pockets are all worked in the same way:
● Pin or baste in place then machine topstitch. Be very sure the pockets are securely attached at the two top corners - go back and forward a few times, as these are the points that will take the most strain as little hands dive in to collect the treats.
● Trace the applique shapes onto the paper side of your Bondaweb. Cut out roughly and fuse to the reverse of the fabric. Cut out carefully and position on the fabric. When you’re happy with the positioning fuse into place using a hot iron and protecting your work with a cloth.
● Turn over 1 ½” at the top of the calendar and top stitch. This will form the pocket for your doweling rod.
● Fit the embroidery foot to your sewing machine and drop the feed dogs. With black thread in your needle and a lighter colour in the bobbin (for a less solid line) go around each shape twice. Don’t be too neat, you’re aiming for a sort of scribbled effect.
● Insert rod and slip stitch ends closed. ● Your calendar is now finished.
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The Darker Side of Stitching ….. It’s not Halloween till next month, but I thought we might need time to prepare ourselves as we consider - the darker side of stitching. And no, I don’t mean the back of your work haha! Sit down before you read the following sentence. Now … are you ready? OK take a deep breath and read ….
There will be times when you must accept you will have to unpick your work. Yes, this happens to all stitchers. It is not good. It is not fun. But sometimes it is necessary, particularly if the project you are working on is entirely your own design.
If you’ve planned it, drawn it out, chosen your own colour scheme and stitch patterns, then it would be a total miracle if everything went perfectly first time. But don’t be put off – if you believe in what you’re doing then it will all come right in the end. The important thing to remember is that it is not the end. It is not disaster and you can retrieve your project. In fact for me, that’s one of the wonderful things about working with fibre and fabric, any mistake is totally retrievable. The important thing when unpicking your work is to take your time! To unpick machine stitching a seam ripper is best (though do be very careful not to poke a hole in your fabric) and for hand stitching use very sharp scissors. Whatever you do don’t be tempted to pull on the thread (possibly in a bit of
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a temper - who me? Never!) As this can distort or even tear your fabric. Then, when even the tiniest, fluffiest bits of thread have been removed, if your fabric is suitable, press with a steam iron which will help close the holes. Just work through those times when nothing goes right, and you find yourself unpicking again and again, and you’ll be rewarded with the thrill of seeing your very own ideas work out according to plan, the delight of seeing your creation grow and its various come together as a harmonious whole. It’s so satisfying to make something completely unique to you – in this age of mass production, a handmade, one-off, piece is very precious both to you, the maker, and any lucky recipient.
Look! -------------------
a lovely idea Hand Painted Mini Cactus
At last - plants not even Rosie (sorry Rosie, but you know it’s true!) can kill. These would be great to make with children, or perhaps for the season’s round of craft and gift fairs in the run up to Christmas? Thanks to Tara for sharing this great idea Free from Salt & Pepper Mums : Hand Painted Mini Cactus 20
A Little Look at Smocks and Smocking The use of the words “smock” and “smocking” can be a little confusing. A smock is a garment, usually a protective over-garment, that is simply cut with a lot of fullness and long sleeves. Fishermen’s or artists’ smocks are perhaps the use we’re most familiar with today - these are generally made of strong plain fabric and keep out the wind or protect garments from paint and clay etc. Children’s smocks or smock dresses are usually pretty clothes, light in weight and made of floral or other patterned fabric. Smocked here refers to the technique of gathering fabric and securing the gathers with special stitches to create a decorative pattern. So, a smock describes the garment, whilst smocking refers to the decoration.
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From the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century a smock was the name given to a woman’s undergarment worn next to the skin and made of linen. Confusingly, this garment then became known as a “shift” and later still the French term “chemise” was used to describe these often beautifully embroidered items of underwear.
Thread the same colour as the fabric was usually used for both the decorative surface embroidery and the decorative lines of stitchery in the smocking resulting in a garment that was both warm and durable and often very beautiful too. The working garment was supplemented by a “best” smock, more highly decorated and worn for weddings, funerals, Sundays and special occasions. They were traditional wedding attire for both groom and guests at English country weddings. In some places the custom was for a bride to work a beautiful smock as a love token for her future husband, whilst in other villages sets of white or black smocks were made for coffin bearers, giving a uniformity to the men without requiring them to change their clothes beneath. The age of the smock however, was coming to an end as industrialisation and a move to more urban living took over towards the end of the nineteenth century. Labourers wearing smocks were seen as backward, old-fashioned country bumpkins and the custom died out. But the art of smocking didn’t disappear entirely. In 1887 Weldon’s published illustrated practical guides which informed and instructed middleclass ladies on the art of smocking. Their leisure hours and busy hands were occupied applying the technique to a variety of garments for women and children. Smocking was also adapted for many household items, as well as nightwear and children’s clothes. Although smocked and in some instances called “smock” these new garments were nothing like the agricultural garments of fifty years earlier. Specialist magazines like “The Embroiderer” and “Stitchcraft” popularised the technique during the 1930s and 40s introducing many new and inventive stitches.
By the nineteenth century however, the term “smock-frock” was associated with an overgarment worn by men - think of an “unfrocked” priest - one deprived of his religious status. The term smock-frock aptly describes the voluminous over-garment worn by the country labourer and familiar to us from old black and white photographs. It was stitched from a series of rectangles of touch homespun and handwoven linen, and the decorative stitchery on the gathered material had a dual purpose, both holding the fabric together and giving it elasticity.
Many of these new designs were for the making of babies’ and toddlers’ smocks - creating a trend that has never really gone away - to this day traditional children’s clothes - such as those worn by Prince William and Princess Charlotte often feature smocking as part of their design.
The surface embroidery demonstrated not only the skill and imagination of the wearer, but in some instances provided further protection and padding on the shoulder and chest areas.
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Smocking can be applied to almost any fabric and worked in an infinite variety of threads. Some materials definitely lend themselves to the technique as they provide a natural grid for the gathering threads. These are the ginghams, spotted and regular striped fabrics which also give interesting visual effects. Traditional fabrics such as linen or cotton with their firm weave and creasing properties will form neat “tubes” more readily than will a loosely woven fabric. Liberty Tana lawn or any lightweight small-patterned fabrics make beautiful children’s dresses, but the stitching then needs to be quite simple to create a textural effect that will complement rather than distract from the fabric design. If you are planning to try a little smocking, then take a look at the wrong side of the fabric before purchasing to be sure that a transferred dot is going to be visible. Smocking dot transfers are still available today, and the wider spaced the dots, then the more fabric will be taken up in the gathers. These markings should wash out - it’s worth testing first as if they don’t they can ruin a delicate piece of work with the shad of the transfer dots apparent from even the right side of the fabric. Stitches used for smocking fall into two groups. Firstly there are the traditional ones found on the Victorian “smock-frock” which are variations of stem or outline stitch that give only a limited amount of elasticity to the work. Then there are chevron and honeycomb stitches - these are later developments of the technique that are used more frequently on children’s clothes.
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A Country Diary Hop-picking goes on without the least interruption. Stonecurlews cry late in the evenings. The congregating flocks of on the church and tower are very beautiful & amusing! When they fly-off together from the Roof, on any alarm, they quite swarm in the air. But they soon settle in heaps, & preening their feathers & lifting up their wings to admit the sun, seem highly to enjoy the warm situation. Thus they spend the heat of the day, preparing for their emigration, &, as it were, consulting when & where they are to go. The flight about the church seems to consist chiefly of house-martins, about 400 in number, but there are other places of rendezvous about the village frequented at the same time. The swallows seem to delight more in holding their assemblies on trees.
Gilbert White (1720-93) spent most of his life as a curate in Selborne and was a pioneer of natural history.
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Four Painterly Feathers The daughter of very good friends of mine is getting married this month, up in Northumberland, and has chosen a theme of feathers and tweed for her wedding day, to blend with the glorious purple heather of the moors that will be in full bloom around then. I thought it would be fun for Bustle & Sew to join in her big day and so I’ve designed this pattern featuring four painterly feathers. They are a lot easier to stitch than you might think and even if your satin stitch is less than perfect (rather like mine!) Then that’s OK as whoever saw a perfect feather anyway?! Shown mounted on 10” x 8” canvas block
Materials ● 16” x 14” square cream or white background fabric suitable for embroidery. There’s a lot of stitching so I recommend you choose a medium weight fabric - I actually used a nice natural coloured wool-blend felt as I liked the contrast of the warm slightly fuzzy felt against the smooth satin stitch of the feathers. ● 10” x 8” artist’s canvas block
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● DMC stranded cotton floss in colours 434, 437, 819, 898, 936, 3042, 3750, 3766, 3809, 3835, 3836, ecru ● Staple gun (to secure your work to the canvas block)
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the French knots sat nicely on top of the ends of the satin stitch.
Notes on Stitching: ● Use two strands of floss throughout.
● For the same reason I worked the central spine of the feathers very last of all. These are worked in stem stitch and ecru.
● Make sure your satin stitch remains at the same angle all the way up the feather. It’s really easy for it to “drift” and this will make your feather look untidy.
● When you’ve finished your work press lightly on the reverse being careful (1) not to flatten your stitches and (2) not to make an ironing movement as this may cause the long satin stitches to move around and make gaps in your feather.
● When beginning each feather work all areas of a particular colour before moving onto the next colour. The feathers aren’t that big and if you carry floss across the back it won’t matter too much as your work will be mounted and the back won’t show.
● Place your work face down on a clean flat surface and place the canvas block on top. Fold the edges round working from the centre of each side and mitre the corners. Staple in place.
● When I worked the first feather, I left the rings of tiny (single twist) French knots around the circular markings until I had worked the satin stitch areas. This meant
● FINISHED
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Tastes of the Season: Succulent Blackberries Blackberries are possibly the best known (and most picked!) part of our wild hedgerow harvest here in England. They grow almost anywhere - woods, hedgerows, wasteland, public spaces and even at the bottom of your garden! The bramble that produces these deliciously juicy berries is a deciduous rambling plant that’s very prickly and very easy to become tangled in. Blackberries ripen in late summer and early autumn - just about now in fact - and if you’re planning to forage for the wild variety then be sure to wear old clothes that cover your arms and legs - wear trousers rather than shorts and boots not sandals. The berries at the tips of the stems are the first to ripen and the sweetest too - as well as being the hardest to reach! You may like to take an old walking stick or other stick with a hooked handle to pull down the topmost branches. Be sure to soak your berries and rinse well before using them. My mum used to sprinkle hers with a little salt too - perfect to draw out the bugs she would say - though I’m not sure this did too much for the flavour! Never pick blackberries from the roadside as they will have been contaminated with traffic pollutants. Refrigerate your berries if you’re not going to use them straight away. Blackberries can be used to make cordials, all kinds of desserts, flavoured vinegars, sauces, jellies and preserves. They work particularly well with apples, forming the classic combination for an autumn fruit crumble.
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Rosie’s Recipes: Harvest Home
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September is the last of the warm months - here in England that is, and I remember Mum used to love to preserve as much of the wonderful seasonal harvest it brings - so we could all enjoy a little taste of summer during the winter months, as well as serving tasty delights straight from the garden, orchard or hedgerow. Puddings were always my favourite, so I thought I’d start with two of her best!
Baked Apples and Custard Serves four:
Ingredients ● 4 large apples ● 8 tblspn luxury mincemeat ● 65 g fresh white breadcrumbs ● 1 tspn ground cinnamon ● 2 tblspn brown sugar
For the custard: ● 300 ml single cream ● ½ vanilla pod, split lengthways
Method ● Pre-heat your oven to 180C (gas mark 5). Using an apple corer scoop out the cores from the apples. Mix the mincemeat, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and sugar together. Put each apple on a larger piece of foil and fill the core cavities with the mincemeat mixture. Fold the foil up loosely around each apple and stand them on a baking tray ● Bake the apples for 40-60 minutes or until they are soft, checking them for readiness after around 40 minutes. ● Meanwhile make the custard. Put the cream in a small pan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the cream and add the empty pod. Bring to the boil, take off the heat and leave to infused for 10 minutes, then remove the pod.
● 65 g caster sugar
● Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour, then pour on the cream, whisking all the time. Return to the pan and cook gently over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens. Don’t let it boil or it may curdle.
● 2 tspn cornflour
● Serve the baked apples with the custard.
● 5 medium egg yolks
Pear and Blackberry Crumble Serves four:
Ingredients ● 6 large ripe pears ● 25 g unsalted butter ● 100 g blackberries ● 50-65 g caster sugar
For the crumble topping: ● 75 g unsalted butter, cubed
Method ● Pre-heat your oven to 180C (gas mark 4). Peel, core and roughly chop the pears. Melt the butter in a pan, add the pears and cook over a high heat, turning frequently, until soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the blackberries and sugar to taste, stir until the liquid has evaporated. Add the blackberries and sugar to taste, stir until the sugar has dissolved and remove from the heat. ● To make the crumble topping place the ingredients in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (you can do this in a food processor if you wish).
● 125 g caster sugar
● Place the pear and blackberry mixture in a baking dish and spoon the crumble evenly over the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the topping is golden brown.
● 160 g plain flour
● Serve with clotted cream or custard.
● 40 g ground almonds
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Apple Charlotte Serves 4
Ingredients ● 1 ½ kg Bramleys or other cooking apple ● 140 g unsalted butter ● Approx 100g caster sugar (to taste and depending upon the sweetness of the apples) ● 10-14 thin slices of good quality white bread or brioche. ● You will also need 4 individual pudding basins about 3 - 3 ½” diameter.
Method ● Preheat your oven to 200C (gas mark 6). ● Peel, quarter and core the apples, then cut into chunks. Melt 50 g of
the butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the apples and sugar, cover and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until softened. Remove the lid and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the apples are fully cooked, but not mushy. ● Remove the crusts from the bread and melt the rest of the butter. From each of 8 bread slices cut a circle slightly smaller than the top of the basins. Then cut the remaining bread into rectangles, wo that the shorter side of the rectangle is the same as the depth of the pudding basins. ● Now make the casings for the puddings. Dip both sides of your bread rectangles in the melted butter and line the sides of each basin with two rectangular pieces, overlapping them slightly at the joins. Dip the circles of bread into the butter and push one into the bottom of each basin so it fits snugly with no gaps. Fill the basin with the apples mixture. Top each pudding with one of the four remaining bread circles, again dipped in butter and pinch the edges of the bread together with your fingers to seal. ● Cover the tops loosely with foil and bake for 15 mins. Turn the oven down to 170C and cook for further 20 mins. Turn each pudding upside down onto a serving plate and leave covered with the basin for up to 20 minutes until ready to serve. ● Remove basins and serve with thick pouring cream.
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Plum Jam A classic from my childhood days - and still a favourite today! Makes around 6 lbs.
Ingredients ● 1 ¾ kg cooking plums, washed and stalks removed ● Grated rind and juice of four oranges ● 300 ml water ● 1 ¾ kg preserving sugar Cooking time around 1 ¼ hours
Method ● Cut the plums in half through to the stone, then twist to separate the two halves. Remove the stones and, if the plums are large, cut in half again. Place the prepared plums in a large pan. Add the orange rind and juice and the water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. ● Add the sugar and heat getnly, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the boil, then boil rapidly until setting point is reached (a jam thermometer is helpful here). Remove the scum. ● Cool slightly, stir, then pour into prepared jars. ● Cover and label.
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Spiced Blackberry Cordial And to finish .. You may not have come across this recipe before, but you’re sure to enjoy this cordial - it makes a great warming drink for the winter months ahead.
Ingredients ● 1 ¾ kg blackberries ● 600 ml water ● 1 tspn whole cloves ● 1 tspn grated nutmeg ● 2 cinnamon sticks ● Approx 500 g sugar ● 300 ml brandy (optional but nice!)
Method ● Place the blackberries in a pan with the water and spices. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the blackberries are soft. ● Strain through a sieve or muslin and measure the juice. For every 600 ml juice add 500 g sugar and stir until dissolved. If necessary heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the brandy. ● Pour into prepared bottles, straining to remove seeds if necessary. ● Makes about 1 ¾ litres (3 pints).
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Tastes of the Season: Versatile Marrows Marrows (whether deliberately grown, or overgrown courgettes/zucchini that escaped your notice at picking time) are plentiful at this time of year and are very versatile to use in the kitchen with their creamy flesh, edible skin and mild flavour. Here in England we do love our giant marrow competitions, but these monsters tend to be tough and tasteless. For eating select a marrow that is small but feels heavy in relation to its size. Large marrows that sound hollow when gently tapped are ones to avoid as they will taste unpleasantly bitter and have a watery texture. A good marrow will have a bright, unblemished outer skin without any noticeable soft spots or bruises. Marrows can be steamed, boiled, baked, fried or roasted. They can be cut in half and stuffed with a variety of fillings before baking too. They will keep for three or four days in a cool dark location (in the fridge is fine) but their vitamin content will deteriorate the longer you keep them before eating. The vitamin C in marrows is particularly susceptible to heat, light and exposure to the air, so only cut into them just before you intend to cook and eat them.
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Look!
-------------------
a lovely idea Pumpkin Succulent Harvest Decoration
I know pumpkins are usually associated with Halloween, but when I saw this wonderful decoration (and noticed it was entitled Pumpkin - then I just had to share it with you this month. I think it would look great with real or faux succulent sprigs - or perhaps a mix of both. There will definitely be one of these adorning my fireplace this autumn! Thanks to Sara and Nicole for sharing this great idea
Free from Simply Happenstance : Pumpkin Harvest Succulent Decoration 35
Christmas Bear This little bear is the second of this year’s new Christmas patterns - and he’s definitely ready for the Big day with his antler headband and Christmas jumper. He is really easy to make and is sure to be popular with younger members of the family this year! I used a plain red knitted fabric and appliqued a simple Christmas tree shape, but a Fair Isle or cable pattern fabric would look amazing! Bear measures 13” tall (approximately) excluding his reindeer antlers. ● Red thread
Materials
● 20” x 6” knitted fabric for jumper
● 18” x 20” white wool blend felt
● Bondaweb
● 3” square pale grey felt
● Embroidery foot for your sewing machine
● 2” square black felt
● Toy stuffing
● 6” square light brown felt ● 10” long narrow strips of red and green felt for headband. ● Stranded cotton floss in black, light brown (to match your antler felt) and gold
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● 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. ● Temporary fabric marker pen (optional)
shaping and definition to the bear’s paws and lower arms rather than it just being a blob.
Method ● Join the pieces of the bear templates together and cut out main body, antlers and jumper shapes.
● 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 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.
● Trace the muzzle and ear inners onto the paper side of your Bondaweb and cut out roughly. Fuse to your light grey felt and cut out carefully. Peel off the paper backing and position on the front of the bear using the templates as a guide. When you’re happy with the positioning fuse into place with a hot iron using a cloth to protect your work. Repeat for the black nose. ● Fit the embroidery foot to your sewing machine and drop the feed dogs. With black thread in your needle go around the edge of the muzzle and inner ear shapes twice - not too neatly - you’re aiming for a sort of scribbled effect.
● 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.
● Mark position of eyes, muzzle line and fur on head using your temporary fabric marker pen. Stitch the muzzle line and eyes in three strands of black floss and the head fur in three strands of grey floss. When finished press your work lightly on the reverse.
● Join two antler shapes together around the edges using a decorative cross stitch and two strands of brown floss. Make the cross stitch by working whip stitch in one direction, then return the other way angling your stitches in the opposite direction to complete the stitch. Stuff the antlers as you go and leave the short bottom edge open for inserting extra stuffing down the middle if necessary. Stuff to within ½” of the bottom edge.
● Return your sewing machine to “normal” mode ready to join the pieces together. ● 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.
● Wrap narrow strips of felt around head to create headband and pin in place. I used a ½” wide strip of red felt that I trimmed with pinking shears for a nice decorative edge. Then I placed a narrow (around 1/8”)
● You will see the solid 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
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strip of green felt on top and joined the two using three strands of golden yellow floss and simple running stitch.
● “Dress” bear in jumper. Turn the raw edges at neck, bottom edge and sleeves under and stitch in place using red thread.
● Tuck the ends of the antlers behind the headband and stitch everything in place.
● I cut a simple Christmas tree shape and appliqued it to the front of my bear’s jumper as a decorative extra as my fabric was quite plain.
● Now make his jumper. Cut two shapes (1 reversed) and join along sides and shoulders using a machine zigzag stitch, or a serger if you have one.
● FINISHED
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Autumn Leaves The falling leaves drift by my window The falling leaves of red and gold I see your lips the summer kisses The sunburned hands I used to hold Since you went away the days grow long And soon I'll hear old winter's song But I miss you most of all my darling When autumn leaves start to fall Since you went away the days grow long And soon I'll hear old winter's song But I miss you most of all my darling When autumn leaves start to fall I miss you most of all my darling When autumn leaves start to fall
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The Countryside in September September of the Summer Equinox, her gardens cartwheeled with gossamer where the fat spiders, striped like tigers, wait for their nectar-seeking prey. September of the bush-rose turning on the slow, cool lamplight of the second bloom; September of the thin blue skies, slow of assertion after the morning mist; September of late holidays, blackberries, bracken turning and heather upon the moors. Last village cricket matches are played and the stumps drawn for the last time of a long-shadowed windless evening, the pavilion doors are closed, and that is that for six long months to come. How the evenings draw in! And in the village you notice it now, since on fine evenings how short a time there is of daylight for the children to appear about the green and upon the bridges between their return from school and the drawing of the home curtains. Harvest is home and the land lies shorn and tailored under the pale blue skies. The swallows and the martins crowd the wires, filling the air with their busy twitterings of departure. The striped wasps gorge among the windfalls. The blackberries at their most flavoursome are ripe in the hedgerows and all about the sweet and sticky ivy-bloom the insects gather for their annual feasting. Slowly the leaves deaden and darken on the trees, and the long orchard grass where the windfall apples lie will not dry again until the winds of March. The Autumn Show - what a firework display of fruit and flowers this is, what a plump display of bottled fruit, and jam, and country wine; what a testimony to the busy months gone by. It is the best show of all the year. Now, though there will be warm corners yet in the garden for many a day to come, we realise summer is over and gone. True the yellow sunflower still shakes her coronet and the late rose blooms and the brave lines of the dahlias stand forth against the coming frost in all the gaudy assortment of their regimental plumes. Yet the plough has passed where the corn was ripe, and now only the solitary swallow flits silently around the grain-stacked barn. Very quietly the last warm days of the month die down towards the awakening of October’s evening owls.
C Gordon-Glover Extract from
1953
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Inspiration
inspiration
A closer look at some of the accounts we love‌
@gabriellevaryknitwear
@little_seed_handmade
Gabrielle creates luxury British knitwear from her studio in Sussex. Her feed is full of gorgeous colours and is sure to brighten up your day!
Sam’s feed is full of her lovely whimsical handmade creations that she sells in her Etsy shop. She loves all things vintage and is busy planning her wedding!
@helen.philipps
@quietclementine
Helen is a designer, author, illustrator & quilter. She loves to craft and blogs about the things she makes. Her feed is full of lots of crafty goodness!
Hana makes playful ceramics for colour enthusiasts. Based in Arkansas she is a one woman show, making each piece with her own two hands from start to finish!
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Flowers for next summer… Summer is inexorably drawing to a close, and soon it will be time to put the barbeque and garden furniture into storage again ready for next year. You can prepare for next summer in other ways too, and something I love to do is harvest my own seed from plants in my garden. Not only is it free, but I know it’s as fresh as possible, and by gathering seeds from plants already growing in my own garden I know that the seedlings they produce are likely to do well in the same environment.
The time to harvest your seeds is when the seed heads have turned brown and the seeds are hard and dry. Choose a fine, dry day and snip off the seed heads close to their bases with sharp scissors (not your sewing ones obviously haha!) or secateurs. Place the seed heads in paper bags or envelopes - don’t use plastic as inevitably they will contain some moisture and if this is trapped it may cause rotting and fungal infections. Carry a marker pen with you and mark your bags and envelopes as you go as it’s
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easier than you might think to get them muddled up. Some seeds, such as the example teasels, foxgloves and hollyhocks shown on the next page will need a little extra work to separate them from the pods and heads. Empty your bag or envelope of harvested material out onto a sheet of clean dry paper - newspaper is perfect for this - and gently pull the seed containers apart with your fingers, discarding the excess material. When you’ve done this then small envelopes are a great method for storing your seeds over the winter - the cheap
brown paper ones you can purchase from any newsagent are ideal. Label your envelopes carefully and store then in an airtight container in a cool, frost free place until you’re ready to sow them. You’ll almost always be able to harvest more seed than you could possibly use yourself, and if you have green fingered friends, then seed swops are great fun! They make great little
gifts too, or can even be sold at fundraising events. If you enjoy harvesting, then you can always take things a little further by selecting seeds from your favourite flowers - perhaps you’ve especially enjoyed a particular colour or petal shape. Of course you can’t guarantee that the seeds will be true to the parent plant, F1 hybrids definitely won’t come true from seed, but you can increase the odds of
Plants that grow easily from seed include (clockwise from top left) nasturtiums, nigella, foxgloves, teasel and hollyhocks
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ending up with a very similar plant next summer - a whole range of cottage garden favourites will grow reliably from your specially harvested seed. You will need to mark these plants before the flowers are over - simply wrap a piece of colourful yarn around the stem so you can be sure which one it is when you’re ready to collect the seeds.
Some things never change! I love to stitch, and am almost completely unable to sit and relax in the evenings unless I have a piece of work in my hands. So when I came across an old newspaper cutting I just had to laugh some things really never do change! The following letter was written in 1758 to the New York Mercury by a long-suffering husband who clearly did not understand his wife and daughters’ love of stitching, or “fancy-work” as it was then called
“My wife’s notion of education differs widely from mine. She is an irreconcilable enemy to idleness and considers every state of life as idleness in which the hands are not employed or some art acquired by which she thinks money may be got or saved. In pursuance of this principle she calls up her daughters at a certain hour and appoints them a task of needlework to be performed before breakfast. By this continual exercise of their diligence she has obtained a very considerable number of laborious performances. We have twice as many fire screens as chimneys and flourished quilts for every bed. Half the rooms are adorned with kinds of futile pictures which imitate tapestry. But all their work is not set out to show; she has boxes filled with knit garters and braided shoes. About a month ago, Tent or Turkey stitch seemed at a stand; my wife knew not of what new work to introduce. I ventured to propose that the girls should now learn to read and write; but unhappily my wife has discovered that linen wears out and has bought the girls little wheels, that they may spin hukkaback for the servants’ table. With these she alowes no doubt that the three girls if they are kept close, will spin as much cloth every year as would cost £5 if one was to buy it!”
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Floral Whale Door Sign Back in July we had a bit of a coastal/ocean theme going on. I didn’t have room for this little whale in that particular issue, but I think he’s far too pretty (and useful as well) to be left until next year. The whale body is simple applique and the flowers/succulent make use of variegated floss so you only actually need a few colours. I stitched my whale onto white felt as I liked the slightly fuzzy contrast with the smooth fabric of the whale body. Shown mounted in 6” hoop.
● Bondaweb
Materials
● 6” embroidery hoop
● 10” square white background fabric suitable for embroidery (I used a white wool blend felt) ● Scraps of grey and a toning floral fabric quilting weight cotton is good. ● DMC stranded cotton floss in colours 310, 315, 352, 472, 819, 988, 4065, 4200, blanc and a light grey that works with your fabric choices
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● With two strands of grey floss work short stitches at right angles to the edges of the shapes to secure them to the background fabric.
Method ● Trace the whale shapes onto the paper side of your Bondaweb using the reverse template. Don’t forget to extend the floral fabric as marked on the template so that it can be overlapped by the grey.
● Transfer the embroidery design to the fabric. The colour chart is on the next page. Work the design as follows, using two strands of floss throughout:
● Cut out roughly and fuse to the reverse of your fabrics. Cut out carefully making sure the edges of the shapes are nice and smooth. Peel off the paper backing and position on your background fabric. The underbody of the whale should be approximately ½” up from the inner edge of the hoop.
● The eye is 310 satin stitch highlighted with a few tiny white stitches in blanc to give it a little sparkle. ● The text is 310 split stitch, blending into stem stitch and then back stitch for the thinner parts of the letters. Work very small stitches around the curves of the letters to keep them nice and smooth.
● When you’re happy with the positioning fuse into place with a hot iron protecting your work with a cloth if you wish.
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● The leaves at the bottom right of the design are detached chain stitch and the stem is back stitch. ● The fronds at the top left of the design are stem stitch. Some have an additional line of purple floss, this is just another row of stem stitch. ● The succulent and smaller flower are both worked in satin stitch using variegated floss. Rather than working logically across the design as normal, dot around so that the colours of the floss are mixed up.
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● The larger flower is radiating straight stitch with a centre of tiny (single twist) French knots. When I’m working flowers I like to position my first stitches at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock then fill in between them. This keeps my stitches radiating at the correct angle to the centre. ● When you’ve finished the design press lightly on the reverse being careful not to flatten your stitches. ● Mount in hoop. ● FINISHED!
A (very) Little Guide to Sewing Machine Needles Go into any sewing retailer and you will be met by a bewildering variety of sewing machine needles - there are so many different types and sizes, with different points, shapes of eye and shaft thickness. Understanding their differences will help you choose the right one for your project.
Universal These are great multi-purpose needles. They are suitable for using on both woven and knit fabrics as they have a slightly rounded point.
Sharps As the name suggests, they have a very sharp point and are best for sewing very fine and delicate
fabrics, as well as for stitching super-neat buttonholes.
they are ideal for patchwork and quilting uses.
Ball Point
Stretch
Ball point needles have more rounded points than the universal or sharp needle. This makes them perfect for knit fabrics as the tip slides between the fibres rather than piercing them which means you won’t get snags or holes in your work.
These are designed for stitching two-way stretch knits such as lycra and jersey. They prevent skipped stitches on fine knitted fabrics.
Jeans These are strong needles ideal for stitching several layers of fabric or, again as the name suggests, tightly woven fabrics like denims.
Quilting These are designed to pierce multiple layers of fabric whilst keeping the stitches straight, so
Topstitch Topstitch needles have very sharp points and a larger eye so are suitable to use with thicker topstitching threads. They’re perfect for straight stitching on any type of fabric.
Leather These have a wedge-shaped cutting tip that’s perfect for piercing non-woven fabrics like leather and vinyl.
As well as having different shaped tips and eyes which define the different TYPES of sewing machine needle, they also come in various sizes. To make matters even more confusing, the US and UK use different numbering systems to identify the different sizes - below is a handy chart to help you choose the right size needle for your fabric:
UK Size
US Size
Fabric
Examples
Jane Carkill, the creative force behind Lamblittle talks to us about her work Hi Sarah I love the gentle simplicity of water colours and, as you say, the way your work is rooted in nature - it’s wonderful! Thanks so much for agreeing to tell us a little bit more about yourself and Lamblittle ...
Where in the world are you? I live in County Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Do you have any formal design training? Yes, I have a distinction diploma in Professional Arts Practice & Communications, & also a Bachelor of Arts in Art & Design, specialising in Textiles.
What were the first steps in setting up LambLittleShop and what was the inspiration behind it?
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To sell my work worldwide was always more of a dream than intention. I never thought that it would be popular to be collected, given as a gift or to decorate homes around the world. But due to such positive feedback & rapid growth in the popularity of Lamblittle, I was constantly contacted by supporters on whether, where, and how they could get their hands on some of my work. It was then that I knew an online platform for artists & creators such as Etsy would be an excellent vehicle to distribute my work worldwide.
How did you choose the amazing name?? I wanted to create a name that encapsulated the qualities of my work; soft & rooted in nature, yet also left an indelible mark on the memory
Meet the Maker
due to its simplicity. I felt that a combination of the words 'Lamb' & 'Little' portrayed this. The words essentially imply all that is gentle, & the alliteration is almost poetic, making it so easy to remember.
Has your business changed much since the beginning? I initially only began selling art prints & posters of my work, but over time produce has expanded to more than what I could have imagined; cushion covers, notebooks, stickers, cards! packaging it up. I then upload and edit the photographs together to send to my customer before updating all my social media.
Where do you find your inspiration? Nature has always been the ultimate inspiration for my work. The unique
If you love Jane’s work and would like to see more of Lamblittle, then please do visit her online ‌.
etsy.com/uk/shop/LambLittleShop www.instagram.com/lamblittle/
terrain of my homeland is my first memory of belonging in the natural world. It possesses a unique character, almost my private setting of botanical specimen and fauna; a place ripe with personal history, folklore and memory, primal and elegant as one, something I like to convey in my work. It is a habitat that is rich and diverse, yet fragile, in constant need of surveillance. The land elicits a receptive, reverential response, a blend of watching and feeling. I feel as though it rewards close observation, a vehicle I personally feel is ideal for creating art.
Which is your favourite design and why? I have a slight infatuation with toadstool & mushrooms, so my toadstool cushion covers really hold a place in my heart. I think it is so wonderful to think of my artwork, that has been lifted from the page & brought to life, now decorating homes all around the world.
What's been your moment so far?
proudest
I think I will always take pride in that my work has been so well received. Those who are close to me know that I am quite reserved and usually apprehensive about showing my art, I feel as though it is an extremely personal thing that I am often shy to reveal. It took me a long time to move away from the
secret of a sketchbook, and onto a larger scale. It was even three years before I told any of my friends or family that Lamblittle even existed! So, when I read the feedback of supporters who have been there consistently since almost day one, saying how much they love what I do, it really makes me feel so appreciated.
Your biggest challenge? And how did you overcome it? I for certain have made mistakes along the way, but now I certainly don't regret making any of them. I will admit that I strive for perfection in everything that I do, however now I know that if I trip here and there, it won't be the end of the world. Instead, I can learn & progress.
their scientific accuracy and the layout of their pages to make them appear almost dreamlike, floating in air. I also think keeping a sketchbook is pivotal. I keep it like a visual diary, always having ongoing ideas and concepts written down, drawing studies and notes. I love to see them so full and bursting with ideas, that I can look back on in later years to see how much I have progressed.
What are your plans for the future? My mind is always full of ideas that I am aching to pursue, so I think it is best to not reveal too much & not spoil any upcoming projects & surprises!
It’s the weekend, how do you Please describe a typical working relax? day. Drawing and photography play a fundamental role in my work. I like to gather a lot of visual sources, both primary & secondary. The landscape is abundant with animal and wildlife inspiration; I find inspiration very accessible and easy to source. I will capture real stills, imagery from the landscape and minute details of objects and animals so I can make a reserve of sources for studies. When I find that imagery is not accessible, I like to use vintage nature book illustrations for colour and imagery referencing. I have always been fascinated by
I still do art every single day. I feel as though it is an extension of my soul that I must pursue. I find it almost therapeutic and so fulfilling. I love to practice different mediums and more personal subject matter that is detached from Lamblittle; photography, oil paint, ceramics, embroidery and of course drawing. I also love to get in touch with music, I play classical piano and absolutely love dancing. Swimming is also a big part of my life. It is so important to have something that can take your mind away from work and art. As so many artists know, at times it can drive you crazy!
“soft and rooted in nature�
A Country Diary What shall I write about? Shall I write about the bright morning with the sharp bird notes and the delicious spongy cooings of the pigeons on the roof of this house? Shall I write about the noises of the aeroplanes, the last flower on the wisteria that I can see mauve and pitiable out of my window? Shall I write about the war ending? Or my breakfast of porridge, toast and marmalade and coffee? Or just about autumn. Waking up cold in the morning, coming back cold through the low blanket of mist by the waterfall last night - from the pub on Shipbourne Common, where Eric bought me a thimbleful of cherry brandy for three shillings, and we heard the loud-mouthed woman holding forth on cubbing before breakfast. In this house now - in the big part which Eric and I are sleeping in because Mrs Sloman is away, I have an eighteenth century wooden mantel in my room, taken from an old house. Then there is a china green basin and brass locks with drop handles to the doors. The furniture ‘limed oak’ ugly and a chinchilla Persian cat is sleeping and grunting and dribbling on my bed. Outside the window a tractor is humming. Eric is having a cold bath, so that the water pipes sing.
Denton Welch (1915-48) was born in Shanghai and spent part of his childhood in China. In 1935 he was involved in a cycling accident from which he never fully recovered. His journals were kept between 1942 and 1948 and were often written during periods of intense pain.
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Pompom Book Marks I have one or two good friends who still love to read paperback novels (as opposed to myself- I love to read, but am a total convert to e-books and my Kindle is always close at hand). I do tease them about being old-fashioned, but I’m sure they’ll forgive me if they discover one of these bookmarks under the tree this Christmas! They take very little in the way of materials, and are super-quick to make, so would be a good stocking filler or good for Christmas Craft fairs too. I have made mine fairly short at just 6” long for those paperbackreading friends of mine, but you could easily make them longer if you chose.
For the toadstool bookmark:
Materials
● Tiny scraps of red and cream felt
For each bookmark:
● Cream and red embroidery floss
● 2 ½” x 6” medium weight neutral fabric
● Green knitting yarn
● 2 ½” 6” felt (I used a cream wool blend felt) for the backing
For the white rabbit bookmark:
● Temporary fabric marker pen
● White felt
● Bondaweb
● Black, white, pink and blue stranded cotton floss
● Glue gun (optional)
● Pink knitting yarn
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cluster of blue French knots. The ear is pink satin stitch. The eye is a black French knot and the nose is black satin stitch, again using two strands of floss throughout.
Method ● With your temporary fabric marker trace the outline of the templates onto the right side of your fabric.
● When your stitching is finished remove any temporary fabric marker lines from the actual design (don’t remove the outline of the book mark itself) and press lightly on the reverse.
● Trace the applique shapes onto the paper side of your Bondaweb. Cut out roughly then fuse onto your felt and cut out carefully making sure the edges are nice and smooth.
● Use your yarn to make two small (1½”) pompoms, one green and one pink.
● Using the outline you drew as a guide position the shapes onto your bookmark fronts. When you’re happy with their positioning fuse into place with a hot iron protecting your work with a cloth. Mark the stitching lines on the rabbit using your temporary fabric marker pen (1)
● Cut out the book mark shapes ● Clip corners and the point at the end and fold the edges under by 1/8” (2). Press firmly and baste if necessary.
● Using two strands of matching floss secure your applique shapes to the background fabric with short straight stitches worked at right angles to the edges of the shapes.
● Cut two book mark shapes from your backing felt. These should be very slightly smaller than the bookmarks themselves - by about 1/16” all the way around.
● Stitch cream spots onto the toadstools - just a few satin stitches fairly loosely worked in 2 strands of cream floss.
● Place backing on top of bookmark so that it covers the raw edges of your main fabric. ● Pin and/or baste in place.
● Again with two strands of floss stitch the lines of the rabbit’s limbs in blue. The tail is a
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● Machine topstitch all the way around the bookmark as close as possible to the edge of the backing felt (3). Press.
● Find a good book, insert bookmark and enjoy! ● FINISHED!!
● Attach pompom to bottom point of bookmark. You can stitch in place or use your glue gun.
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Home Comforts Beeswax is the purest and most natural of all candle waxes (including vegetable waxes), with the least amount of processing and no additives. Beeswax candles burn cleanly and emit a delicious fragrance of warm honey. Homemade beeswax candles take just minutes to make and are a fun project to do with nimble fingered children. Purchase sheets of beeswax and a roll of appropriate wick from a candle maker’s suppliers (you’ll be spoiled for choice online) wicks are sold to match the finished diameter of the candle. To achieve the best results work in a warm room and/or gently warm the beeswax sheets with a hairdryer before you begin. Then place a length of wick at the edge of one of the sheets and simply roll it up tightly. Press the final edge firmly against the candle to prevent it from unrolling. Trim the wick to ½” before lighting.
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New Bloom & Grow Hoop Template is right size and also reversed to suit your preferred method of transfer.
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Festive Friends Advent Calendar Templates are right size and also reversed for tracing onto the paper side of your Bondaweb. The image below is to help you position your pockets
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Four Painterly Feathers Template is right size .
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Christmas Bear Template is right size but will need joining together. The pieces overlap to help you do this. The image below is not to scale, the templates follow on the next four pages.
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Floral Whale Door Sign Template is right size and also reversed to suit your preferred method of transfer. The applique template is reversed for tracing onto the paper side of your Bondaweb
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Pom Pom Book Marks Template is right size and reversed for tracing onto the paper side of your Bondaweb
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