Meet the Maker: Lucy Leach, Textile Artist The Surprising Health Benefits of Quilting Lavender’s Blue Dilly Dilly, Lavender’s Green Tall Summer Spires: A Little Look at the Hollyhock How to Embroider Fur and a New Rosie and Bear design Plus August Almanac, Home Comforts, Lazy Days of Summer, Lovely Ideas and more besides 1
A Bustle & Sew Publication Copyright © Bustle & Sew Limited 2021 The right of Helen Grimes 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 2021 by: Bustle & Sew Station House West Cranmore Shepton Mallet BA4 4QP www.bustleandsew.com
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Welcome to the August Magazine Hello everyone! August brings the golden days of harvest time, ice creams, visits to the beach and all kinds of summer pleasures…. There’s lots of hand stitching in this edition as one of my summer pleasures is to take my stitching out and about with me, finding a shady spot to while away the hours with needle and floss. I will particularly value any stolen moments this month as we’re super-busy here at Bustle & Sew HQ right now as early September brings our long-awaited, and much-delayed (due to Covid) wedding party - lots of bunting to sew and arrangements to make. We have the first of this year’s Christmas designs between the covers too - as I know lots of well-organised stitchers will be beginning their seasonal stitching this month (or may well already have started!) We chat to a very talented maker, Lucy Leach, who lives in one of my favourite places, the beautiful county of Cornwall (next door to Devon where I used to live) and return to a very early project - Rosie and Bear in the orchard, bringing it right up to date with new colours and stitches. I hope you enjoy this issue and the September Magazine will be published on Thursday 26 August. Until then I hope you have a lovely month, with lots of time for stitching in the garden! Very best wishes
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Between this month’s covers … August Almanac
Page 5
Bringing Home the Tree Hoop
Page 55
Summer’s End Hoop
Page 7
Seeds for next Summer
Page 59
Choosing Fabric for Embroidery
Page 11
The Comfortable Stitcher
Page 60
Meet the Maker: Lucy Leach
Page 12
Threads NOT to Use
Page 62
By Candlelight
Page 14
Sunflower Cushion Cover
Page 63
Harvest Home
Page 15
The Butterfly Bush
Page 65
Party Panda Softie
Page 16
Home Comforts
Page 66
Nature Notes: Tawny Owl:
Page 19
Embroidery Stitch Guide
Page 67
Lavender’s Blue
Page 20
In the Kitchen: Conversion Tables
Page 68
Travelling with Embroidery
Page 24
Templates
Page 69
Rosie and Bear in the Orchard
Page 25
How to Embroider Fur
Page 79
Lazy Hazy Summer Days
Page 31
September House Pin Cushion
Page 44
Health Benefits of Quilting
Page 48
Summer Spires: The Hollyhock
Page 49
August Printables
Page 52
Lovely Idea, Pebble Key Chains
Page 54
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Choosing Fabric for Embroidery It’s super important you choose the right fabric for your embroidery to achieve good results. You need a fabric that isn’t stretchy at all, as your stitches won’t be elastic and so your embroidery will pucker or stretch and your stitches will appear uneven.
Your fabric shouldn’t be too light weight either or it won’t support the weight of your stitching and may buckle and wrinkle as you work. Look for a medium weight fabric that will withstand the tension of your stitches but that isn’t too hard to pull your needle through. If your fabric is too heavy in weight it will be very tough on your fingers and may even cause blisters!
The next important factor to consider is the weave of the fabric - is it tight, loose or uneven? All of these will affect the appearance of your finished piece. I prefer a fairly tight and evenly woven fabric for the best results. If the weave is too loose it will create holes in your work as you stitch and if it’s too tight then it will be hard to pull your thread through the fabric.
If you’ve never tried a particular fabric then, rather than purchasing online, it’s a good idea to go into a fabric store to examine it properly before purchasing - saving your the trouble of returning it if it isn’t exactly what you’re looking for.
Having said all this, felt - a non-woven fabric is very easy to stitch on and the lack of warp and weft threads makes it very easy to achieve good smooth lines, especially when working back or satin stitch.
And finally, if you’re planning on embroidering an item of clothing then do prewash before stitching just in case it shrinks ruining your hard work. 6
“If you’re passionate, just jump in and go for it!” talks to us about the beautiful Cornish coast, where she finds her inspiration and how she started her business, Lucy runs her business from her home in Cornwall which she shares with her husband and 4 children. Inspired by her beautiful surroundings she creates gorgeous textile items which she sells in various galleries and shops around Cornwall as well as in her Etsy shop.
I have always loved art and design and I began a 2 year art and design diploma in Brighton after completing my A levels. Everything was just so exciting from the varied styles of drawing we were taught, to creating beautiful project sketch books which were brimming with our ideas and different mediums, to creating beautiful final piece mood boards. We were taught to play around with materials and to experiment. I definitely owe my love of textiles and colour to this time. I still get excited thinking
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back to that course, I honestly loved that wonderful experience. I went on to study textiles and fashion at Brighton University but it wasn’t right for me and so I got a secretarial job at a GP Practise. 3 years later when kids started coming along I made the choice to be a stay at home mum (we have 4!). Throughout all that time I had no creative outlet and felt utterly frustrated not knowing how or what to create. In 2010 we moved from Sussex to Cornwall and I knew hardly anyone so I joined a ‘swig and sew’ group. We were all in the same boat and each week we’d all bring a little sewing project and enjoy a glass of wine. I had a way of creating again and it was so wonderful. It was just before our youngest started school, and I was having a wobble about what I should do that my husband dropped in the idea that I should make pictures of the places we love. He bought me a camera so I could take pictures and it started growing from then, I taught myself free motion embroidery by making
making lots of mistakes and immersing myself in the beautiful Cornish landscapes and my box of fabric scraps.
in the evenings I sit with the older kids in front of the tv and start cutting out and prepping for the following days work. ’
Mostly it’s when we’re out walking the south west coastal path and I see a beautiful view. I love the variety here in Cornwall. Whether it is the quirky cottages around a harbour or the wildflowers adorning the edges of beachfronts and pathways that catch my eye. It becomes a bit of a running joke when my husband is chatting away to me until he realises I’m not next to him and I’ve stopped to take another picture.
I love that my work means I am around to do the school run, and when the kids are home I try and make a conscious effort to down my tools if I can. I love a list, and so always have a daily or weekly list of any wholesale or orders I need to work on. I do my machine sewing from my kitchen table and
It has definitely been wonderful to see my work for sale in galleries and shops in Cornwall.That has been so encouraging for me as a maker and artist.
To not worry about the quieter moments. I was so grateful to have had my busiest and most successful year so far, in the midst of a pandemic but it’s hard when things get quiet again. It’s often in the quieter moments that the self doubt creeps in and it can be easy to think I should just get a normal job. My husband is a source of good common sense and encouragement and helps me to navigate the doubts.
If you’re passionate then just jump in and go for it. Be involved
with local groups on Facebook or Instagram that foster community and help small businesses. I’ve found a couple in Cornwall to be a mine of wisdom and top tips. Also stay in your own lane - it’s very easy to fall in the comparison trap.
I want to keep creating and being bold, and not just settle which I think I’m always tempted to do . I love that I get to take a view and put my twist on it with beautiful fabrics and threads. That is my expression and my art. I love my job and feel very privileged to be able to do it - whether it be the cheeky seagull decorations, bespoke house portraits made from fabric and thread that people can treasure, or the larger scale landscapes of the places everyone knows and loves. I want to carry on creating but also carve out more time for creating beautiful landscapes. You can find Lucy’s gorgeous creations in her Etsy shop and on Instagram too.
By Candlelight … By the end of August the seemingly endless days of summer begin give way to a change in the air. The days shorten rapidly and it’s time to have your chimney swept, check your log supply and bring out candles to lend a mellow glow to evenings increasingly spent indoors again. The soft light of a candle brings beauty to a room and is flattering to the skin, but its romantic connotations are not without risks. “Choose neither women nor linen by candlelight” runs the old country wisdom - to which list I would definitely add floss colours! But did you know that if you place new candles in the freezer for a few hours they’ll burn for longer? And another good tip is to dip the end of your candle into very hot water to soften it before putting it into your candlestick - heating it with a match marks it black. If the holder is too loose, then wrap the end of your candle in adhesive tape. To remove wax drips from metal candlesticks simply place them in the freezer for an hour or two and you’ll find the wax will peel away easily. Use a hairdryer to melt away any remaining wax. For china candlesticks, remove the excess with a blunt knife then place in the microwave on full power for a minute or two (be sure to keep a close eye on them) to soften the remaining wax which you can then rub off easily with your fingertips.
If you accidentally drip wax on your carpets then let it harden. Gently scrape off what you can without damaging the pile. Then set your iron to warm and blot the rest of the wax through absorbent kitchen paper and keep changing it until all traces of the wax have vanished. As you might expect from something that’s been around for perhaps as long as 5,000 years, there are many superstitions surrounding the humble candle. is to assist an evil person, while then the enterprise isn’t worth your labour or expenditure. To is to be wasteful or extravagant - or to stay up late and get up early!
How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.” William Shakespeare “The Merchant of Venice” 1596
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Nature Notes: The Tawny Owl The tawny owl is the most common of the five species of owl that live in our countryside. It’s also sometimes called the screech owl due to the distinctive nature of its cool. It hunts small mammals such as mice and voles, usually swallowing its prey whole and later regurgitating the indigestible parts such as bones and fur. Unlike the barn owl the tawny owl does build a nest, and prefers to do so in holes in trees. They roost during the day time, and take to the wing to hunt mainly at dawn and dusk.. With a noiseless wing beat and light-sensitive eyes that enable them to see on even the darkest nights, tawny owls are brilliantly adapted for hunting at night.
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“Here’s flowers for you; Hot lavender, mints, savoury marjoram” William Shakespeare
Travelling with your Embroidery Another good tip is to thread some needles ready to use, stick them into a scrap of fabric or felt and include them in your embroidery bag. This way you won’t have to struggle to thread your needle in a moving vehicle and/or poor light. And thinking about light, it’s a good idea to take a good portable light with you as if you’re planning to stitch indoors it’s unlikely that most accommodation will have a good light with a daylight bulb ready and waiting for your use!
As (hopefully) the pandemic restrictions come to an end and the world begins to open up to travellers once more, many of us will be starting to think about holidays, whether at home or abroad. And, for me at least, part of being on holiday is to have extra time to enjoy my hobbies, including hand embroidery of course. Embroidery is most definitely one of the most portable hobbies I know of, as it only uses a few items, most of which are small, so won’t take up too much space in your luggage. A few skeins of floss, small scissors and your hoop are easy to transport - and (prompted by a question from Erin, one of our lovely subscribers) some research showed that most airlines don’t have problems with stitchers bringing needles onto a plane either if you are planning to pass the time on your journey. Of course this may not be possible for various reasons - there might be too much turbulence for fine stitching or perhaps a great movie showing!
Finally, rather than your usual workbag, consider taking a lightweight simple bag with you to hold the small selection of tools and supplies you’ll need while away. I like a simple drawstring bag that’s large enough to hold my hoop, they’re so easy to make and use and can be opened out and the fabric reused when your holiday is over too!
Available from Bustle & Sew on Etsy drawstring workbag with folding scissors and mini-needlebook
In general airlines allow small scissors (with blades no longer than 6cm) and round-ended/blunt scissors these are all acceptable in cabin baggage. (But please do check with your carrier before flying).
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Chocolate Cinnamon Brownies Ingredients ● 185 g butter ● 185 g 75% or more dark chocolate, broken into pieces ● 85 g Plain flour ● 40 g Cocoa powder ● 50 g White chocolate, chopped into small chunks ● 50 g Milk chocolate, chopped into small chunks ● 3 Large eggs ● 275 g Caster sugar
Method ● Preheat your oven to 160 degrees centigrade, gas mark 4. ● Line a 20 cm square shallow tin with baking parchment. ● Put the butter and dark chocolate into a bowl and either melt over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave, leave to cool a little. ● Sieve the flour, cocoa powder and cinnamon into a bowl. ● Whisk the eggs and sugar together until really thick and creamy, you'll know when it's ready when a trail stays on the surface for a few seconds. ● Gently fold in the chocolate mixture, followed by the flour and lastly the chopped chocolate. ● Tip into the tin and bake for 35-45 minutes, when ready the top will be slightly cracked and the mixture set when you shake the tin.
● Leave in the tin for 15 minutes then turn onto a wire rack and cool. Serve cut into squares.
Greengages and Cherries: Two Fruit Tarts
Summer Spires: the Hollyhock
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Threads and Floss you Those of us who come from stitching families are likely to have inherited various bits and bobs from aunties, grannies or other relatives. We may even have inherited whole sewing boxes filled with old reels of threads and other miscellaneous objects - some useful and some not so much. But approach old threads and floss with caution.
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I would also steer well clear of unfamiliar branded threads from eBay and other such auction sites. Such threads may be described as “silk” from Thailand or elsewhere in the Far East and are usually very cheap. But there’s a catch - they are not good quality and are likely to snap, shred, tangle and leave you completely frustrated. Much better in the long run to spend a little more and buy a better quality thread.
Threads tend to become flattened in storage on the spool and so if you use them in your machine they’re unlikely to run very smoothly. The quality won’t be as good as modern threads and they’re likely to snap. So it’s best to accept that thread deteriorates with age and use a good quality modern thread in your sewing machine. It is possible to use both old threads and floss in hand stitching however, though do be aware they may not be as colourfast as modern brands.
Buying bargain threads and flosses from markets, car boot sales or non-specialist shops is also a recipe for disaster. Remember at all times, they are cheap for a reason. To tell if a thread is poor quality, hold a short length up to the light and if it is a bit fluffy or hairy put it back on the shelf as that fluff will clog up your needle and ultimately your machine. Poor quality embroidery floss also feels wrong - almost rough to the touch which will make it hard to produce smooth regular stitches.
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How to Embroider Fur: Bear in a Hat Hand Embroidery Project 20