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A Bustle & Sew Publication
Copyright Bustle & Sew Limited 2014
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 2014 by:
Bustle & Sew
Coombe Leigh
Chillington
Kingsbridge
Devon TQ7 2LE
UK
www.bustleandsew.com
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Welcome .
Hello from everyone here at Bustle & Sew HQ! I say
everyone as weve had a young visitor staying here
for the last couple of weeks, Rosies mischievous
goldendoodle puppy Tilly. The only time shes still and
quiet is when shes asleep, and as I type this she and Daisy are romping around
my feet! Shes very sweet-natured and affectionate though, so a lot is forgiven
(though quite why she felt the need to dig out my late-flowering geraniums from
their pots I have no idea!)
Tillys mum, my daughter Rosie, has had a lot to do with this months issue,
introducing new features including Meet the Maker - this months creative talent is
Lisa of Agnes & Cora (p31) and our Baking Corner (p18) complete with conversion
tables in the Templates section so you can enjoy making your seasonal Pumpkin
and Ginger Traybake wherever you may live.
As always, my new Bustle & Sew projects are the main part of the magazine, and
this will never change. But, as well as everything stitchy, Rosie and I love our homes
and family. We wanted to reflect this in the magazine contents - and also make it
more of a Jolly Good Read that you can put your feet up with a cuppa and enjoy.
I do hope youll feel weve succeeded.
Id love to know what you think of our makeover, and any thoughts and suggestions
you may have for future issues. Please do email me [email protected] and
let me know.
I hope you have a lovely October - and as the days grow shorter and the nights
chillier, enjoy snuggling inside with your stitching - and this magazine too of course!
All the best
Helen xx
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If you are having trouble threading your needle, flip
it over and try again. Needles are now stamped out
making a right and a wrong side to your needle.
If you look at it carefully, you can see which is the
right side.
5
Contents
October Alamanac 6
Toadstool Patchwork Bag 7
Cupcake Toppers 10
The Story of Velvet 11
Dream it Do it Printable 14
Miss Matilda Catkin 15
Baking Corner: Wallflower Girl 18
Star Baker Goodies 20
Dream It Banner 21
Woodland Whimsy Accessories 24
Poetry Corner: Hubble Bubble 26
Woodland Deer Cushion 27
Loving those October Days 30
Meet the Maker: Lisa Toppin 31
Autumn Essentials Printable 34
Merry Christmas Hoop 35
Paint & Glitter Pumpkins 38
A Little History of American Quilting
Superstition & Status 39
Top Five Lamps 41
Octobers Favourite Blogs 42
Woodland Christmas Friends 43
Discovering Stumpwork 46
And finally . 48
Baking Conversion Table 49
Templates 50
6
In October the season of autumn really
begins to come into its own as deciduous
trees are ablaze with the rich and varied
colours of their dying foliage. But summer
isnt so very long ago, and thoughts of the
winter to come are still another month
away. Now the grain harvest is safely
gathered in, farmers begin to prepare their
fields for the next years crops.
A spell of unusually warm, dry, calm
weather occurring in October or early
November is known as an Indian Summer,
a name that originated in the USA. Its
also known as St Lukes Little Summer or
St Martins Little Summer when it occurs
around the feast days of those saints, 18
October and 11 November respectively.
October is the main month for apple-
picking and cider-making here in England,
and youll find many apple-related events
up and down the country.
Of course the main event for many is 31
October - Halloween - when witches fly
abroad and ghosts, fairies and other
supernatural beings are at their most
active. The tradition of Trick or Treating
has found its way to Britain from the US,
where it has a long history - including the
famous War of the Worlds broadcast by
Orson Welles back in 1938 (see extract
above) where it now exists along older
traditions such as apple bobbing.
A wave of mass hysteria seized
thousands of radio listeners
throughout the nation last night
when a broadcast of a dramatization
of HG Wells fantasy The War of the
Worlds led thousands to believe
that an interplanetary conflict had
started with invading Martians
spreading wide death and
destruction in New Jersey and New
York. The broadcast, which disrupted
households, created traffic jams and
clogged communications systems was
made by Orson Welles. At least a
score of adults required medical
treatment for shock and hysteria
New York Times 31 October 1938
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Toadstool
Patchwork Bag
Theres something about
toadstools in October - their
bright cheerful colours
peeking up through the fallen
leaves that carpet the
woodland floor - and they
make a great decorative
addition to this little bag too,
with its cheerful patchwork
interior and handstitched trim.
Finished bag measures 7
high x 8 wide x 6 deep and
has an inner patch pocket
and magnetic closure
Materials
yard medium weight natural
coloured fabric for exterior
yard cotton canvas
Scraps of coloured cotton fabric for
patchwork interior
Tiny scraps of felt and fabric for
toadstools applique
DMC cotton perle no 5 in green and
red
Bondaweb
Magnetic clasp (optional)
Black and cream thread for your
sewing machine
Embroidery foot
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Method
From your exterior fabric cut:
Two 9 x 12 rectangles
Two 2 x 12 rectangles
One oval base (see templates)
Repeat for the canvas. Put the canvas
to one side for present and work on the
bag exterior.
Fold one of your larger rectangles in
half widthways to mark the centre
point, and mark the position for your
toadstool design centrally, with the top
of the centre toadstool 2 from the top
edge.
Trace the applique shapes onto the
paper side of your Bondaweb, allowing
a little extra for the caps to overlap the
stalks. Cut out roughly, fuse to the
wrong side of your fabric/felt then cut
out carefully using long smooth strokes
of your scissor blades.
Peel off paper backing and position
your shapes (1). Build up the
toadstools and when youre happy with
their positioning fuse into place with a
hot iron (you may need to protect your
work with a clean cloth).
Fit the embroidery foot to your sewing
machine. Drop the feed dogs and with
black thread in your needle and cream
in the bobbin stitch around the edge of
your toadstool shapes to secure them
in place. Dont be too neat, youre
aiming for a sort of scribbled effect (2).
With green perle thread, make a few
straight stitches to represent grass
around the toadstools. Press your work
lightly on the reverse
With a seam allowance and right
sides together join the two rectangles
together down their shorter sides.
Press seams open.
Insert oval base - pin or tack very
carefully before stitching, easing the
sides around the curved edge. Use a
seam allowance and clip curves
when done. (3) Work running stitch
around bag 2 from the top edge using
red perle thread.
1
2
3
9
Interior
The interior is made up of stitch and flip
patchwork. If you havent done this
before its really easy.
Take your first 9 x 12 canvas
rectangle and place it right side up
on a clean flat surface.
Cut a strip of fabric measuring
approx 9 x 3 and place it along
one side of the canvas, aligning the
9 edges.
Cut a second strip of fabric and
place it right side down on top of the
first strip. Machine stitch down the
strip with a seam allowance
through both layers of fabric and the
canvas. (3)
Flip this second strip over so its
right side up and press down into
place. (4)
Repeat until the canvas is covered. I
replaced some of the single-fabric
strips with patchwork ones for some
variety. (5)
Cover the second interior piece in
the same way. When finished stitch
all around the edges, or less from
the edge to make sure the strips are
securely held in place and wont
move when you join the pieces
together (6)
Add a simple patch pocket to one
side if desired (optional). Just take
two 3 x 4 rectangles of fabric and
join together with right sides facing,
leaving a small gap for turning. Turn
through, press and topstitch to bag
interior positioning centrally and 2
down from top edge.
Insert base in same way as exterior,
then add magnetic catch at top if
using 1 down from top edge.
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6
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Assemble your bag
Turn over to the wrong side all the
way round the top of the bag exterior
and press.
Turn over to the wrong side of the
interior and press.
Place the interior inside the exterior with
wrong sides together. (5)
Join each of your 12 x 2 rectangles
down one long edge with right sides
together. Turn right way round and
press. Top stitch along long sides 1/8
from the edge.
Position handles at top of bag, inserting
short ends between the interior and
exterior for 1. Pin or tack in place.
Topstitch around top edge of bag, going
over handles twice.
Your bag is now finished.
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Some extra vintage loveliness
for you
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Look!
a lovely idea
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cupcake
Toppers
Top your Halloween cupcakes
with these scary toppers like
Sarah from Sarah Hearts. Trick
or Treat?
Image & FREE Download:
www.sarahhearts.com
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Velvet is one of the most luxurious fabrics
around in both texture and drape; heavy
enough to hang elegantly, conforming to
curves and falling gracefully over corners, it
is eminently suitable for formal clothing or for
drapery. The most immediately striking
feature of velvet is its rich colouring. The play
between light and shadows created by the
pile makes for remarkably intense colours;
even from a distance, it looks sensual and
tempting.
True velvet is a woven pile fabric; that is, the
production technique incorporates loops
made from an auxiliary set of warp yarns,
which are later cut to produce a soft pile. A
similar method is used to create corduroy
and velveteen, only for these two the pile
comes from loops in the weft. The weaving
technique dates back to as early as 2000 BC
in Egypt, where samples of exquisitely fine
linen and silk fabrics have been unearthed.
An inventory list from 809 AD, of treasures
belonging to Caliph Haroun al-Rashid,
includes five hundred bolts of velvet. That
these pieces were included alongside gold
and extravagant jewellery indicates its
enormous value at the time as the process
of weaving velvet was extremely labour-
intensive and time-consuming, because of
its fineness.
Velvet production became firmly established
as an industry in the Middle East and eastern
Europe by about the tenth century. The most
skilled weavers came from Turkey, Greece,
The Story of Velvet
and Cypress; when the latter was
conquered by France in 1266, many
artisans were forced to flee to
continental Europe. Most settled in
Lucca, Italy, already a major centre for
the production of fine woollen textiles,
thus allowing for the spread of velvet-
weaving techniques further north into
much of western Europe. Moorish Spain
was another major centre of velvet
production; it had been manufactured
there since 948, and various velvet-
weavers' guilds and organisations had
been created for the purpose of ensuring
the industry's continuing prosperity
The first reference to velvet in England
can be found in 1278, when according
to records the king's tailor purchased a
velvet-upholstered bed in Paris at a cost
of 100 shillings. Velvet then became
enormously popular and by the late
Middle Ages it was in common use for
upholstery, drapery, and clothing
amongst those who could afford it.
Because it was still woven by hand --
weaving would not become automated
until centuries later, it was enormously
expensive and beyond of the reach of
all but Europe's wealthiest noblemen.
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Velvet was still important in the Middle East
where it was called mukhmal, and its
popularity as a visible sign of affluence
continued well into the Renaissance period.
In Europe, velvet weaving techniques were
a well-kept secret; passed down through
weavers' guilds, the methods were kept
hidden from those outside the industry,
until Napoleon abolished the guilds during
the French Revolution.
Through the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance, velvet was almost always
woven of silk. Occasionally, linen was
incorporated into the warp to reduce
production costs; this was referred to as
half-silk velvet. Hemp was sometimes
used for this same purpose, though cotton
warps seem to have been conspicuously
absent. Velvet continued to be a luxury
fabric accessible only to the wealthy upper
classes until the Industrial Revolution
ushered in a new era of mechanisation and
mass-production, when suddenly such
fabrics became more widely affordable.
Contemporary velvet is often woven of
rayon or acetate, both of which have
served as substitutes for silk since the
Second World War. Several different types
have evolved, differing mostly in how they
have been finished. Plain velvet is just that:
plain weave fabric with a cut pile. Crushed
velvet is made when plain velvet is
dampened and then mechanically twisted,
creating a new textural dimension. Pann
velvet is similar in appearance to crushed
velvet, but its texture comes from heavy
pressure applied to sections of plain velvet
rather than from twisting. Cut velvet differs
slightly from the rest in construction; it
involves often intricate, brocade-like
patterns in relief, made by cutting the pile
in some areas and leaving it in loops in
others.
Often confused with velvet, velveteen
differs because of its shorter pile, which
originates from extra loops in the weft.
Velour is also similar to velvet in both
texture and weight, but it is made from
cotton rather than silk or synthetic fibres
and in the same manner as velveteen.
Many knit fabrics with pile added can
resemble velvet, and are sometimes
mislabelled as such; this is erroneous,
however, as velvet is always woven.
Because careless folds and creases can
permanently flatten the pile and leave a
velvet garment ruined, careful attention
must be paid to proper care and storage.
Steaming is the best way to remove
creases; alternatively use a velvet board,
which is a specialised type of ironing board
with hundreds of fine wires sticking out of
it to preserve the pile whilst it is being
ironed. For cleaning, dry cleaning seems
to be the most agreed-upon method;
manufacturer's directions take
precedence, however, so read the label
first!
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15
Miss Matilda
Catkin
Miss Matilda Catkin is a very
pretty little kitty indeed with
her pink button nose, shiny
black eyes and delightful
cotton dress.
Her arms and legs are
moveable and are secured in
place with strong thread and
buttons.
Miss Matilda measures a
purrfect 15 tall from the ends
of her toes to the tips of her
ears.
Materials
9 x 18 grey marl (or your preferred
cat colour) wool blend felt
Scraps of cream felt
Two tiny spherical black beads for
eyes
One 3/8 pink button for nose and
one 3/8 decorative button for collar
Four 1 buttons for joints
Long needle (optional but useful)
Cream and grey embroidery floss or
cotton perle thread
Strong brown thread
12 square or equivalent cotton for
dress
15 lace to trim dress hem (optional)
6 square cotton for bodice lining
(optional)
Toy stuffing
6 ric-rac braid
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Method
Cut out all pieces using the full sized
templates.
Stitch the darts in head with right sides
together and 1/8 seam allowance.
Either machine stitch or use a short
stabbing stitch as they need to be
really secure.(1)
Attach head gusset to the head side
from A at the bottom of the neck over
the nose and top of head to the back
of the neck at B. Repeat for the other
side, then stuff head firmly.
Stitch darts in cheeks as for head,
then attach to head using short
straight stitches. Stuff lightly before
closing the seam. (2)
Join two body pieces together leaving
a 3 gap at the bottom for stuffing.
Stuff the neck end lightly to make it
easier to hold and stitch, then attach
head to body.
Notes
Body seams are joined with wrong
sides together and cross stitch using
two strands of matching floss (or perle
thread if preferred). Work the seam in
one direction first, then return the
other way for a strong decorative
finish.
Insert stuffing in small pieces to avoid
lumpiness. Use a stuffing stick to
push into the smallest parts. A
stuffing stick is simply a bamboo
skewer with the pointed tip broken off
and the end frayed so it grabs the
stuffing as you insert it.
Stuff your softie very firmly, paying
particular attention to the neck area as
you dont want a floppy head! The
only area to stuff less firmly is the top
of the limbs where youll attach them
to the body.
Use glass-headed pins to determine
the position of the eyes before you
attach them. Their positioning makes
a real difference to your softies
expression so its really important to
take your time and get them right.
1
2
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Fold tail strip in half lengthways and
join seam, stuffing as you go to within
of base end.
Finish stuffing body, insert tail at base
and close stuffing gap.
Attach cream inner ears to outers
using small straight stitches. Fold ear
in half at base and secure with a few
stitches. (3)
Attach folded ears to head using the
photo above as a guide (4) In these
photos youll see Ive used glass-
headed pins to indicate eye positions
and attached a temporary nose button
with a pin. This helped give me some
idea of how Matilda was progressing
and how shed look when finished.
Stitch arms and legs, stuffing as you
go.
Attach to body with strong thread and
buttons, using your long needle to take
the thread right through the body and
out through the button on the other
side. Pull quite tightly so the limbs are
not too wobbly, but can still move.
Fasten off end of thread securely at
back of body.
Attach eyes. For whiskers cut a long
length of strong thread and double it in
your needle. Take into head at side of
nose, leaving a tail of around 1 ,
then bring out where nose button will
be. Make a tiny back stitch and then
take thread back into the head and
come out in the position for the next
whisker on the other side of the head.
Repeat as many times as you like,
then cut loops and trim whiskers to
desired length. Taking back stitches in
this way prevents the whiskers from
being pulled straight through the head
by accident.
Attach nose button to cover back
stitches.
Stitch claws with strong thread.
Make dress. You can add bodice
linings if desired, simply hem bottom
edge of lining, then place lining and
dress together and stitch around
sides, leaving the bottom edge open
for turning.
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4
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For the Traybake
> 120g butter
> 3 medium free-range eggs
> 120g demerera sugar
> 120g self-raising flour
> 1tsp baking powder
> 1tbsp ground ginger
> 1tsp ground cinnamon
> 2tbsp pumpkin puree
> 3tbsp white chocolate
chunks/chips
For the Ginger Icing
> 4tbsp icing sugar
> 2 tsp ground ginger
> 1-2 tbsp water
Pumpkin
& Ginger
Traybake
> Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a
8in x 12in brownie tin and lightly dust with flour.
> In a large bowl, whisk the butter, eggs, sugar and
pumpkin puree until smooth and creamy. Sift in the
flour and baking powder then mix again until well
combined.
> Stir in the white chocolate chunks then transfer
the mixture to the greased and floured brownie tray.
> Place the tray in the oven to bake for 15 minutes,
until spongey, springy and golden. Remove from the
oven and allow to cool in the tin. After about 10
minutes, run a knife around the edges to loosen
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and then transfer to a wooden serving board.
> Whilst you wait for the traybake to cool, make up the icing by
mixing all of the ingredients in a bowl until a thick, runny icing is
formed. Add more water if needed.
> Drizzle onto the pumpkin traybake in zig zag patterns. Dust
with some more icing sugar.
> Cut into squares and enjoy!
We chat to Aimee from Wallflower Girl - a
self confessed foodie and lover of all things
homemade from Surrey in England.
I've loved baking since I was a kid but my pas-
sion was re-ignited after watching Great British
Bake Off these past few years! Since then I've
been baking a LOT more.
I remember the first cake I ever made was a
Victoria Sponge although I was only very small so
had a lot of help!
I started blogging 2 years ago after recovering
from a long term illness. I had a lot of spare time
on my hands and spent it mostly baking, cooking
and crafting. My friends and family suggested I
start sharing my creations online and so I did!
For general inspiration, it has to be Mary Berry
(the queen of baking!) but now that I've been
experimenting with vegan and allergy-friendly
baking, I look to Pippa Kendrick for inspiration.
I love my Danish Butter Cookies
(http://wallflowergirl.co.uk/vaniljekranse-danish-
butter-cookies/) and will be attempting to
"veganize" them this year :-)
Be different and experiment lots!
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Orla Kiely Caddy Tin Tulip,
One Brown Cow
www.onebrowncow.co.uk
White Ceramic Measuring
Jug, Tesco
www.tesco.com
Tart Slicer, House Envy
www.house-envy.co.uk
Katie Alice Vintage Embossed
Ceramic Measuring Cups,
Creative Tops Ltd.
www.creative-tops.com
Kitchen Conversions Tea
Towel, Rock Bakehouse
www.rockbakehouse.co.uk
Black Shimmer Sparkling Sugar
Crystals, Just Bake
www.justbake.co.uk
Spotty Oven Glove, Contento
Shop
www.contento-shop.com
Cake Stand, Sweetpea and
Willow
www.sweetpeaandwillow.com
Star
Baker
Whip up a storm in the
kitchen with these lovely
baking goodies!
21
www.creative-tops.com
Dream it
Banner
Displaying your stitching as a
banner makes, I think, a nice
change to a hoop, and is
really easy to do. It also
means you can try different
shapes - this design is based
on a rectangle, rather than
the circular shape needed for
sucessfully mounting in a
hoop.
Finished banner measures
10 wide x 12 long
approx.
Materials
15 x 12 cotton fabric for front of
banner
15 x 12 medium weight cotton
fabric for reverse
7 x 5 pink gingham fabric for moon
2 square light blue fabric for star
3 x 2 brown felt for bunny
Stranded cotton floss in DMC colours
E677 (gold), 157 (light blue), 520
(dark green), 601 (bright pink), 791
(dark blue), 818 (light pink), 907 (light
green), white, ecru, black and two
shades of brown - one to match the
felt of your bunny and a darker shade
for the details on the bunny
Bondaweb
Temporary fabric marker pen
11 wooden dowelling rod (or you
can use bamboo skewers taped
together as I did if you dont have any
dowelling)
16 narrow cream ribbon
22
Method
Fold your cotton fabric in half vertically.
Measure 9 from top down one side
and mark. Then with your temporary
fabric marker join the centre of the
bottom edge to this mark. Repeat on
other side to form the point for the
bottom of the banner (see 1 above -
not to scale). Cut along the lines you
have marked.
Using your preferred method transfer
the design to your banner fabric, The
YOU on the top line of text should be
2 from the top and the design should
be positioned centrally over your
folded line.
Trace the applique shapes onto the
paper side of your Bondaweb. Cut
out roughly, then fuse to reverse of
fabrics and carefully cut out. Position
on fabric using your transferred desgn
as a guide and when you are happy
with their positioning fuse into place
(use a cloth to protect the felt bunny
from your iron).
Draw in detail lines on bunny with your
temporary fabric marker pen to assist
in stitching.
Secure all applique shapes with short
straight stitches worked at right angles
to the edges of the shapes and
matching floss.
Work embroidery as shown on stitch
guide.
When finished erase temporary lines
and press work lightly on reverse.
Cut reverse fabric to same shape as
front, but trim the top edge by 1 .
(2)
With right sides together and aligning
bottom edges stitch around sides and
bottom of banner leaving the top
open. Clip corners and point, turn right
side out and press.
1
2
23
Turn side edges of the extra top fabric
in by then fold over top edge of
fabric by then again by so it
covers the top of the backing fabric.(3)
Slip stitch along bottom folded edge to
form a channel to hold your dowelling.
Insert dowling into channel. If you
dont have any dowling (I didnt) then
its easy to make an equivalent by
taping three bamboo skewers together
so the non-pointed ends protrude by
from the ends of the channel (the
third skewer acts as a stabiliser). (4)
Tie ribbon to ends of dowelling and
hang your banner.
FINISHED!!
3
4
Cat and Kittens Transfer from
Flapdoodledesigns
24
Deer Wall Lamp, The Kid Who
www.thekidwho.eu
25
Mushroom Knitted Cushion, Very
Nice Things
www.verynicethings.co.uk
Forrest Friends set of 4 plates from
Magpie, MOLLIE & FRED
www.mollieandfred.co.uk
Handmade Autumn Oak Lamp by
hunkydory home, Not on the High
Street
www.notonthehighstreet.com
Bambi Fawn Lamp, Maiden
www.maidenshop.com
Woodland Animal Coasters,
Lil3birdy
www.lil3birdy.com
Hanna Owl Tin, The Oak Room
www.oakroomshop.co.uk
Fox Paper Cups, Ginger Ray
www.gingerray.co.uk
MT ex Animal Washi Tape, Fox &
Star Ltd.
www.thefoxandstar.co.uk
Woodland
Whimsy
Welcome Autumn
with these gorgeous
accessories
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
26
The Witches Spell
Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog.
Adders fork and blind-worms sting,
Lizards leg and owlets wing.
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth, boil and bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
As Halloween approaches -
possibly the most famous
witches of all time. Lines
from Macbeth by William
Shakespeare.
27
Woodland Deer
Cushion
This little deer is absolutely
delightful and so easy to
create in felt and floss. The
reverse applique window is
simple too - the keys in the
cutting!
I chose to make a cushion
with my deer, but I think
shed look nice on a device
sleeve, pouch and lots of
other makes too.
Pattern is to make cover for
cushion measuring 10 x 15.
Materials
yard medium weight cotton fabric
for cushion (I used Cath Kidston
cotton duck - Provence Rose)
12 x 8 medium weight cream
fabric for applique
10 x 15 light weight non stretch
fabric to line front of cushion
(optional, but nice)
6 square brown felt
Scraps of different brown felt for
further away legs and ear
Tiny scraps of red felt for toadstools
Tiny scrap of pale pink felt for ear
Stranded cotton floss in two shades
of brown to match your felt. Also
red, green, black, dark brown and
ecru.
Bondaweb
Temporary fabric marker pen
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Method
From your main fabric cut out two
rectangles, each measuring 12 x 10
and one rectangle measuring 15 x
10 (
Place the two smaller rectangles to
one side for now. Fold the large
rectangle into half lengthways and
width ways to find the centre point.
Cut out your deer template around the
solid oval. Place over the centre of the
cushion front panel and draw around it
with your marker pen. Now trim the
template to the dotted line and repeat
the process. Cut out the smaller oval
shape around the inner (dotted on the
template) line. (1)
Clip the edges nearly up to the inner
line and press to back of fabric (2).
This forms your window around the
deer applique. Place to one side while
you complete the applique.
Trace your applique shapes onto the
paper side of your Bondaweb,
allowing a little extra for the further
away legs and ear to underlap the
main body. Cut out, peel off the paper
backing and position in the centre of
your cream fabric. When youre
happy with the positioning fuse into
place, protecting the felt with a cloth.
Repeat for toadstools. Secure
applique shapes with small straight
stitches in matching floss worked at
right angles to the edges.
With your temporary fabric marker pen
draw in markings, hooves and features
on the deer and add toadstool stems
and grass. (3)
Using two strands of floss throughout
embroider details as follows:
Spots satin stitch ecru
Hooves long & short stitch dark
brown
Nose satin stitch dark brown
Eye satin stitch black with a tiny
white sparkle
Toadstool stems long & short
stitch in one of the browns you
used for your deer.
Grass back stitch green
Toadstool spots tiny ecru stitches
1
2
29
When embroidery is finished remove
your temporary marker lines and press
lightly on the reverse. Place right side
up on a clean flat surface, then place
your front cushion panel on top,
centring over the deer embroidery. Pin
or tack in place, then handstitch
together with tiny stitches through the
fold of the top fabric into the cream
fabric below - they should be almost
invisible.
When finished press again, then work a
line of running stitch in 2 strands of red
floss all the way around the window
1/8 from the edge. This is both
decorative and adds extra strength.
Turn your work over and trim away
surplus cream fabric (4)
Place facedown on a clean flat surface
and place lightweight fabric on top
(optional, but gives a neat, strong
interior). Stitch around edges to hold in
place while assembling cushion
Take your two smaller rectangles and
hem one short edge of each of them.
Place your finished cushion front face
up on a clean flat surface, then place
the two smaller rectangles on top, face
down, aligning side edges so that they
overlap in the centre forming an
envelope closure for your cushion.
Stitch around edge. Clip corners, then
finish with serger or zigzag to prevent
fraying. Turn right side out, and insert
cushion pad.
Finished!!
3
4
30 1
Were loving these dreamy
October days ..
Snuggling into cosy knitwear, lighting the
fire and toasting our toes
The suns rays
reflecting the
warmth of the
beautiful leaves -
russet, scarlet and
burnished gold.
Bracing walks along
our local beach -
now totally deserted
- mugs of hot
chocolate when we
get home that we
drink while
warming ourselves
on the Aga!
Spooky time at Halloween!
Less time in the
garden means
more time for
sewing!
That oh-so-evocative smell of cold
nights and smokey bonfires walking
home beneath the stars on a crisp cold
evening, seeing all the lights on in the
cottages along the road - such a
homely sort of feeling.
Crunching through the
fallen leaves..
Farewell to summer salads - until
next year - and hello to comforting
casseroles, warming soups and
wonderful English puddings
spotted dick, treacle sponge and
sticky toffee .. Yum!
Starting on my
Christmas projects - but
still plenty of time to
complete them - whats
not to love about
October? xx
talks to us about bumble bees,
embroidery and how she started her Etsy shop,
Meet the
Maker
Inspired by nature and vintage
fabrics, Lisa works from home
in her small cottage in Fife,
Scotland. She brings together
her love of drawing and sewing
to create small embroideries of
birds, animals and insects.
I have been into crafting ever
since I first learned to thread a
needle! When I was little I used
to make dolls house people and
furniture, clothes for Cindy and
Pippa dolls, peg dolls, lavender
bags, etc. I remember having a
mini business when I was about
eight or nine, making little finger
puppet mice families and selling
them to family friends.
My Mum was a primary teacher
and very creative, so there was
always lots of craft materials in
the house and we used to gather
wild grasses, flowers and leaves
for drying and pressing. I have
always drawn and painted too,
but sewing and working with
fabric is what I love best.
Agnes & Cora, as it is now, only
really came about in Spring 2013.
I had been self employed for a
few years making various
accessories (mainly brooches
and corsages) from recycled
fabric and vintage buttons and
selling them through a few local
shops. I was being kept busy, but
not really challenged artistically.
Then a few things happened at
more or less the same time - a
couple of my stockists closed
down which meant I had to look
for new outlets but also meant
that I had time to develop new
work.
One day I made myself a new pin
cushion and later that night
had a dream about making
one with a bee on it. The idea of
bees stuck with me and I tried
stitching them, but my first
attempts didnt look quite right
so I spent an afternoon in the
garden sketching some bumble
bees and used the scribbly
drawings to work from and my
bumble bee brooches were born!
At last the penny had dropped and
I realised that I could bring together
my drawing skills, love of nature
and sewing. I finally opened an Etsy
shop and began to explore this
new way of working, eventually
making my first butterflies and
stitched birds.
My favourite designs are probably
my bumble bees because making
them led me onto my new creative
path. I have made so many of them
now but I still really enjoy making
each one, especially when I add
their little legs and they seem to
come alive. I still have my original
bumble bee drawings pinned up in
my sewing room which I use for
reference each time I stitch a new
bee.
I have tried so many crafts over the
years that I have had many
disasters, but making mistakes is
the only way to learn. Sometimes
you can have an idea in your head
that doesnt work out in practice
but leads on to something new.
However, I do remember a whole
batch of papier mache bowls going
mouldy because they took too long
to dry, and a knitted coat that I
ruined by mucking up setting in the
sleeves!
I think the resurgence in crafts and
homemade/handmade must be a
direct reaction to the huge
developments in technology. Firstly
because life has become ruled by
a remote and virtual world there is
a desire to get hands on again and
create things that can be held in
the hand and enjoyed. But also
because of the rise of social media
and online shopping it has become
possible to see and buy amazing
work from around the world and
also source wonderful craft
materials. Networking through
social media now enables artists
and makers to 'meet' and support
each other so that crafting and
working from home is not the
solitary occupation it used to be. A
few years ago crafters had to rely
on craft fairs, or go cap in hand to
shops and galleries hoping that
they would agree to sell their work,
and then hope that the right
customer would just happen to go
into that shop and buy something.
Now we can build up relationships
with customers instantly.
Im not an expert by any means,
but if I were to offer any advice on
turning a hobby into a business
shops and galleries hoping that
they would agree to sell them
Social media -
as a place to talk
about your work, meet potential
customers and let them get to
know you. Its also a really good
way to meet other crafters, to
share tips and encouragement.
or similar
to sell your makes. It`s so easy and
inexpensive and I really wish I had
done it years ago!
- try not to
be too influenced by other people
and styles (there are lots of look-a-
like crafts around) but try to
develop your own style.
It`s lovely and
very satisfying to create big epic
pieces, but it`s usually the small
bread and butter lines that sell
most and keep the pennies rolling
in. It`s always a good idea to try
and have a range of price points
so there is something to suit all.
reating your customers well
means that they will be back for
more!
I`m not too sure about coming
trends, but there does seem to be
a lot of nature influenced work
around. Maybe I notice it more
because it`s what I love most, but
there are lots of artists and makers
whose work is based on the natural
world. I think it is wonderful
because all our work is completely
different yet we can inspire each
other.
Agnes
and Cora
http://agnesan
dcora.com/
Lisa runs Agnes and Cora
(named after her
grandmothers) from her small
cottage in Fife, Scotland. She
is inspired by nature and
vintage fabrics and says that
each piece she creates is like
a little painting in fabric and
thread.
Download this gorgeous print from
Jones Design Company - perfect on
your mantel piece this Autumn!
FREE Download: http://jonesdesigncompany.com/decorate/autumn-essentials-freebie-art-print/
Look!
a lovely idea
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Autumn
Essentials
Merry Christmas
Hoop
Hoop art - displaying your
work in an embroidery hoop
is an amazingly popular trend
that shows no sign of going
away - which is fine by me!
Heres a Christmas version -
mine says simply Merry
Christmas but why not
personalise the message for
your own family?
Shown mounted in a 10
hoop, but could easily be
resized if wished..
Materials
12 square cream or other pale
coloured cotton, linen or cotton/linen
blend fabric
Scraps of red fabric for the three
poinsettias (each measures approx 2
square)
6 square (or equivalent) of two
different greens for the holly leaves.
Three buttons - blue, cream and
pink measuring between and
in diameter.
Stranded cotton floss in light green,
dark green, pink, blue, red and gold
(choose shades that work well with
the colours in your floral fabric - I
matched my blue and pink to the
flowers and the red to the
background colour of my fabric)
Black and a light coloured sewing
thread
Embroidery foot for your sewing
machine
Bondaweb
36
Method
Transfer the design to the centre of
your background fabric using your
preferred method (templates are
provided full size and also reversed)
Use the reversed template to trace off
the shapes for your applique pieces
onto the paper side of your
Bondaweb. Cut out roughly, then fuse
to the reverse of your fabrics in
accordance with the colour guide on
the next page. Then cut out smoothly.
Position your shapes on the
background fabric using the
transferred pattern as a guide to
positioning. Work around the design in
sections and when youre happy with
the positioning of each section fuse the
applique pieces in place using a hot
iron. (Use a cloth to protect your felt
shapes from the iron).
Fit the embroidery foot to your sewing
machine and drop the feed dogs. With
black thread in your needle and a light
colour in your bobbin stitch twice
around the edges of your shapes - not
too neatly, youre aiming for a sort of
scribbled effect. Work veins on the
leaves in the same way. If youre not
confident to do this by eye, then use a
temporary fabric marker pen to draw in
the veins before stitching.
When your applique is finished work
the embroidered parts of the design
following the colour guide on the next
page. Use two strands of floss
throughout.
When embroidery is finished press
lightly on reverse, then stitch buttons
into place using contrasting coloured
floss.
Mount in hoop and hang on your wall
at Christmas!
FINISHED!
37
Notes
Use two strands of floss throughout
The holly berries are red satin stitch
The trailing leaves are light green
feather stitch
The flowers are radiating straight
stitches, with a few small stitches at
the centre. The pink flowers all have
blue centres, and the blue flowers
have pink centres.
The stars are straight stitches worked
to a centre point in gold.
The text is back stitch in dark green.
38
Look!
a lovely idea
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Paint & Glitter
Pumpkins
Paint your pumpkins pink this
Halloween like Brandi from Posh
Little Designs. These little lovelies
prove that Halloween doesnt have
to be scary!
Image: www.poshlittledesigns.com
39
A Little History of American Quilting
Part Three: Superstition and Status
We ended last month by looking at marriage
quilts and the idea that an unmarried woman
would never stitch symbols such as hearts or
lovers knots into her quilts until she was entitled
to. But superstition in quilting didnt stop at
love and marriage!
There is a particularly attractive block called
Wandering Foot that was considered to be so
dangerous and so likely to cause the person
looking at it to want to travel far from home that
it was never used on a quilt for a young person.
In those pioneer days, low levels of literacy
combined with infrequent and expensive mail
service meant that a child who decided to leave
home to see the wider world was almost
considered to be lost to their family. Indeed,
over time, the phrase gone west came to
mean that the person had died. Eventually the
Wandering Foot block was renamed Turkey
Tracks in an effort to remove this jinx.
In some parts of the country there was a
superstition that to make a perfect quilt was
offensive to God as He would feel that the
quiltmaker was arrogantly trying to recreate the
perfection only He could make. So its not
uncommon to find beautifully made and intricate
old quilts with something obviously wrong with
them, such as a bird or flower completely upside
down.
During the 19
th
century, as life became easier
and quilting became more of a leisure activity
then symbolism in quilts became more
sophisticated, with gift quilts being appliqued
with perhaps the monogram of the recipient, or
symbols such as the pineapple for welcome.
But whilst the applique quilt was gaining status,
the piece quilt was seen as increasingly old-
fashioned and undesirable. In the second half
of the 19
th
century a craze developed for all
white quilts which focused the viewers attention
entirely upon the quilting, which was always
elaborate and sometimes padded in the same
way as Italian Trapunto work. If you couldnt
make or afford to purchase an all-white quilt,
then there was always the option to turn over
your old-fashioned pieced quilt to display the
white underside and pretend!
The century ended with the fragile, decorative
and not particularly practical Victorian Crazy
Quilt, after which the craft went into decline for
decades. Machine made textiles were
becoming readily available and quilting was seen
either as a hobby for the minority or - if you had
to make your own quilts as an alternative to
purchasing ready made items then then as a
very low-status activity, a sign of poverty and a
source of shame.
40
There was a brief revival in the Depression both
through necessity and as Parks Departments
set women to quilting, just as their husbands
were being put to work on the highways. This
revival wasnt long-lived though and it wasnt
until the late sixties and early seventies that
there was a genuine revival of interest in
quiltmaking.
Today the emphasis among quilters is on good
workmanship of course, but more particularly
on innovative design, which raises the question,
is quilting an art, a folk-art or a craft? So quilting
has regained the status it once had, and
handmade quilts are made and treasured once
more.
The Moda Bakeshop is a great source of
quilting patterns, tips and ideas.
www.modabakeshop.com
Quilting is popular across the globe. If youre in
the UK then check out the Quilters Guild
www.quiltersguild.org.uk
41
Dog Lamp, Clare Loves www.clareloves.co.uk
White Rabbit Lamp, White
Rabbit England
www.whiterabbitengland.com
Toadstool Lamp, Littleville
www.littleville.com.au
Twitter Cylinder Lamp, Indie Art &
Design
www.indie.com.au
Light up your home
this Autumn with these
lovely lamps. Question
iscan I find space for
them all?!
Hello Tiger Walnut Handmade
Table Lamp, Hunkydory Home
www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk
Top 5
Lamps
42
Octobers favourite blogs
Florences blog is all about that stitchery and the
life that goes on around it.
http://flossieteacakes.blogspot.co.uk/
Tilly designs modern sewing patterns that are
easy to make and fun to wear.
http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/
Philippa is a Brighton-base artist whose blog is
packed full of wonderful images and design.
http://5ftinf.blogspot.co.uk/
A wonderful collection of tips, tutorials and
images that inspire
http://www.papernstitchblog.com/
43
Woodland Friends
Christmas Hoops
The second part of my series of
six little embroidery hoops for
the festive season. Inspired by
the trend for selfies, the bear,
rabbit and fox have posed for
their Christmas pictures!
I used 3 hoops, but you could
resize the pattern if you wished.
The appliques really easy
though the embroidery is
perhaps more at advanced
beginner level as this months
designs use turkey stitch and
French knots. The first three
hoops feature in the September
2014 magazine.
Materials
3 x 5 squares of medium weight
blue dotty fabric for background
Scraps of natural coloured fabric for
the animal bodies
Scraps of coloured fabric for the
details.
Stranded cotton floss in yellow,
green, blue, pink, red, dark brown,
black and metallic gold. Also a
colour that matches the natural
coloured fabric youre using for their
bodies.
Three x 3 embroidery hoops
(optionally painted white)
Temporary fabric marker pen
Bondaweb
44
Method
Transfer the pattern to the centre of
the 5 square of background fabric
using your preferred method.
Using the reversed pattern trace the
shapes for applique onto the paper
side of your Bondaweb. Cut out
roughly then fuse to the reverse of the
fabric.
Carefully cut out your applique shapes
using long smooth strokes of the
scissors. Position shapes onto your
background fabric using your
transferred pattern as a guide. Allow a
little extra where the shapes need to
overlap. When youre happy with the
positioning press firmly into position.
Using 2 strands of matching floss
secure applique shapes to your
background fabric with small straight
stitches worked at right angles to the
edge of the applique shape.
With your temporary fabric marker
pen draw lines for embroidery onto
the appliqued fabric (eg lines for
rabbits ears and bears eyes).
Work embroidery details. Use 2
strands of floss throughout.
When your work is finished remove all
temporary lines and press lightly on
the reverse if necessary (be careful
not to flatten your stitches)
Mount in hoop to display.
These three patterns are the
second part of the six
Christmas Woodland Friends
designs. They would be
perfect as tree ornaments -
or as one clever lady
suggested, making as
keepsakes for childrens
Christmasses.
You can find the first three in
the September 2014
Magazine
http://bustleandsew.com/st
ore/publications/issue-44-
september-2014/
45
46
Discovering Stumpwork
The joy of stitching to me is attempting to
give my projects a life of their own so that
they seem to speak to you from the fabric.
Stumpwork designs dont have to be
perfect, but they should be lively and
interesting.
The term stumpwork was first introduced
in the 19
th
century before this time it was
known as raised or embossed work and
reached its height of popularity in the late
1600s. Nobody seems to know how this
term arose but my theory is that its
something to do with tree stumps(!). Its
hard now to appreciate how vivid and bright
the early stumpwork pieces once were as
time, and sunlight, have combined to fade
their colours but looking at the liveliness of
the designs and the inclusion of padding and
Stumpwork mirror frame from 1660: Presented
to King Charles II, sold in 2012 for 10,000
(just over US$16,000!)
metalwork, I am sure they were originally
rich in hue and texture.
17
th
century stumpwork pieces often
demonstrate lots of imagination in their
design and execution, mainly featuring
images drawn from biblical stories and
classical mythology. But whatever the
subject, it is the background that always
catches my eye, enlivened as they usually
are with animals, birds, insects and other
fauna and flora. These images are
generally scattered around the main
figures in a joyful, haphazard fashion,
simply covering the textile on which they
are worked. The embroiders would often
copy motifs without changing their scale,
adding to the fairytale-like nature of these
scenes. Most of the motifs would have
English Stumpwork: Embroidered box dated 1662
and initialed BP. Depicts Biblical story of Queen
Esther and King Ahasuerus. Its in wonderful
condition - you can still see some of the brightness
of the colours.
47
been taken from printed sources, such as
pattern books, herbals and bestiaries.
Stumpwork was at its most popular at the
time of the English Civil War and so
embroiderers often included symbols of their
loyalty to the royalist cause through a hidden
code of images. It has been suggested that
the caterpillar is a badge of Charles I, whilst
a butterfly, oak and acorn were all used to
symbolise support for his son, Charles II.
Stumpwork as an art form declined rapidly
at the end of the 17
th
century when fashions
changed and Eastern, oriental arts became
increasingly popular.
There are several well-known contemporary
embroiderer/authors specialising in
stumpwork, including husband and wife
team Barbara and Roy Hirst who, inspired
by the raised and padded embroideries of the seventeenth century, set out to increase
awareness of this fascinating textile form
amongst a twentieth century audience.
Their research into the subject lead to a
series of exquisite, detailed contemporary
raised works hand-stitched by Barbara over
many years.. They published many books,
most of which are now out of print but can
still be found on Amazon or sometimes in
second-hand bookshops.
Another well-known contemporary
stumpwork artist is Kay Dennis, who is the
author of the excellent book Beginners
Guide to Stumpwork This is a really good
source for the basics - padded work such
as acorns, berries, and wired leaves. She
uses mostly hand and space dyed threads
that give a good range of natural colours
and her work is very much in the style of
Evening Gold from New Designs in Raised
Embroidery by Barbara and Roy Hirst
ISBN 1-85301-578-5
48
Barbara and Roy Hirst. She gives step by step illustrated instructions, which are really
easy and clear to follow.
You might also enjoy the work of Jane Nicholas. Her work also draws on the traditional
but with more of an emphasis on exquisite fabric, threads and beads. She usually stitches
onto a white silk background with enormous attention to detail and anatomic accuracy.
Her current focus is on creating lifelike insects in stumpwork. Her book, Stumpwork
Embroidery is a great guide to the basics, whilst her Beetle Collection book (from which
the picture on the previous page is taken) is an irresistible take on these amazing insects!
stitching as it lies nice and flat and stays open all by itself!!
Stumpwork meets Zakka..
Stumpwork is also popular in Japan, and if youre looking for Stumpwork meets
Zakka, you would probably enjoy the work of Chihiro Sata. (These last two images
are her work) I have never found her books in English, but the Japanese versions are
very easy to follow - http://www.etsy.com/shop/JapanLovelyCrafts often carries them.
49
And finally Put your feet up with a nice
cup of tea (and a biscuit or three!)
POETS NIGHTMARE
There are no words in the dictionary that
rhyme with purple, orange or sugar
Tricky for typists .
The longest word comprised of
one row on the keyboard is:
TYPEWRITER
Mojo gone astray?
You cant simply get creative on
demand, so if your creative mojos
gone astray then dont try to force
things. Its like going to sleep - the
harder you try, the less likely you
are to nod off. Just stay calm,
relax, perhaps watch your favourite
show and before long those ideas
are sure to start coming back !
A STITCH IN TIME
Before the sewing machine became available to the
general public, making clothes was the chief occupation
of half the human race. Sewing by hand is time-
consuming and a strain on the eyes, so it is no surprise
that the publisher of 'Godey's Ladies Book' said in 1856
"Next to the plough, this sewing machine is perhaps
humanity's most blessed instrument".
Some bite-sized trivia
On the straight and narrow
The only way to be absolutely sure
youre cutting fabric along the grain
is to pull a thread from selvedge to
selvedge as it can become twisted and
distorted after being stored on rolls
or in bolts.
The distance from your nose to
your fingertips is approximately
one yard
Vinegar - not just for fish n chips!
After a hem or seam is removed, there are
often unsightly holes left in the fabric. These
can be removed by placing a cloth, moistened with white distilled
vinegar, under the fabric and ironing.
To hold colours in fabrics, which tend to run, soak them for a few
minutes in white distilled vinegar before washing.
50
51
52
Toadstool Patchwork Bag
Templates are given actual size and the toadstools are reversed to trace your
applique shapes onto the paper side of your Bondaweb.
53
54
Miss Matilda Catkin
Templates are given actual size.
55
Body cut 2
Head cut 2
A
B
A
B
Leg cut 4
Foot end
Templates are given actual size
56
Head gusset
cut 1
A
A
B
B
Ear cut 2
grey felt and
2 to dotted
line cream
felt
Paw end
Arm cut 4
Cheek cut 2
cream felt
57
For the tail cut a 7 strip of fabric, 2 wide at the base, tapering to a point at the tip.
58
Dream It Banner
Templates are given actual size and reversed to suit your preferred method of
transfer. Also use the reversed templates to trace the applique shapes onto
the paper side of your Bondaweb.
59
Stem stitch
Chain stitch
Chain stitch
Stem stitch
Chain stitch
Chain stitch
Stitch colours as shown - yellow represents
gold floss and all gold is worked in back
stitch.
Use dark brown floss and back stitch for
details on bunny. Work inner ear in pale pink
long and short stitch, eyes in black with a tiny
white stitch to highlight and whiskers in a
single strand of white. The tail is turkey stitch
in ecru.
Scatter tiny stars as liked.
Stitch guide
60
61
62
63
64
Woodland Deer Cushion
Templates are given actual size and reversed for you to trace the applique
shapes onto the paper side of your Bondaweb.
65
66
67
Merry Christmas Hoop
Templates are given actual size and reversed for you to trace the applique
shapes onto the paper side of your Bondaweb.
68
69
70
71
72
Woodland Christmas Friends Hoops
The transfers are given actual size to fit 3 hoops and also reversed to fit your
preferred method of transfer.
73
74