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Welcome to the February Issue

Although it’s actually the shortest month of the year, sometimes February can feel as though it’s thelongest and darkest of them all as the winter seems to stretch ahead for weeks to come. It’s time tocelebrate all that’s cosy about house and home, snuggle up on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolateand your latest project on the go!

This year Easter is early, so here at Bustle & Sew we’ll all be making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday -find our foolproof recipe on page 13 - while Debbie has shared her lovely Citrus Marmalade recipeon page 31. We’re delighted to welcome a senior “Maker” this month in the first of our “Meet theMaker” features, Barbara del Duco, who began her online business in her seventies and shares herinspirational story with us on page 14.

There’s lots more between the covers to enjoy, including six new Bustle & Sew patterns using a varietyof techniques and suitable for different levels of expertise, so I do hope there’s something for everyonethis month. Watch out for the March issue arriving in your inbox on Thursday 28 February.

Until then, have a lovely month, with lots of time for sewing!

Best wishes

Helen xx

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Between the Covers …Contributors

Barbara del Duco

Shares her inspirationaljourney towards starting herown online business and EtsyShop

Peter & Carol Searle

“Dream it, Do it” movesbeyond the internet with a visitto local artisans Peter andCarol and their beautiful goats.

Knot a Geek

We chat to Erin, one part of“Knot a Geek” about moderncrochet and her plans for thefuture of her business.

Debbie Thomson

Keeps us very well organised,as well as researching somelovely features and creatingour new “In the Kitchen” series

Tips for Stitchers Page 4

February Almanac Page 6

Love of a Cat Pennant Page 8

It’s Pancake Day! Page 12

Meet the Maker: Paper Cottage Printies Page 14

Lovely Idea: Printable Sewing Box Page 16

Blooming Lovely Cushion Page 17

Recycle with Style: Rag Rugs Page 19

Dream it, Do it!: Faerie Kid Goats Page 21

Sweet Dream Catcher Page 24

February’s Favourite Blogs Page 29

Lovely Idea: Embroidery Hoop Shades Page 30

In the Kitchen: Citrus Marmalade Page 31

Behind the Hexagon: English Paper Piecing Page 33

Whale Tablet Sleeve Page 37

Poetry Corner: Whale Page 40

February Brings Valentine’s Day Page 41

Teddy Bear Stitchery Page 43

Lovely Idea: Heart Shaped Handwarmers Page 45

Meet the Maker: Knot a Geek Page 46

Baby Giraffe Nursery Hanging Page 48

Home Comforts Page 53

February Calendar Page 54

Templates Page 55

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February

February is often thought of as a grey and gloomymonth, the tail end of winter and one which we’reglad to bid farewell. But for us here in the UK it’sthe time when we are most likely to see snow, evendown here in the south, where it’s an increasinglyuncommon event (Rosie didn’t see snow at all untilshe was 13 or 14!). There is a traditional believe thatthe heaviest snowfall of the year will occur on StDorothea’s Day - the sixth of the month. But if snowdoes fall it’s guaranteed to cause great fun andexcitement for children and, along with theinconvenience, lots for adults to enjoy too. Thefamiliar countryside around us takes on a whole newaspect and wrapping up warm to enjoy a brisk walk,feet crunching through the snow is a real pleasure.

But February is also the month when the earliestspring flowers make their appearance in thewoodlands and hedgerows, whilst the brownbuds on the trees, so long dormant and almostdead-looking begin to fatten and swell bringingthe promise of fresh young spring leavesbeginning to appear in just a few weeks time.Catkins, or “lamb’s tails” hang from the baretwigs of the hazel and the first of the year’sbutterflies, the Brimstone emerges from itswinter home among the ivy.

During the fifth century the pagan festival of“Imbolc” that celebrated the beginning of the

Celtic lambing season, was subsumed by theChristian church into the festival of Candlemas- the feast of the purification of the Virgin Maryon the second. A traditional weather prophesyassociated with this date states that:

“If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter will haveanother flight; but if Candlemas brings cloud andrain, Winter is gone and won’t come again.”

In the Christian Church the 40 days (excludingSundays) before Easter Day are known as Lent,a period of fasting that remembers the timeChrist spent in the wilderness. Although manyof the ancient rules concerning what peopleshould and shouldn’t eat during Lent have beenrelaxed, many try to abstain from somethingthey particularly enjoy such as chocolate oralcohol.

Shrove Tuesday, which this year falls on theninth, is marked by celebrations such as thefamous Mardi Gras in New Orleans, orCarnevale in Venice, making the most of the lastopportunity for partying before Easter. ShroveTuesday is also a time for using up foodstuffsforbidden in during Lent, notably eggs and milk,hence the tradition of making and eatingpancakes on this day - which today is probably

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It’s Pancake Day!

talks to us about how her love of craftinghelped her overcome cancer and start her business,

in her 70’s when most people are thinkingabout retirement!

Meet theMaker

Barbara loved to craft little housesfor her paper dolls from shoe boxesback in the 1940s. Today she hasmastered new technology and toopen her own Etsy shop offeringthe printables that gave her such joyas a child. She shares her story withus here ….

“I remember that my dearestchildhood Christmas wish was apaint set, but I didn’t get one untilmy Grandfather bought me awatercolour set when I was ten. Iwas overjoyed, but on the car ridehome I cried all the way, whileasking my Grandfather “WillGrandmother be angry?” It was tendollars. A huge amount of moneyin the nineteen-forties.

Like most young women back then,I married and raised a family,squeezing little bits of crafting timehere and there, but never managingto make one project that I’d alwaysdreamed of - a little Mouse House

for my childhood imaginary friend,Miss Mouse. She was an old ladymouse and, funnily enough, Ialways imagined her a little like I amnow at 76 years old - plump, a bitbedraggled, and loving to decorateand make her little home beautiful.

The years went by, my family grewup and married and, afterbecoming disabled following a caraccident I retired early. Then alongcame computers with graphicprograms - and I was hooked! Ibegan to make what I still call“printies” and sell them on mywebsite. After completing a fewsmaller projects I finally began workon my Miss Mouse Tea Pot House.

Then fate dealt another blow in theform of lung cancer and I was givenless than a year to live. I so wantedto be around to see mygrandchildren grow up - and alsoto finish the project that had waitedfor me since childhood, the MouseHouse. I went through chemo,

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Don’t let anythingstop you - if you loveto do something then

your dream is alreadycoming true.

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I wanted to share with you awonderful visit I made to Peterand Carol Searle's home on theedge of Shepton Mallet inSomerset.

It was a lovely sunny morning withbright blue skies when I arrived formy visit, the perfect day forseeing the goats. I was warmlywelcomed in and after a nice cupof tea, we settled down to talkabout Faerie Kid Goats MilkSoaps.

The business is run by Peter andCarol, who between themundertake every aspect of thebusiness, from bringing the babygoats into the world, toproducing, packaging andmarketing their finished products.It wasn’t always this way thoughas Peter and Carol's backgroundis in computers, where they hadrun two very successfulbusinesses in the past. Sadlyfinancial conditions forced themto close these companies andthere the followed a period whenPeter worked as a consultant.

This meant he spent long periodsaway from home, and, after he’dspent time in Amsterdam, Hollandthey decided to call it a day andso he took retirement.

Soon after this, Carol persuadedPeter to accompany her to a large3 day agriculture show heldlocally. They wandered aroundthe animal sheds, until they got tothe goats and that was it! Theybecame goat owners.

Their business got off to a bit of ashaky start, when their first goat,Olive, who was pregnant whenthey bought her, became very ill,and had to be induced early. Shehad three kids, two of whomsadly died and the third, Cara,was very premature and sickly.Carol had to nurse and hand feedher and it wasn’t until two wholedays after her birth that the littlekid finally stood (this usuallyhappens soon after birth). Fromthis point Cara went from strengthto strength and they still have hertoday. Sadly, they lost olive soonafter Cara’s birth.

For the next few issues, just for a change we’re talking toenterprising folk who have started their own country

businesses. This month Debbie visited Peter and CarolSearle , the team behind Faerie Kid Goats Milk Soaps

You have to beprepared to turn yourhand to anything -

and don’t be afraid ofhard work!

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Home ComfortsAt this time of year the first daffodils are beginning to burst into bloom bringing

a splash of bright yellow sunshiny flowers along hedgerows, garden paths andall kinds of unexpected places. They’re a sign that winter really is coming to an

end, even though it may not feel that way. Bring a few inside and display in avariety of containers to brighten your home and bring a touch of spring indoors.

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