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Welcome to the October Issue

Hello,

and welcome to the October issue of the Bustle & Sew Magazine with lots of stitchy goodness inside to discover.This month we’re delighted to bring you an inspirational feature about myBearpaw whose founder, Jo Avery,explains why you should never ever give up when running your own business. We also have two very talentedMakers, and a delicious recipe from Suz of Rough Measures - why not make some of her Blackberry & OatMuffins to nibble on as you read - I can definitely recommend them!

And, as always, there are six new Bustle & Sew projects - this month ranging from some mini hand embroideriesto a penguin softie with attitude - as well as the second of this year’s seasonal designs.

There’ll be more Christmas goodies in next month’s issue too - so be sure to mark the date - the Novemberissue is published on Thursday 29 October.

So until then,

Best wishes

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Between the Covers …Contributors

Rosie Studholme

Puts together all our lovelyideas, shopping and bakingpages as well as researching& editing our features andinterviews.

Sarah K Benning

An independent designer livingand making in upstate NewYork, inspired by nature andloves embroidery!

Suz of Rough Measures

Good food nourishes the souland mind and you really caneat yourself happy!

An of Straight Grain

An, from Belgium, tells us shebecame addicted to sewing afew years ago and has notsought treatment since!

Coral Atkinson of VelveteenBabies

Talks to us about how she gotinto crafting, her love ofchildren's interiors and howshe started her business.

Jo Avery of myBearPaw

A tale of persistence, flexibilityand a passion for her craft -meet Jo in our Dream It, Do Itfeature this month.

October Almanac Page 6

Succulent Mini Hoops Page 8

Lovely Idea: Crochet Pumpkin Page 12

What’s in a (plant) Name? Page 13

Meet the Maker: Sarah K Benning Page 16

Snuggly Fox Scarf Page 18

A Little Look at … Traditional Cross Stitch Page 21

Baking Corner: Blackberry & Oat Muffins Page 24

Charlie the (new) Patchwork Elephant Page 25

Lovely Scented Linens Page 28

Guest Contributor: Matryoshka Bins Page 29

Dream it Do it: myBearpaw Page 31

Christmas Joy Cushion Page 34

October’s Favourite Blogs Page 37

Working with Waste Canvas Page 38

Carpe Diem Pennant Page 40

Poetry Corner Page 43

Meet the Maker: Velveteen Babies Page 44

Lovely Idea: Pompom Book Marks Page 46

Funky Penguin Softie Page 47

And finally ….. Page 49

Calendar Printable: September Page 50

Conversion Tables Page 51

Templates Page 52

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October

Early October brings that glorious last vividdisplay before nature falls into its long wintersleep and brilliant colour becomes a rare sightin the British countryside. All around the fieldsare ploughed and bare, whilst birds, squirrelsand other wildlife are making the most of thewild harvest by stocking their winter lardersbefore the cold weather arrives.

A spell of unusually dry, warm, calm weatheroccurring in October, or exceptionally earlyNovember, is known as an Indian Summer. Thisname originated in the USA, perhaps areference to its occurring in regions populatedby Native Americans. It’s also known as StLuke’s (little) summer when it occurs around thefeast day of that saint on the eighteenth.

Here in England, October is the main month forapple-picking and cider-making. Since the early1990s, as part of a campaign to raise publicawareness of the difficulties the apple-growingindustry faces in the UK, and to promote thegrowing and eating of traditional British varieties,21 October has been celebrated as Apple day.Events organised on or around this date includeguided tours of orchards, apple tastings andadvice sessions for fruit-growers as well as funactivities such as contests to produce thelongest unbroken pieces of peel from a singleapple!

On 3 October 1906, at the BerlinRadiotelegraphic Conference, it was decidedthat SOS would become the internationaldistress signal. Popularly thought to stand for

“Save Our Ship” or “Save Our Souls”, the letterswere chosen because they could be easily andunambiguously transmitted in Morse code (dotdot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot). SOSreplaced CQD which as a general call to allstations (CQ) followed by D for distress and not- as was generally believed - an abbreviation for“Come Quickly, Danger!”

There’s danger in the woods too for the unwaryat this time of year, as this is the rutting seasonfor red deer. You may hear the sound of stagsbellowing or even the clash of antlers as theyfight rivals who are threatening to take over theirharem of females, or hinds. Whilst red deer arenormally shy creatures who flee if a human isnear, during the rutting season stags areaggressive and dangerous so don’t approachto closely to take a look as you may turn out tothe the next contender they decide to fight.

Another characteristic sound of autumn is thehonking of large flocks of geese arriving fromnorthern Europe and Russia to spend the wintermonths at their feeding grounds along Britishestuaries, along with swans and ducks whichalso migrate at this time of year. Other seasonalvisitors such as fieldfares and redwings are alsoarriving throughout the month, and can easilybe spotted in the newly ploughed fields feedingin flocks.

The hedgerows are still beautiful at this time ofyear when heavy early morning dews makecobwebs sparkle in the sunlight and a few latewildflowers can still be spotted in bloom. Red

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Look!a lovely idea

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Image & Tutorial: www.thechillydog.com

CrochetPumpkin

Spice up your Autumn décor with this gorgeouscrochet pumpkin by the lovely Ellen from TheChilly Dog. Add spooky faces for Halloween or

leave them plain for a look that will last allAutumn.

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Labelling your plants and demystifyingLatin names …..

What’s in a name?

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“Be prepared towork. A lot. Andlearn how to take

good photos!”

talks to us about how she is inspiredby nature, her love of plant embroideries and how

she started her business,

Meet theMaker

Sarah K. Benning is anindependent maker living andworking in upstate New York(soon to relocate to the BalearicIslands!). She graduated with aBFA from the Art Institute ofChicago and has been working ongrowing her business ever since.

Making art has always played ahuge roll in my life. I grew upsurrounded by working artists andmy parents have alwaysencouraged and supported me inmy artistic pursuits. I graduated in2013 with a BFA from the Schoolof the Art Institute of Chicago andstarted teaching myself how toembroider around the same time.

I started my business in 2013 rightafter I graduated from college. Itwas a little haphazard at first, I hadno idea it would turn into a reliableand sustainable business. I was just

hoping to make a little extra moneyon Etsy. Over the last two years Ihave developed a more cohesivebrand and expanded my productline. I still sell through Etsy, but Ialso have wholesale options and docraft fairs and art markets. Thosein person events are my favorite, Ilove meeting my customers face toface!

Lately I have been making a lot ofplant embroideries, which havebeen a lot of fun. I’m in love withmonstera leaves. I’ve startedthinking of my plant pieces as agiant foliage wish list. Each oneseems to get a little more complexthan the last so it has been a greatway to challenge myself and refinemy craft.

I am deeply inspired by nature andother artists’ interpretation ofnature. I volunteer at the New YorkState Museum assisting the curatorof the Natural and Cultural History

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A Little Look at Traditional CrossStitch ….

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> 250g organic spelt flour> 70g rolled oats> 65g coconut sugar> 1 heaped tsp baking powder> 1.5 heaped tsp bicarbonate of soda> 200ml almond milk> 2 organic free range eggs> Large handful of wild blackberries(washed) – if you don’t have anyblackberry bushes nearby, sourcethem from a local farmers market> Sprinkle of oats & coconut sugar forthe topping

Blackberry& Oat

Muffins

> Preheat over to Gas Mark 6 / 200 C

> Line a muffin tray with 8 muffin cases.

> In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.

> In a separate bowl, whisk milk and eggs together, then foldthem into the dry mix.

> Gently fold in the blackberries.

> Divide the mixture evenly between your cases, making sureyou fill them right up – this will create nice big muffins.

> Sprinkle the additional oats and coconut sugar over the topof your muffins.

> Bake for 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

“I'm Sus, and I blog atRough Measures - a foodblog focussing on wholefoods and nourishing bakes.All my recipes are created onmy narrowboat, in Bath,where I live with my

boyfriend Charlie. Havingbecome much moreinterested in food andnutrition over the last fewyears, I decided to start ablog, to document myexperiments in the kitchen.”

Be sure to pop over to Suz’sblog for lots more deliciousrecipes and gorgeous baking

inspiration!

www.roughmeasures.com

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Charlie thePatchwork Elephant

I was amazed to discover that myoriginal Charlie pattern was nearlyfive years old, having first beenpublished in 2011! I’ve beenwanting to improve and updatethat original design for some timenow, and have finally managed todo so.

“New” Charlie has an upturnedtrunk, black beady eyes andsmaller ears that are curved roundthe sides of his head. He’s still anelephant of the patchwork variety,but I’ve reworked him using the“stitch n flip” technique rather thanfaux hexagons as I think this shouldmake him much harder-wearing.

Charlie measures 11” tall (approx)

Materials● ½ yard light or medium weight cotton

fabric to form the base for thepatchwork (won’t be seen when theelephant is finished)

● Lots of brightly coloured fabric scraps

● 12” square red felt for underbody andear linings

● 2 small black spherical beads for eyes

● Assortment of beads and bell for tail

● Toy stuffing

● Temporary fabric spray adhesive(optional)

● Sharpie or other felt tip pen

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myBearpaw is a teaching studioand craft store in central Edinburghthat concentrates on teachingpatchwork/quilting, embroidery,crochet and general sewing suchas bags and soft furnishings. Theirretail store is open just 2 days aweek and they also have an onlinestore where you can buy fabric,wool, kits and downloadableembroidery patterns, as well asbook classes. Once a year theowner, Jo Avery, also organises amodern quilt retreat in Edinburghcalled the Stitch Gathering.

Before she started myBearpaw Joand her husband were running asmall Scottish business thatmanufactured and sold a range offree-standing furniture for kitchensand bedrooms as well as a largerange of homewares and gifts. Joran their three showrooms and wasresponsible for the buying side ofthings, so before beginning myBearpaw she already had valuableretail and customer serviceexperience.

Sadly, when the recession took

hold a few years ago, this businessbegan to struggle and Jo and herhusband ended up having to closedown their factory and all but one oftheir shops. They did continue toretail homewares and gifts and Joran their Edinburgh shop full time.She’d started a craft blog in 2009,in part as an avenue for escapingfrom their business worries, andhad become increasingly involvedin sewing, crocheting as well asreturning to quilting – she made herfirst quilt over 25 years ago!

Despite all these changes therecession deepened and they werestill struggling to make ends meetwith their shop. They had a largepremises divided into four roomsand Jo decided to make the leapand turn one of the rooms into acraft studio where she planned toteach at the weekends andevenings. Apart from the obviousfinancial incentive she was keen topass on all the skills and knowledgeshe had acquired from a lifetime ofsewing – she made her first soft toywhen she was just six years old! Tokeep it separate from their existing

We spoke to Jo Avery about her road to success, herhopes for the future and the inspiration behind

myBearPaw

“Persevere, pick yourselfup and try somethingnew! Try to muddlethrough whilst beinghappy and kind to

others”

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Tracey English is a London-based illustratorwho shares her life and creativity over onher blog of the same name.

If you love yarn then you’ll adore SincerelyLouise who also sells her patterns - Ione of her terrier heads for my wall!

Kazzy lives in Devon and her blog, CountryRabbit is full of amazing photography - perfectfor those feeling a little bit homesick for the sea.

Tales from a Happy House is where Gillianrecords and celebrates the things thatmatter most to her.

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OctoberOctober

I’ve brought you nuts and hops:And when the leaf drops, why, the walnut drops.

Crack your first nut and light your first fire,Roast your first chestnut crisp on the bar;

Make the logs sparkle, stir the blaze higher,Logs are as cheery as sun or as star,Logs we can find wherever we are.

Spring one soft day will open the leaves,Spring one bright day will lure back the flowers;

Never fancy my whistling wind grieves,Never fancy I’ve tears in my showers:

Dance, night and days! and dance on, my hours!

Christina Rossetti

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And finally …..Here we are again, bidding each other a fondfarewell at the end of another issue. I had alot of fun putting October together, and nextmonth we’ll really begin to get into theChristmas spirit as the countdown to thefestivities gets underway - for well-organisedstitchers at least that is! And of course hereat Bustle & Sew HQ we’re counting down theweeks and days until our new little teammember arrives! I’ve dusted off my knittingneedles and am busy making all kinds of tinywoollen garments for the new arrival who, afterall, will be a winter baby so will need lots oflovely soft creations to snuggle warmly into.

But Christmas is still a little way away and asI type this looking out of my window I can seethe trees are changing colour and the wholelandscape seems to be softening and sinkinginto itself as the leaves begin to fall and autumnreally takes hold.

There’s still plenty of colour indoors too asCharlie poses happily next to the last fewsummer flowers brought indoors to shelterfrom the rain. He’s acting as a sort ofimpromptu pin cushion next to my sofa, andis generally keeping an eye on the goings onof those naughty newfies!

I am delighted to be able to report that MissDaisy continues well. The original six monthsshe was given runs out at the end of October,but she shows no signs of becoming ill again,and her new vet is delighted by how well she’sresponding to her medication. We’re alldelighted too and hope she’ll be part of theteam here at Bustle & Sew for a few moreyears to come!

And on that cheerful note I’ll finish now andwish you all a very happy month, with lots oftime for stitching!

Helen xx

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