Bustle & Sew Magazine Issue 158 March 2024 Preview

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.

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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 2024 by:

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WelcometotheMarchMagazine

Hello everyone!

These are exciting times here at Bustle & Sew HQ as we have welcomed not one, not two but new team members! Ted’s Auntie Ruby had the longest journey, from Northumberland several hundred miles south to sunny (or for most of last month rather soggy) Somerset! Betty Blue and Flora the two new chickens had a much shorter journey and hopefully will soon be laying some delicious eggs.

There are eggs a-plenty in this month’s issue, and Easter bunnies too as Easter falls early this year, on the very last day of March. We also find out about Shrewsbury biscuits which are often, in our house at least, baked and then rather too rapidly consumed at Easter time!

Whatever you’re planning for the Easter holidays, I do hope you have a wonderful time - and enjoy nibbling on some lovely chocolate goodies too!

Helen xx

PS the April Magazine will be published on Thursday 28 March.

March, the first month of spring, and though winter may seem reluctant to loosen its hold upon the country, there is a real sense that the worst of the cold is behind us now and we can begin to look forward to warmer days ahead.

The word “spring” comes from the Old German “spryng” meaning “to ascend.” So this is the beginning or dawn of the year, of flowers blossoming, trees bursting into leaf, birds singing, but also a rousing to action, a call to arms for love and war. March is named after Mars, Martius, the Roman god of war and Roman military campaigns traditionally began at this time of year.

March

“Itwasaloverandhislass, Withahey,andaho,andahey nonino, Thato’erthegreencornfield didpass Inspringtime,theonlypretty ringtime, Whenbirdsdosing,heydinga ding,dig, Sweetloverslovethespring”

March winds are strong and blustery, but are good for all flora - hence the old saying “March winds and April

showers bring forth May flowers.” Indeed the wood anemone, also known as the windflower ( takes its name from Greek myth - the wind sends the flowers at the spring equinox. This is the time for early bluebells too, also known as English jacinth and blue harebell, granfer griggles and goosey ganders, fairy bells, and ding-dongs. They begin to flower abundantly in the spring when the light increases on woodland floors and before the canopy of leaves closes over their heads.

Extreme weather has been recorded in March. Hail, sleet and snow are not unusual and blizzards are not

unknown. Most recently the “Beast from the East” in from late February to early March 2018 brought freezing temperatures, heavy snow, and heavy winds across the UK.

In 1891 the Great Blizzard raged across southern England and Wales for four whole days, with snowdrifts in the West Country as high as twenty feet. Trains were buried in the drifts - one sat immobile for two days before it was spotted and the passengers rescued. Several people froze to death, thousands of sheep and cattle died, and in the English Channel 220 people drowned in sixty five separate shipwrecks. The snow was still visible on Dartmoor in June.

Easter often falls during the month of March and this year Easter Sunday is March 31. A complicated ecclesiastic formula dictates that Easter Sunday should be celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the first full moon after the spring equinox - unless that day itself is a Sunday which delays the celebration of Easter by another week. The earliest that Easter Day can fall is March 22, and the latest more than a full month later on April 25, a date known as . It fell on 22 March in 1818, but this won’t happen again until 2285.

Before Easter, the first of the month brings St David’s Day - the patron saint of Wales of course. Little is known for certain about his life, though there are several recorded instances in the seventeenth century of members of the royal court, including the monarch himself, wearing leeks on St David’s Day.

The connection between St David’s Day and the leek has never been satisfactorily explained, though the most frequently quoted story is that St David prompted his countrymen to wear the plant in their hats while in battle with the invading Saxons, in order to distinguish themselves from the enemy.

The only other relatively widespread English tradition about St David’s Day, reported from late Victorian times, was the warning that this was the day that fleas appeared, to plague humans for the rest of the year!

Oldnamesforthe Hare

Thehare,thehare-kin, OldBig-bum,OldBouchart, Thehare-ling,thefriskyone, Oldturpin,thefasttraveller,

Theway-beater,thewhite-spottedone, Thelurkerinditches,thefilthybeast, OldWimount,thecoward,

Theslinker-away,thenibbler,

Theoneit’sbadlucktomeet, Thewhite-livered,

Thescutter,thefellowinthedew,

Thegrassnibbler,OldGoibert,

Theonewhodoesn’tgostraighthome,

Thetraitor,thefriendlessone,

Thecatofthewood,thehare’smazes

Thedewbeater,thedewhopper, Thesitteronitsform

Thehopperinthegrass, Thestagofthecabbages, Thecropperofherbage

Theanimalthatallmenscorn, Theanimalthatno-onedaresname……

HoopUp!ChoosingyourHand

EmbroideryHoop

● To hoop, or not to hoop, that is the question! I know there are many stitchers who don’t use a hoop, perhaps because they find it awkward to hold, too much trouble to move around their work, or simply have tried using one but just didn’t get on with it. And lots of those stitchers produce lovely work without one – but the majority of us find our work is much neater and goes much more smoothly when we hoop up before beginning to stitch.

● Using an embroidery hoop is the easiest and handiest way to keep your stitch tension correct (frames are possibly even better, but not always as portable and certainly more expensive). Your hoop has to hold your fabric tight and taut while you work to achieve this –but beware – not all hoops are the

same, and some are (much) better than others. An embroidery hoop can be made from wood, plastic or metal – but whatever the material, it is comprised of two rings. One ring, the inner, is placed beneath your fabric, then the second, or outer, ring is placed on top, then pushed down over the inner ring and the screw tightened to hold your fabric in place and nice and taut.

● My preference is to use a wooden hoop, preferably birch (nice and smooth and springy with no splinters). Birch is also strong and solid and I should think it would be almost impossible to bend a good quality birch hoop out of shape, though when Ben was a puppy he did find one rather good to chew on – bad dog!Your hoop should have good quality brass fittings that can be tightened so

that there is no gap at all between the inner and outer ring.

● When you’re purchasing a new hoop, check that the brass fittings are strong and durable, and that they don’t bend, no matter how much you tighten the screw. The screw itself should have outer ridges to help you get a good grip when tightening, and the best sort also have a groove in the top for a screwdriver for that extra tightness.

● When you’re buying a hoop, choose one that fits comfortably in your grasp. You should be able to hold the edge of your hoop in your palm, secured by your thumb, and be able to easily stretch your fingers to the middle of the hoop. I find that 6” and 7” hoops work best for me. If you’re using a larger hoop (eg 10”) then

AMoveableFeast….

ThisyearEasterarrivesearly,withEasterSundayfallingon31March. Unlikemanyother holidays,suchasChristmas,thedateofEastervariesfromyeartoyear,whichalsomeansthat ShroveTuesday(PancakeDay)arrivedon13FebruaryandAshWednesdaywhichheraldsthe startofLentthefollowingday.

ThedateofEasterchangeseveryyearasitfallsonthefirstSundayafterthePaschalFull Moon,iethefirstfullmoonfollowingthespringequinox. ThismeansthatEasterSundaycan fallonanySundaybetween22Marchand25April. NotallChristiansobserveEaster accordingtotheGregoriancalendarhowever,asmostOrthodoxChristiansstillfollowthe JuliancalendarwhichmeansthatEasterfallsslightlylater. Thisisn’talwaysthecasethough asin2025allChristianswillcelebrateEasteronSunday20April.

ThereisanoldsuperstitionthatstatesthatifEastershouldfallonLadyDay,25March,some disasterwillsurelyfollow….

“WhenmyLordfallsinmyLady’slap,Englandbewareofsomemishap.”

TheArrivalofSpring

Marchisamonthofbroadeffects,offirmoutlineand clearcolour. Blueskiesareblue,indeed;greenfields clearasemerald,andtheroad,newlydriedbywind andsun,runs,apalesand-colouredstreak,straightup andoverthehill-toptowardsinfinity.

ThismorningIpassedanuplandpasture,apalegreen sloperunningupbetweenleaflesswoodstowherea beltofpinesfilteredthewindyblueoftheskythrough theirscantyboughs. Intothisfieldhadbeenturned

Floral Thompson: extracts from The Peverell Papers

thesheepandlambsfromthelambing-penandthey groupedthemselvesinquaintlyregularcirclesround theturnipheapsthefarmcarthadshotdownat intervalsforthemtofeedon.

Buttherewereothergoodjudgesofafinejuicyturnip abroad. Therooks,driftingintwosorthreesacross thesky,spiedthefeastfromaboveandflappeddownto claimashare. Soonthereweremorerooksthansheep inthefield. Theystrutted,glossyblackandshining,

Eggstra-ordinary Eggs!

Chicken eggs are by far the most common in our kitchens but there are of course many others to choose between:

● Quail (pictured on the left) are small and quite fiddly to peel, but are great in canapes, individual gala pies and more.

● Pheasant eggs have a deep yellow yolk and a rich flavour. They’re quite a bit smaller than chicken eggs and are in season from April to June.

● Chicken eggs are the kind we’re all familiar with. Always be sure to choose free-range if possible. The colour of the shell will tell you whether the yolk will be dark or pale (there is no difference in nutritional value)

● Duck eggs have a creamy yolk with a gelatinous texture and a rich flavour. They’re great for baking but I personally find them a little too rich for serving as boiled eggs.

● Goose eggs are even richer and creamier than ducks. One goose egg is equivalent to two-three chicken eggs so they’re perfect for sharing. They’re in season from March until June

● Ostrich eggs are ENORMOUS!! Each one is as big as two dozen - yes that really is 24 - large chicken eggs - how exciting if you’re able to get hold of one. The flavour is quite light but distinctive and they’re in season from late March to early September.

● Turkey eggs are quite rare as turkeys don’t actually lay very many eggs. They have a large and very creamy yolk and are in season from April to June.

● And finally - one you’re unlikely to come across in your local supermarket(!) - Emu lay beautiful dark bluish green eggs that have a mild taste and a light fluffy texture. They’re in season from late November to early May.

Springison theWay…

EasyCheeseandOnion Quiche

Ingredients

● 300g ready rolled shortcrust pastry

● 25g butter

● 2 bunches spring onions (scallions), trimmed and finely chopped

● 3 eggs

● 75ml whole milk

● 150g grated cheddar cheese

Method

● Heat the oven to 180C (fan 160C, gas mark 4). Use the pastry to line a 23cm (8”) tart tin, then trim it, leaving a little overhanging for shrinkage. Line with baking paper, then fill with baking beans.

● Bake blind for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes. Trim the pastry with a serrated knife and cool.

● Heat the butter in a pan and saute the spring onions for 7-8 minutes until soft. Cool.

● Beat together the eggs and milk in a bowl, then stir in the cooled onions and cheese. Season. Pour into the pastry case then bake for 25-30 minutes or until just set and lightly golden on top.

● Allow to cool a little then serve with a green salad.

EasterBiscuits

Ingredients

● 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

● 150g white caster sugar

● 150g slightly salted butter, chopped

● 1 large egg

● 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

● 500g royal icing sugar

● your favourite food colouring gels

Method

● Weigh the flour and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles wet sand, with no buttery lumps. Beat the egg with the vanilla, then add to the bowl. Mix briefly with a cutlery knife to combine, then use your hands to knead the dough together – try not to

overwork the dough, or the biscuits will be tough. Shape into a disc, then wrap in cling film and chill for at least 15 mins. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

● Dust a work surface with flour. Roll out the doughut to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use your Easter cutters to stamp out as many cookies as you can, then transfer them to one of the baking sheets, leaving a little space between the biscuits.

● Bake for 12-15 mins, until the biscuits are pale gold. Cool on the sheets for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.

● To decorate the biscuits with icing, add enough water to the icing sugar to make a thick icing – it should hold its shape without spreading when piped. Transfer about a third of the icing to a piping bag fitted with a very small round nozzle (or just snip a tiny opening at the tip). Pipe an outline around the biscuits, then draw patterns in the middle – lines, spots and zigzags work well. Leave to dry for 10 mins. Divide the remaining icing between as many colours as you’d like to use, then use the gels to dye them. Loosen each icing with a few drops of water, then transfer them to piping bags. Use the coloured icing to fill the empty spaces on the biscuits. You may need to use a cocktail stick to tease it into the corners. Once covered, leave to dry for a few hours.

Wallflowers:ACarpetofColour

Wallflowersareawelcomesightatthistimeofyearwiththeirsunnysweet-scentedbloomsheraldingthe arrivalofspring. Theyaresimplecottagegardenplants,muchlovedbyMargeryFishandGertrude Jekyll.Manyarescentedandmostareeasytogrow.Wallflowerscomeinpurples,browns,reds,oranges andyellows(andeverycolourin-between).Evenonasinglecolouredplantthere’softenawiderangeof hues,whichchangeastheflowerages. Theyremindmeofearly-settlerpatchworkquiltsastheyalmost appeartobesewntogether,patchesofsimilarcolours,somebitsfadedandsomebitsbold. Wallflowersarestillsometimessoldundertheiroldnameof“cheiranthus”whichmeans“handflower.” Thisnameprobablyrelatestoamedievalcustominwhichcutflowerswherecarriedinposiesatfestivals. Somespeciesofwallflowerhadmedicinalusesduringthemiddleagesasapurgativeaswellasatreatment forliverdisordersandfever.

It’seasytounderstandhowtheseflowerscamebytheircommonnameofwallflowerastheyaresooften seennaturalisedinoldwallswherethewell-drainedconditionsarejustwhattheylikeandsotheythrive intheselocations.

Wallflowershavealsobeenknownasgillyflowers,a namegiveninTudortimestomanyscentedflowers suitableforpicking,includingstocks. Theoriginal gillyflowerwasactuallythecarnation.

IntheLanguageofFlowers,wallflowersareassociated with“fidelityinmisfortune”andlinkedwiththe legendofaScottishgirlwhoselovewasfromarival clan. Whensherefusedtomarrythemanherfather hadchoseforher,helockedherupinatower. Her loverdisguisedhimselfasaminstrelandserenadedher, andthecouplemadeplanstoelopetogether. Butwhen theappointeddayarrived,thegirlfelltoherdeath whenclamberingdownthewallofthetowertomeet herloverandfreedom. Shelandedclosetoa wallflowerthatwasgrowingalongthewallandher lover,brokenhearted,spenttherestofhisdays wanderingthecountryside,wearingasprigof wallflowerinhermemory.

AVeryWildBird….

A(very)littlelookatthelife andworkofMarianneNorth

You are probably familiar with the work of Marianne North although you may not know her name. I must admit I wasn’t familiar with Marianne and her work until I read about a new exhibition at Kew which made me want to discover more about this remarkable woman…

Even by the standards of intrepid, globetrotting Victorian spinsters, Marianne North was an extraordinary woman. In an age before air travel and motorways, when steam power was still new, and sailing ships and ponies were still the standard methods of transport, she travelled and lived in Jamaica, Canada, the United States, Brazil, Tenerife, Japan, Ceylon, India, Borneo, Java, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Seychelles and Chile – all in the space of a decade and a half.

Born in Hastings in 1830, Marianne had a younger brother, Charles, and sister, Catherine. Despite her wealthy Victorian upbringing, she had no formal education as this was felt to be quite unnecessary for well-to-do young ladies. Her father, Frederick North, was a Liberal MP and when parliament was out of session – or he fell foul of the voting electorate – the family spent their time travelling abroad.

When Marianne was seventeen, they lived for three years across Europe, starting in Heidelberg, Germany and taking in Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague, Berlin and Brussels amid a radical and changing landscape. In Heidelberg, Marianne recalled how:

Her father also introduced her to many well-known artists, botanists and musicians, including Darwin and Sir Joseph Hooker of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Marianne loved singing and took lessons in both singing and piano playing. It was later that she concentrated on painting and drawing, finding botanical subjects particularly appealing.

ThePatof Butter

Once,attheAgriculturalShow, Wetasted-allsoyellowThosebutterpats,coolandmellow! EachtasteIstillremember,though Itwassolongago.

ThisspokeofthegrassofNetherhay, AndthisofKingcombHill, AndthisofCokerRill: WhichwastheprimeIcouldnotsay Ofallthosetriedthatday.

Tillshe,thefairandwicked-eyed Heldoutapattome: ThenfeltIallYeo-Lea Wasbyhersamplesheeroutvied; And,“Thisisthebest,”Icried.

TheRoyalSchoolofNeedleworkwasfoundedin1872witha missiontopreservetheartofhandembroidery.

Tomarkits150thanniversarytheRSNlaunchedtheRSN StitchBanktocontinuethismission.

TheRSNStitchBankaimstodigitallyconserveandshowcase thewidevarietyoftheworld’sembroiderystitchesandthe waysinwhichtheyhavebeenusedindifferentculturesand times.

TheRSNStitchBankisanongoingprojectandnewstitches areaddedregularly.TheRSNwillbeworkingwithpartners aroundtheworldtoincludestitchesfromdifferenttraditions.

Everyyearwelosehistorictextilesthroughwear,age,andthemoreaggressiveroutesofwar,neglectand destruction.

Weknowthatstitchesfromhistoryhavebeenlostbecausetheyfalloutofuse.Then,whenanolder embroideredpieceisdiscovered,curatorsandmuseumstaffcannotrecognisethestitches.Textilesandthe knowledgeofstitchesthroughouttheworldcontinuetobethreatenedbywarsandotherdisturbances,aswell aschangesinmanufacturingprocesses.

StitcherscanusetheRSNStitchBanktofindanewstitchtouseinaprojectandlearnhowtomakeitusing videos,writteninstructions,illustrationsandphotographsforeachstitch.Researchers,curators,historians andstudentscanusethesitetolearnabouttheuse,structureandhistoryofeachstitchinarangeof embroiderytechniquesandtoidentifyastitchonatextile.

Youcanbrowsethestitchwallhere

Youcanalsocreateyourownfolderandsavethestitchesyouaremostinterestedin. Itisallcompletelyfree andanamazingresourceforstitchers!

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