by Helen on March 30, 2013
For a long time now I’ve been wanting to put together a guide for new and returning stitchers. I receive quite a few emails with questions about various techniques and I’ve noticed the same subjects seem to recur quite frequently. I was very lucky to be taught to embroider by my Mum and Grandma, but not everybody is as fortunate. So I’ve been working hard behind the scenes, and my new book will be available within the next week or so ….
It has sections on choosing your fabric and thread, tools, transferring your design and caring for your finished work, as well as a stitch directory to help the beginner with 16 of the most commonly used stitches. My friend Jacqui (of Flapdoodle Designs) has contributed some lovely little pictures for the stitch directory … here’s a quick peek at one of her illustrations – can you guess which stitch this is?
(I think Lionel might have been the model!)
“Simple Stitchery” will be published during the early part of April – and the best bit is that it will be completely free to download. I think it’s so much fun to share – and I do hope at least some readers might find it useful. It will also be available as a “proper” printed book on Amazon – but that version won’t be free I’m afraid. I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s ready and where you can find it.
Have a lovely Easter weekend – and don’t eat too much chocolate! Rosie and Dan are visiting over Easter and I’m REALLY hoping she brings some of her amazing Creme Egg brownies with her!
Oh .. and Lionel is of course illustrating Blanket Stitch!
by Helen on March 14, 2013
My friend Jacqui – this is her ….
is an amazingly talented designer and illustrator – but also ridiculously camera-shy!! You may remember that Jacqui and I have collaborated on a range of Sewflapdoodle patterns for Bustle & Sew – my all-time favourite is the one she created for her little dog Lionel and Ben ….
Simply adorable!
And now Jacqui is setting out on a new venture – her own online shop offering her artwork as printables – there will be bunting, cards, invitations, (all can be personalised) as well as her very own paper doll designs. Her shop isn’t quite ready yet, but in the meantime she’s giving away her printable St Patrick’s Day bunting and placecards when you join her free newsletter….
If you’d like Jacqui’s St Patrick’s Day bunting, then please just click on the image above to join her newsletter (she promises never to share your email address with anyone else) and your free printables will be sent to you straight away.
by Helen on January 1, 2013
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!!
To celebrate the New Year which promises to be very exciting (and productive) here at Coombe Leigh, I have created my first-ever printable calendar for you. It features twelve of my favourite designs and most popular patterns from 2011 and 2012, with a page for every month. There’s lots of room too for you to mark your own special days, appointments and more.
I’ve put together two versions – there’s an A4-size and also a US-Letter size Calendar. They’re both easy to download and print pdf files.
So if you’d like a free Bustle & Sew calendar, please just click on one of the links below (and I’m very happy for you to share them with anyone you choose).
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A4 SIZE BUSTLE & SEW CALENDAR
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD US-LETTER SIZE BUSTLE & SEW CALENDAR
by Helen on December 28, 2012
I can hardly believe that Christmas Day is behind us now! So much anticipation, preparation and general excitement and then – the day was gone in a flash! Townie Husband ate lots of roast potatoes (too many to count!), I am ashamed to report that I was rather greedy with Rosie’s home-baked mince pies, whilst Rosie and Ben were observed snuggled down in a corner together scoffing chocolate Santas (Ben’s were doggie-chocs of course). There was laughter and fun, a little (but not very serious) bickering, and a good time was generally agreed to have been had by all.
During the holiday period between Christmas and New Year I have always loved to sit down with a sewing project – this year I’m hoping to make some progress on my rather neglected snowflake door curtain – but that’s not anywhere near ready to show yet. So I thought this might be a good moment to share instead my Patchwork Pup tutorial, created from a selection of vintage and new Liberty fabric from their new Liberty Lifestyle Collection.
Liberty fabrics are so quintessentially English – and their new craft range works really well with their vintage designs too as the more vibrantly coloured craft fabrics beautifully complement the more muted tones of their vintage patterns.
The pup’s body is created from a cheat’s version of pieced hexagons – all machined onto a firm cotton base creating a nice strong fabric for your softie. My finished puppy measured about 10″ long, but the pattern can easily be re-sized if you wish. If you’d like the free tutorial then please just just CLICK HERE to download the pdf file.
