See a Pin and Pick it Up!

The girls at Sewing Club are unbelievably keen! Bethany arrived with a bag she had made, using an old duvet cover. She had worked out how to incorporate the poppers along the top so th#e bag can be closed. Clever girl! She says her mum likes it because it is big enough to take files and folders.

All the girls worked on their pincushions last night and got them finished. They look very pretty, and were remarkably easy to make.

Ann is a great teacher and her enthusiasm is infectious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They asked me to post a simple tutorial for them, so that has meant I had to make a pincushion this evening. Ann used Reynolds Freezer Paper to make iron-on patterns, but you could get your circle using a teaplate and a saucer!

You need 4 pieces of fabric, and 40cm elastic, plus 6 spools of thread [to save money, we wound some thread onto some spare empty spools. the girls can change them for new reels when they have some spare cash!] and some stuffing.

INSTRUCTIONS

Take 4 pieces of fabric approx 40cm square and mark out 35cm circles on two of them.

Sew in pairs, right sides together, sewing a COMPLETE circle. [One pair should include your chosen "top" fabric, the other should include your chosen "underside" piece. the other two bits are the "inners"]

Trim round the circles as neatly as you can.

COMPLICATED BIT

Carefully pinch the fabric apart and cut a small cross shape in the "inner" and [ull the two circles out through the hole, so you have two neat discs.

 

Now you need to put the two discs together, with top on top, and bottom underneath.

Carefully sew a 20cm circle leaving a small gap, and then six equally spaced lines towards the centre.

Leave a small gap between the straight lines and the inner circle.

Stuff the central circle, and sew up the gap.

Now take a length of elastic [cord elastic, or other fairly narrow elastic] 50cm long.

Fasten one end to a small safety pin, and thread on one spool, then through a gap. Repeat till all six spools threaded.

Go through the last gap, tighten the elastic to achieve a good appearance and then knot the ends of the elastic.

Voila! your pincushion.

I made mine with 2 plain blue circles and 2 floral circles. I chose a floral one for the top and a blue for the underside.