A pincushion for your machine, and a small giveaway!

You saw the pincushion I made for my swap partner, and the one I made for myself, which happily fasten round the sewing machine? I have promised to write up a tutorial for this, so you may make one for yourself- if you do, please tell me, I would love to see your results!

This is the one I made originally, because I end up with a pile of pins beside my machine, and a scattering of them on the floor- I needed that pinnie ON the machine...

So, I made a few more for favoured people... including this one for my Tote bag swap partner...

And it seemed sensible to write  a tutorial for it- You can just make it up as you go along, after all, that is exactly what I did... Or you can follow a set of instructions...




This is a perfect pattern for using a few scraps!

So, what do you need?

Those scraps!

Some elastic, long enough to go round your machine, with a little tension on it,

Stuffing for the pin cushion

a button,
some wadding- tiny offcut- you shall see...

co-ordinating thread

snap fasteners


Ready to go?

Cut
4.5" square- for the back
2 coordinating strips, one each 2.5" wide by 5" long
strip about 30" long ( may vary, according to your machine-more later) 2.5" wide
Strip 2.5" wide by 5" long.


Elastic- My machine measures approx 23", so I cut my elastic at 20". It needs to be long enough to fit with a slight stretch.

 Start with the strips!

take your 2.5" x 5" strip. Fold in half along the length, WRONG sides together. Press. You now have a strip 1.25" x 5". Fold the raw edges in to the centre fold, and press.  The strip now measures 5/8" x 5".
Stitch close to each long edge.

Set aside.


Take your long strip, Fold along its length, RIGHT sides together, and stitch with a 1/4" seam. Turn Right sides out.

Now take your elastic, and attach a smallish safety pin to each end. Thread your elastic into the tube, and as the back end is trying to disappear into it, use that safety pin to attach it at that end, while you get the rest threaded through... The beauty of this is, if you lose the end up the tube, you will be able to retrieve it without pulling it right through and starting again...

You now have a piece of elastic inside a bunched up tube.
Machine stitch across both ends to anchor it firmly, remove safety pins, and then stretch the elastic and the tube, until the tube is full length, and let go, This should have distributed the excess evenly, to give a pretty ruffled effect.

Now you need to put ends on so you can fasten it.. This is what I do, but feel free to vary it, and use sewn poppers ( snap fasteners) or 'velcro'.

Cut two pieces of scrap, a little over 1/2" wider than your elastic strip, and about 3" long.

 Place the elastic strip on the end tab, as shown,

 Sew firmly in place. Turn it up the other way, and press.


Now take your offcut of wadding, and mark a piece the width of your elastic, and cut.

Tuck the end under the fold, and carefully press the sides in, to enclose the edges of the wadding, and the end over a little,

       

I use a needle to help get a neat fold over here, fold over and press, the stitch neatly in place.

and repeat for the other end.

I then attach 'kam snaps' as fasteners, they are quick and easy, and seem secure. Please attach whichever fastener you find easiest.

Set aside.

Pincushion. 

Place strips 2.5" x 5" right sides together, Stitch one long side with 1/4" seam allowance.  Press open your preferred way.
Now cut 2.5" off one end, turn and place right sides together, and stitch to make a four patch. Press open.











Now take the short strip you made, and place on the right side of your 4.5" square, not quite centrally, as below.









Stitch the ends in place, there should be some 'spare' at the ends..



Now place the four patch face down on top of this.
Sew, starting part way across one of the sides, and remembering to do your back stitches at the start, round all sides, but leaving a 2" gap, for turning and stuffing! Back stitch at the end.


Turn through the gap you have left, the strip will help if you get hold of that, and poke corners out quite neatly.
Now stuff it fairly solid!

Hand stitch the gap shut, and sew the button centrally .

You may find this slips over your hand quite neatly when required, Just be careful of the pins sticking out the other side...













You can now attach the pincushion to your machine in the best position for yourself,


If you would like to have one of these made by me, please leave a comment at the end- I am willing to ship wherever, -just tell me which two colours you would prefer!

and feel free to pass the message on, if you wish!

One lucky (?) person will get chosen at random on the 25th, in the evening!