I’m sharing a tutorial for the pincushions I featured a few weeks ago. My inspiration came from a classic quilt design, the Wagon Wheel and by the quilt pattern in Denyse Schmidt’s Modern Quilts Traditional Inspiration. I hope you’ll enjoy this tutorial and make a few for you and your friends!

Materials:

• scraps of quilting cotton
• polyester stuffing
• DOWNLOAD Template

From scraps, cut:

• (1) 1 1/4″ square
• (4) 1 1/4″ x 2 1/2″ rectangles
• (4) 2 1/2″ squares
• (1) 2″ tall x 13″ wide band
• (1) circle for bottom using template (not pictured below)

1/4″ seam allowance unless otherwise noted.

Instructions:

1. Fold band in half widthwise right sides together. Sew. Press seam open.
2. Mark band into quarters by first aligning seam and marking opposite folded edge within seam allowance on both top and bottom edges. Then open band and align previous markings and mark folded edges as before.
3. Sew patchwork top together, sewing right sides together into rows. Press seams open.
4. Sew rows together matching seams. Press seams open.
5. Trim patchwork top to a circle by using template. Use markings as a guide to align to patchwork strips.
6. With right sides together, pin band to patchwork top aligning quarter markings. Add additional pins between quarter markings if desired. Sew around perimeter with band facing up.
7. Mark bottom piece into quarters by folding in half and marking at fold line. Open and refold in half the opposite direction aligning markings and mark at fold line.
8. Repeat Step 4 to attach bottom piece.
9. With a seam ripper, carefully open up seam in band. You’ll need to open the seam almost to the seam of the top and bottom circles.
10. Turn pincushion right side out.
11. Stuff with polyester stuffing (or combination filling of your choice – rice/beans/crush walnut shells add nice weight).
12. Sew opening in band closed by hand using a ladder stitch.
13. Press entire top and bottom of pincushion and shape pincushion by placing under a book overnight for a nice even pincushion.

Fabrics: Rain Walk (by me!), Curiosities by Jeni Baker,
Cotton + Steel Basics, Carolyn Friedlander (Architextures and Doe)

You can find Rain Walk at these fine shops!

Enjoy!

I am bursting at the seams happy about this new duffle pattern: the Cargo Duffle (click the link to be taken to the download page)!  The lovely folks at Robert Kaufman asked me to come up with a pattern that they could post on their website.  You know what that means, right?  It’s for YOU and it’s FREE!  I can see this pattern working with so many fabrics and it’s just the perfect size (if you ask me) for an overnight bag or carry on.

And those cute front pockets?!  Aren’t they awesome?!  I want to squish them.  So are you ready to make a Cargo Duffle?  It’s available now!  There is a downloadable PDF on the Robert Kaufman website and you can get busy and make your own!  Just in time for all the Holiday fun, too!

This duffle was made with the awesome new line by Carolyn Friedlander called Botanics.  I feel genuinely giddy over how awesome they are and couldn’t be happier with being able to sew with them.  Carolyn has this beautiful way with design and color, to me it’s pure heaven (on fabric that is).

I have a few more to show you, so stay tuned! Hurrah!

PS. in the pattern I call for a 26″ coverall zipper, they’re lovely because they zip from both ends.  I found the Coats & Clark ones at my local Hancock Fabrics.  I also use a YKK brand, Coverall 26″ Zipper.  The snaps are available in my shop,  size 24.  Oh, and I would be thrilled to see any you make!  You can add them to the Noodlehead flickr group or the Robert Kaufman flickr group or both!