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:
- Fold band in half widthwise right sides together. Sew. Press seam open.
- 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.
- Sew patchwork top together, sewing right sides together into rows. Press seams open.
- Sew rows together matching seams. Press seams open.
Trim patchwork top to a circle by using template. Use markings as a guide to align to patchwork strips.
- 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.
- 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.
- Repeat Step 4 to attach bottom piece.
- 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.
- Turn pincushion right side out.
- Stuff with polyester stuffing (or combination filling of your choice – rice/beans/crush walnut shells add nice weight).
- Sew opening in band closed by hand using a ladder stitch.
- 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!
