Let's talk Pincushions

Who doesn't love pincushions?

Essentially every little pincushion has a functional role to play in the sewing room. It valiantly holds onto those sharp finger pricking pins, pin heads, decorative or otherwise pointing upwards so that they are easy to grab hold of when you next need to hold your sewing in place. 

Somehow, though pincushions are so very much more than that. Their small size provides just enough room for a little bit of creative expression. A little bit of space for personalising your sewing equipment. They make brilliant gifts to give to sewing friends, they use up all those scraps of fabric, sell well at craft fairs and are a perfect size to indulge a little whimsy. Every sewing room/space should have a pincushion to be proud of shouldn't it ? 

 Here are few patterns to inspire you, gorgeous new pincushion patterns from Heather Bailey. Adorable Effie and Ollie the pachyderm pincushions can also be made as toys for little hands to hold and love. And they stack....think of all the games you could play.

Henrietta Turtle can be made a Henry Turtle just by not adding the flower...

Then there is Flutterby Pincushions - two butterfly designs, a bee and a ladybird, each has layered wings to hold on to your sewing needles.

If they don't set your pulse racing but you'd still like to try your hand at making a pincushion for yourself or for friends then here are a few lovely tutorials I've found around the web. (Bet you can't stop at making just one.)

This is a photograph of the pincushion I made using this tutorial. Eight Patch Pincushion 

Some patchwork block patterns make brilliant starting points for pincushions and it's a good way of practicing a new technique and an brilliant excuse for doing so. (There are some more pincushion tutorials based on patchwork blocks lower down this post.)

Tomato pincushions from Martha Stewart

Square cushion pincushion designed by Heather Bailey.

Toadstool cottage Pincushion (Too cute for words.)

Flower Pincushion designed by Anna Maria Horner.

This is a lovely idea (and tutorial) for a pincushion using a Matryoshka doll designed by Vintage Violet of Maximum Rabbit Designs.

Last but not least are these lovely little patchwork pincushions from the Purl Bee

Molly's miniature Pincushions

Do you have any pincushion ideas to share?

Comments

[Pam Brooker]

oh no! thanks for this..........now I have just GOT to go make one.....another craft.....:) love itxx

[Andrea]

I love making pincushions and have way more than I actually need. They are nice just to look at and have as ornaments. Thats for putting the link to my tutorial.

[Sneddonia]

Lovely pincushions :) I want the toadstool :D

[Valerie (Discerningchichi)]

Lovely selection! Some of them look so nice - I'd not want to stick pins in them, if you know what i mean! I have lots of scrap fabric so should have a go at making some!

[averilpam]

Lovely, I've never made a pincushion for myself, as I've been given several, but some of these are very tempting to try out.

[Yvonne]

Wonderful pincushions, I've made the the flower one and really want one of the toadstools must put them on my to do list.
Yvonne x

[vInTaGe VioLeT]

oooohh lovely post i have a bit of a soft spot for pincushions!
thanks for sharing my matryoshka pincushion :o)

[chickadee cards]

Wow, what a lovely lot of pincushions! Great blog post.

[Craft Matters]

How lovely! The 1st pin cushion I ever made (at school about a million years ago) was a turtle - it was quite as wonderful as the Heather Bailey version tho'!

[dottycookie]

I've made the toadstool and I can promise there's NO WAY I will ever stick pins in it!