Dainty Blossoms Couch Pincushion

Printer Friendly Instructions

 Course Instructor: Bree McElroy from Distant Pickles (www.distantpickles.blogspot.com)

Course Materials: ‘ Dainty Blossoms’ by Carina Gardner for Riley Blake Designs

Twelve 3” squares of various prints from Dainty Blossoms

1 fat quarter of background fabric (C2764-Green)

One 10” square for pocket (C2760 – Blue)

One 18”x9.5” piece of medium weight interfacing or canvas

Basic Sewing Supplies (rotary cutter, ruler and mat, machine with thread, iron and snips)

Course Instructions:

¼” seam used unless noted 

Take your fat quarter of background fabric first and cut two 18”x9.5” pieces from it. Your pile of supplies will look like so:

Grab those 3” squares, and let’s make ourselves a little patchwork top for our pincushion, shall we?

Step one: pair squares together so you are stitching a total of 6 pairs.

Step two: adding one pair to another, you’ll create three rows of four squares long as shown in the below photo:

Now, take your three rows of four and join them together to form a little patchwork piece that measures 3 blocks tall by 4 blocks wide:

Take your little teeny patchwork piece over to the iron. Flip it over so your right side (the pretty side!) is facing down on the ironing board, and press all four edges in by ½ inch:

Wonderful! Now that our patchwork pincushion top is prepped, set it to the side and grab that 10” square you picked out for the pocket. Cut ½” off one side only, so you are left with a piece that measures 10”x9.5”. Fold it in half with wrong sides together, so that the 9.5” is along the folded edge and you’re looking at a 9.5”x5” piece. Press and stich along the folded edge, ¼” from the edge.

Now, grab one 18”x9.5” piece of your background fabric, your piece of interfacing, and your pocket. Lay them on the table as shown, with the interfacing first, then the background piece right side up, and the pocket on top, also right side up. Stich around the outside edge of the pocket.

Measure 3” in from one edge, and make a stitched line going down through the pocket vertically as shown. This divides your pocket and gives you a handy place for your snips!

Alright, time to grab that patchwork piece you made a little earlier! We are going to add it to the top.

Place your patchwork piece right side up on top of your laid out piece from the last step. Place the edge closest to the pocket three inches away from the top of the pocket. This positions the other edge of the patchwork piece 3” from the end of the pincushion. Stitch around three sides only – leave one side open for stuffing!

Lightly stuff your pocket with fiberfill. I don’t suggest using crushed walnut shells or other fillings for this pincushion as we will be sewing through the filling and you wouldn’t want to damage your needle or machine!

Stitch your opening closed carefully – a walking foot is very handy for this part!

Using your walking foot, stitch a line along every seam in the patchwork piece. Simply follow the lines with your needle – this is called stitching in the ditch and is a common quilting method. Press down on the fiberfill as you go and make sure to keep the amount of fiberfill in each section as equal as possible.

See? A nice, puffy pillow-top look!

Now your pincushion’s front is complete and it is time to put the back on. With your piece still facing right side up, take your last piece of 18”x9.5” background fabric and place it right side down on top of your pincushion. Pin well around the outside edges – we don’t want any shifting!

Using a ½” seam, stitch around the outside edge, leaving a 5” hole for turning on one end. I prefer the far end of the pincushion, not the pocket end – it’s easier to close it when you’re done. Make sure to backstitch and reinforce all your corners and where you’ve stopped and started – it would be a shame to have your pocket tear when you stick some thread in there!

Snip the corners and flip it around, then topstitch with a 1/8” seam.

Toss your pincushion over the arm of your couch to enjoy while you hand sew, and let your husband marvel at the sheer genius of no longer sticking pins directly into the arm of the couch!

Or, set the end of your sewing machine over the far end of the pincushion to position it nicely on your sewing table while you machine sew – instant pocket to hold your tools and a nice flat pincushion that doesn’t go flying when your three year old comes running in and knocks everything off the table! (Just me?)

Comments

1. Thanks for the lovely pattern!!! I'm going to make it this after-noon. Have a nice day!!! Martine

   by Bizzy Martine
   March 30th, 2012 at 2:32 a.m.
2. I know I'm going to love following your site!

   by Gayle
   March 30th, 2012 at 7:17 a.m.
3. What a terrific idea! Thanks for sharing!

   by Dawn
   March 30th, 2012 at 8:15 a.m.
4. Great idea. I need this right now!

   by RuthWW
   March 30th, 2012 at 11:39 a.m.
5. This is just the sweetest! Can't wait to make mine. Thanks for sharing

   by Lynn
   March 30th, 2012 at 2:52 p.m.
6. This is a wonderful little project. I am making several for gifts for friends. Thank you!

   by Rosie Davis
   April 02nd, 2012 at 4:53 a.m.
7. thank you for sharing!!! It's very nice!!Like it!!!

   by Asya
   April 02nd, 2012 at 5:44 a.m.
8. Love it!! I want something like this for my machine!!!

   by Heidi @ Buttons and Butterflies
   April 02nd, 2012 at 9:16 p.m.
9. Great and useful idea for anyone who is sewing. I have to make this for myself!

   by Eva
   August 19th, 2012 at 2:20 a.m.
10. this will be great for when i'm sitting on the couch watching tv and sewing in the evening :)

    by Brooke
    December 14th, 2012 at 8:24 a.m.
11. Just found this ! I'm in a pin cushion exchange and have looked at a hundred or so pin cushions ; THIS IS THE ONE !!!! and It's such a good idea , I will make one for me , too ! thanks !

    by Mickey White
    February 02nd, 2013 at 5:58 a.m.

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