wrist pin cushion tutorial

Thanks for all the nice comments about my wrist pincushion. So I've put together this little tutorial so you can make your own. Hopefully you will be able to follow my directions (this is my first tutorial), if you have any questions I'm happy to help so ask me any questions or tell me it doesn't make any sense!. I haven't included measurements as it will vary depending on what size lid you use, but hopefully all the photos are clear enough on their own. Lets get to it.

You will need:

Some small pieces of fabric for the top and bottom of the pin cushion.
A jar lid

Some elastic, around 2.5 - 3cm wide

Stuffing, wool or fiber fill

A small length of ribbon or braid

I have used a lid from a jar of olives it measures 6.5cm in diameter, but a slightly bigger or smaller lid would work just as well. Place your lid on the fabric you have chosen for the bottom part of the pincushion. You need to cut a circle from the fabric that is about 3 cm larger than the lid. Place to one side. (the circle of fabric doesn't need to be perfect we are going to gather it up soon to cover the lid)

Next we need to cut a casing for the elastic wristband. Place your lid on the fabric and cut a similar shape to the one in the photo above.

With an iron turn over and press all the raw edges. Check that the size that you have pressed it to will fit the underside of the lid, so if your lid is 6.5cm in diameter this piece should measure approximately 6cm and no more than 6.5cm.

Pin it to the circle of fabric that you cut earlier.

Stitch on both of the short sides. Check that the elastic you have fill fit through the space that you have sewn, with a bit of room to spare.

Now we need to gather up this circle. Sew a running stitch around the edge ( just as if you were making a yo yo or Suffolk puff). Pop the jar lid in the middle and then pull the thread up to cover the lid. You should end up with something like the picture above. You need to pull this quite tightly and then secure the thread. That is the base part finished.

Pop the base part down on the fabric you have chosen for the top of the pincushion and cut out a circle. This needs to be about 3 - 4cm larger than the base all around. Again the circle doesn't need to be perfect as we are gathering this up too.

Ok, just like the base. Sew a running stitch around the edge and pull gently to gather up. Once it's a little bit gathered stuff it with your chosen stuffing material. I've used wool. Once it's stuffed nice and firmly secure the thread and cut off.

Now we want. to stitch the top to the bottom, stitch it all the way around. Don't worry about your stitches too much as the braid will cover it.

Sew on the braid or ribbon, folding over the edge to create a neat finish (ok like I can talk, look at that messy stitching of mine). That is the top part all finished, now on to the elastic wrist band.

Cut a length of elastic to fit around your wrist, allow a little bit extra as a seam allowance. Then we need to cut some fabric to cover the elastic to create a casing. It needs to have a small seam allowance on either side and it needs to be one and a half times longer than the elastic.

Sew the seams on either side (or on one side if you can cut the fabric on a fold). Turn so the right side is on top. Thread the elastic through the casing leaving the elastic showing at each end.

Thread the wristband through the casing created at the bottom of the pin cushion.

Overlap the elastic and with a wide zigzag stitch, stitch several rows to secure the elastic.

Pop one end of the casing over the other and stitch in place, this will cover the ends of the elastic.

Put the part that you just stitched under the casing at the bottom of the pin cushion. You can then stitch it to the casing but I have found that it just stays in place. Add some pins, pop it on your wrist and you are done! Phew! Hope that was easy enough to follow. Please do let me know if you have any questions, or let me know if you make one I'd love to see it.