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Embroidered Pincushion Tutorial

June 27, 2020 · Leave a Comment

It could be possible to become addicted to pincushions. Like having an collection of pretty teacups, pincushions can be as different as you want them to be and pretty as you like. There are so many different ways to make them and, because they are little things, you can use scraps that are too big to throw away but too small to use for a larger project.

This embroidered pincushion is part of a kit that I’ve been developing. I wanted to call it the Safe At Home kit, but as the extra time people kept telling me I was going to have never appeared, it’s taking me a while to finish it!

The other projects in the kit are this bunting, and this needle case.

Anyway, the last project is now finished and here it is, an embroidered pincushion!

It can be sewn entirely by hand, or you could speed things up a bit and use the sewing machine to sew the pincushion together.

The embroidery design is free to download, but I do ask for an email address. You can find out more about why I do this here. The form is at the bottom of the post.

Making the Embroidered Pincushion

You Will Need

Scraps of felt in pretty colours
Embroidery thread
Polyester filling, sawdust or emery sand to fill your pincushion
2 buttons
Pattern pieces and the embroidery design. You can either download mine (the form’s at the bottom), or you could make your own.

Cutting Out

You will need 2 circles the same size, and one circle a little bit smaller.

Embroidering the Design

I used lazy daisies, fern stitch, woven wheels and French knots. It’s worth remembering that odd numbers of things usually look better, but you can do what you like! Just remember to leave a space in the middle for the button.

Sewing the Pincushion Together

Attach the embroidered section to one of the larger circles. You could hand sew it or use your sewing machine.

Place the other larger circle on top of the embroidery. Sew around the edge, leaving a gap.

Trim the seam if you need to. Turn the pincushion the right way out. Fill it with your chosen material. It will need to be firm to make it easiest for pushing the pins in.

Take a plain button (this one will be at the bottom) and tie the end of length of thread to it. You might want to use a stronger thread for this, or you could use ordinary sewing thread doubled.

Now push the needle through the centre of the pincushion from bottom to top.

Thread a pretty button onto the needle. Pass the thread through, then back into the pincushion and through the button at the bottom.

Do this a few times and pull it tight. Cut the thread and tie it off.

If you wanted to turn this into a wrist pincushion, you could attach it to a piece of elastic, or make a strap for it like this one.

If you like pincushions, I have a whole Pinterest board devoted to them here!

Fusion Quilt Part 1: Making The Squares

May 15, 2020 · 6 Comments

One of the things that I’ve had on a Pinterest board for a long time is this.

It’s a fusion quilt, which basically means that you make quilt squares then crochet them together, so it fuses sewing with crochet.

Every time this quilt pops up again, or when I see it there on my Pinterest board, I’m reminded of how pretty it is and how much I like it!

I’m not one for making quilts. I’ve only ever made one pram sized quilt when my eldest was a baby, although I’ve started a few!

A fusion quilt is different. Because you make the squares, then crochet them together, I think there’s enough variety to prevent boredom from setting in. Also the crochet part is the sort of thing that can be worked on for a few minutes at a time.

So this week, still having a desire to make pretty things, I started making my own fusion quilt!

I should say that the original on Pinterest doesn’t have a tutorial with it, and I’m not trying to copy it but make my own version.

Another raid on the fabric pile behind the bedroom door turned up some pretty fabric in colours I wanted to use, and some fleece fabric for the back of the squares. I also found some yarn for crocheting the squares together.

Obviously I couldn’t crochet straight into the fabric squares, and sewing fabric with yarn was going to cause some problems, so I used embroidery thread to edge the squares in blanket stitch. I was then able to crochet into the embroidered stitches.

Making The Squares

You Will Need

Cotton fabric. This is a good project for using up bits left over from other things. If you don’t have enough to make a whole square, you could make quarter squares and sew them together.

Something to back the squares with. I used fleece fabric. Quilt batting would also work, but you would probably need to make extra cotton squares for the back too.

Embroidery thread. Something like cotton perle is better that the stranded sort.

Yarn and a crochet hook. A neutral colour is probably best, but you can use what you like! I used a beige colour in DK with a 4 mm hook. A lighter yarn would probably achieve a lacier look.

Cutting Out The Squares

One of the advantages of this kind of quilt is that you can make the squares quite large if you want to. It’s great if you tend to get bored with longer projects as you’ll be able to finish your fusion quilt more quickly!

I cut my squares 12 cm x 12 cm (4 3/4″ x 4 3/4″).

If you wanted to make some quarter squares to make larger squares of this size, you would need to cut them 7 cm x 7 cm (2 3/4″ x 2 3/4″).

The backing needs to be the same size.

How many squares is up to you, but bear in mind that they will need to make a rectangle. 24 is a good number to start with. You can always add more later.

Sewing The Squares

Take one cotton square and one backing square.

With the right sides together, sew round the edge leaving a gap for turning out.

Trim the seams and cut off the corners.

Turn out and pin the opening.

Using a long stitch on your sewing machine, top stitch around the edge of the square.

I forgot to take photos of this stage, but I made the squares in the same way as these reusable cloths. There are some step photos in this post if you need them.

Blanket Stitching The Edges

The blanket stitches allow you to have something to work the crochet stitches into.

To sew blanket stitch, sew a loop so that the loop is on the front of the square.

Then pass the needle through the loop from the back to the front. Pull it taut. The top of the stitch should sit on the edge of the square.

Now make another loop by passing the needle through from the front of the square to the back.

Take the needle through this loop, from back to front and pull it taut. Keep doing this until you get to a corner.

I used the top stitches as a guide to get them all about the same size. This also means that if you are finding it difficult to get the needle through the fabric, you can reuse the holes made already by your sewing machine.

Corners

This might not be the proper way of doing corners, but it’s the way I did them!

When you get near a corner, make the next loop directly underneath the corner.

Pass the needle through and pull it so that the end of the stitch is at the corner.

Now make the next loop by passing the needle front to back in the same place.

Pull the thread through again so that the end of this stitch is on the next side of the square and about the same length as the previous stitch.

Then continue until you get to the next corner.

Keep going until you’ve got all the way round. When you get to the last stitch, thread the needle through the loop of the first one and tie the ends.

If you are particular about things being very neat and accurate, you’ll want to make sure that you have the same number of stitches on each side of the square.

I haven’t done that. I’m not too worried about the joins at the corners looking messy because I have a plan for those!

Crocheting Round The Edges Of The Square

Please note that being English, I use English crochet terms!

Round 1

Into one of the blanket stitches, join the yarn and make 3 ch.

Tr into the next stitch, and subsequent stitches until you get to the corner.

Into the 1st of the 2 corner stitches, tr twice.

Then 1 ch, and 2 tr into the next stitch.

1 tr into each of the following stitches until you get the next corner. Crochet round each of the corners in the same way.

When you get back to where you started, join it with a ss.

Round 2

3 ch, then tr into each stitch until you get the the corner.

When you get to the first of the 2 trebles crocheted into one stitch, crochet 2 trebles into the space between them. Then 2 tr into the ch sp, then 2 tr into the next 2 tr.

Continue with 1 tr into each stitch until you get to the next corner. Work each of the corners in the same way as the first one.

When you get back to the start, join with a ss and tie off the ends.

So far I’ve completed 3 squares, with another 2 ready to crochet.

As I have the attention span of a gerbil, it is possible that I won’t finish my fusion quilt! But I feel good about this and I’m hoping to get it done over the next 2-3 weeks, and , so watch this space!

Boxy Pouch Tutorial

May 7, 2020 · 2 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Creativity is an odd thing sometimes. Usually I have lots of ideas, but this hasn’t been the case as much recently.

Alan Turing apparently had his best ideas in the bath, and I suspect there’s something in feeling relaxed that helps ideas to flow.

The current global situation is enough to make anybody feel the opposite of relaxed, so I suppose it’s not really a surprise that I haven’t felt as creative as I often do.

Anyway, last week I had an overwhelming urge to make something pretty. The fabric pile behind the bedroom door yielded a little piece of Tilda fabric, and some plain pink cotton. I also found an old bag that I’d kept, thinking that I could use the zips for something (the whole of the front panel is zips; it’s a weird bag). Last week that bag finally came into its own and I used one of the zips!

The size of the boxy pouch was decided by the length of the zip. And, as a word of warning, if you use a zip that doesn’t have things at the ends to stop the zipper thing coming off, pull it slowly! It’s tricky to get it back on once it’s come off.

I used boxed corners on the ends to make the boxy shape, and I added ribbon tabs to make it easier when pulling the zip open and closed.

Instructions For Making a Boxy Pouch

You Will Need

Cotton fabric for the outer and the lining. You could use the same fabric or a plain cotton with a contrasting print. I used a little bit of a print with some plain for the outer, and the same plain for the lining. If you are new to sewing you’ll find it easier to use one whole piece for the outer.

Interfacing. I like to use a medium weight sew in interfacing because it gives it some weight and just enough squodginess, but you can use what you have. Even lightweight interfacing will make a difference.

A zip. The zip I used was 26 cm long.

Ribbon or similar for the tabs (optional)

A zip foot (optional)

Cutting Out

Cut 2 pieces of outer fabric 26 cm x 18 cm, 2 pieces of interfacing 26 cm x 18 cm and 2 pieces of lining fabric 26 cm x 18 cm.

To make the outer from 2 different fabrics, cut 2 pieces 26 cm x 10 cm and join them along the long edge.

The finished boxy pouch measures 27 cm x 8 cm x 7 cm.

If you want to make a pouch that’s a different size but has the same proportions, the long edge needs to be the same length as the zip, and the short edge needs to be 2/3 the length of the long edge.

Cut 2 pieces of ribbon 5 cm in length.

Sewing the Boxy Pouch

If you are joining pieces to make the outer, do that first.

Take one one of the lining pieces and lay it down with the right side upwards. Position the zip on top of the lining, also face up, with the edge of the zip aligned with one of the long edges of the lining.

On top of this, place one of the outer pieces with right side down on top of the zip, and a piece of interfacing on top of the fabric. Make sure that the long edges are lined up and the zip is inside.

Pin it together, then sew along the long edge, leaving about a cm at either end. This is much easier to do if you have a zip foot, but it’s still possible if you don’t have one.

Fold the lining and the outer the right way out away from the zip. It’s a good idea to run the iron over it at this stage. As you are doing this, check that you have pulled the outer and the lining away from the zip. Otherwise you’ll end up catching things in the zip (guess how I know!).

Leaving a cm free at either end, top stitch the lining and the outer, keeping close to the folded edge.

Repeat these steps to attach the other lining piece, outer and interfacing to the other side of the zip.

With the right sides together, sew the other long edge of the outer with the interfacing.

Repeat with the lining, but this time leave an opening.

Trim the seams.

Now open the zip a little way. This is very important! When you turn the box pouch out, it will need to go through the zip opening as well as through the gap in the lining, so make sure you open it enough!

Squash the lining and the outer so that the seams you have just sewn are aligned with the zip. Pin the short edges of the lining, then pin the outer and interfacing.

This is where it will make a difference if you remembered to leave a cm or so free at each end. If you didn’t do this, don’t panic! Just unpick a few stitches.

If you want your box pouch to have tabs, take a piece of ribbon, fold it in half and slip the folded edge inside the seam. Pin it in place, then do the same on the opposite side.

Sew the sides of the lining, catching the zip in the seam each time.

Repeat with the outer and the interfacing, again catching the zip in the seams. Trim the seams.

Making the Boxed Corners

Find the half way point between one of the corners and the bottom seam. Mark it with a pin.

Press from the corner with your finger to crease the fabric. Now open out the corner and match the crease to the side seam. Pin the corner where you marked the half way point.

This is a bit fiddly and you might have to put your hand in through the gap in the lining to get the crease and the seam lined up.

Do the same with the rest of the corners of the lining, and with the outer.

If you would like a more detailed tutorial showing how to make boxed corners, there’s one here. Please note though that these were boxed corners for a bag and although the process is the same, it was less fiddly!

Sew across the corners at right angles to the seam. Cut the corners off. Trim away all the threads.

Finishing the Pouch

It’s time to turn it out! This is where I’m really hoping that you remembered to open the zip!

If you didn’t, unpick the side seam of the outer a little bit, open the zip a few cm, then resew the seam.

Push the corners of the pouch out. Handstitch the opening in the lining.

Now all you have to do is decide what to use your boxy pouch for! I think I might keep the pens I like to use for drawing in mine!

Embroidered Felt Bunting Tutorial

April 26, 2020 · 3 Comments

I’ve been selling craft kits on Etsy for a while now, and, as ideas go, it’s proved to be one of my better ones.

When I opened a shop on Etsy I had no idea what I was doing and I only hit on the craft kits idea about 5 years in. I wrote a post about it here (and if you want to know what one of my worst ideas was, it was this!).

With one thing and another, it’s been about a year since I added anything new.

Sales of my craft kits are healthy at the moment, probably because people want a nice little project to work on while they’re staying safe at home.

Feeling a little bit of creativity returning last week, I started cooking up a new kit.

I’m finding that I want to make things because making things makes me feel happier and calmer. With the situation being as it is however, I don’t feel up to anything to long or complicated. Also this ton of extra time I was supposed to have hasn’t turned up! So little things that can be picked up and worked on for a few minutes are probably better than longer, more involved things.

If this is true for me at the moment, it’s going to be true for other people too!

The kit will include some pieces of felt, ribbon and trim, embroidery thread and little beads. There’ll be a guide to embroidery stitches and a booklet with 4 or 5 little projects in them that can be made with the contents of the kit.

I’ve finished the first project. Predictably it’s felt bunting! I’m sharing this so that everybody has the option of making it even if they don’t want to buy a kit. And if you get the emails, I’ll be sending out the link to the pdf version of the booklet of projects once it’s done.

Instructions For Making Embroidered Felt Bunting

To Make Felt Bunting, You Will Need

Felt in pretty colours. I chose a mint green, a salmony pink and white and I bought it from this lady on Etsy. This isn’t an affiliate link; I just want to do my bit to support small businesses.

Embroidery thread in complimentary colours. I used 2 shades of sage green, salmon pink and grey.

Trim. Bias binding is good. You could use ribbon, lace or whatever you have.

Cutting Out

Cut 4 triangles from 1 colour and 3 from the other. You could cut the same number of each, but odd numbers usually look better.

Cut 3 smaller triangles from white felt.

If you don’t want to make your own templates, you can have mine, plus the embroidery design, in exchange for an email address. The form is at the bottom of the post.

Embroidering the Flags

I used lazy daisies, woven wheels, fern stitch and French knots.

You could copy my design or do your own. I’d recommend odd numbers of things (although I have broken this rule!). Start with larger things then add smaller ones where there is space. It’s probably a good idea to sketch some ideas first, as it’s much easier to rub out ideas that don’t work or that you don’t like than to unpick a lot of sewing!

Assembling the Bunting

Lay out the larger flags alternating the colours. On top of the 1st, 4th and 7th flags place an embroidered flag.

Pin the trim to the tops of the triangles. Remember to leave a bit at each end for tying! If you’re using bias binding, you could fold the binding in half lengthways and slip the flags inside.

Sew the trim to the flags. If you’ve used bias binding, you’ll need to sew the ends too.

Now all you need to do is find somewhere to put your felt bunting! I like to hang mini bunting on my dresser.

If you’d like the templates and the embroidery design, please fill in the form below.

How To Sew Napkins: Nice But Not Fussy!

April 11, 2020 · 5 Comments

It’s the first time in several years that we’re actually at home for Easter. This isn’t what we’d planned! Easter is a good time to go on holiday. The bank holidays mean extra days and the weather is often alright (and sometimes lovely!).

We had planned a trip to Japan, but because of the current situation we’ve had to postpone it.

I’m trying not to think about it too much. At least we are all at home and safe. And Easter, like Christmas and springtime, swings round again regardless of whatever else is going on.

I wanted to make the table nice for our lunch on Easter Sunday, so I decided to sew napkins. I had plans to make a similar thing but larger for the centre, but I ran out of time.

As you probably know already, I like things that are pretty! I’m not a huge fan of fussy though. And living in a house full of boys, there is a limit to what I can get away with!

So I opted to sew napkins in a pretty blue colour. Easter is a special time, and I wanted my napkins to be special too, but simple and not fussy.

The technique I’ve used here involves pulling out some of the threads and sewing so that the others don’t become loose. I actually did this once before, years ago, when my eldest was a baby and I made him a christening gown for his dedication.

For the scalloped edge, I actually used the fancy stitches setting on my sewing machine, which I don’t think I’ve ever used before!

The napkins also have mitred corners so that they’re nice and neat.

I like these napkins so much I might make some more in different colours!

The fabric I used came from this shop in Swindon. This isn’t an affiliate link; I just want to do my bit at the moment to support smaller businesses when lots are struggling.

Instructions For How To Sew Napkins

You Will Need

Fabric for your napkins. Cotton is best.
A small amount of interfacing. The iron on kind is easiest, but you can use what you have.
An unpicker
Usual sewing supplies

Cutting Out

Cut your fabric into squares. Mine were about 25 cm (10 inches) square. If you have a fat quarter, you could just fold it into 4 and you’ll have 4 squares about 25 cm square.

Cut the interfacing into strips 25 cm x 1 cm (10 inches x 1/4 inch).

Decorating the Napkins

Scalloped Edging

Attach the interfacing to which ever side will be the wrong side, about 1 cm (1/4 inch) up from the bottom edge. If it’s not the fusible sort, pin it but be sure that you can get to the pins easily!

Set your sewing machine to make scallops. It’s a good idea to practise first.

My practise attempts were a disaster until I realised that the bobbin footplate area probably needed cleaning as the feed dogs haven’t been working properly for a while. After removing a shocking amount of fluff, I’m pleased to say that everything is working well! Practising will also help you to determine what size you’d like them. You might need to change the foot, so check before you start.

Sew the scallops about a cm (1/4 inch) up from the bottom edge, over where you attached the interfacing.

Trim the fabric away from the bottom of the scallops. Small, sharp scissors are best for this task!

The Drawn Threads

Sew a line of stitches about 2 cm up from the scallops, then another 0.5 cm above the first row.

Using an unpicker, pull one of the horizontal stitches out between the 2 rows of machine stitching. This is a little bit fiddly, especially if you are using a closely woven fabric, but once you’ve removed a couple of threads it gets easier.

Pull out more threads until you are left with only vertical threads between the row of machine stitches.

Officially I think you’re supposed to hand sew round the threads, but I didn’t because I liked it as it was.

If you find this bit too fiddly, you could just leave it or sew a length or ribbon or lace onto the napkin instead.

Sewing the Napkins

All you need to do now is to hem the three raw edges!

Mitred corners will make them nice and neat. To do this, take a corner and fold it inwards on the wrong side.

Fold it over again and pin.

Do this with the other corner as well.

Fold raw edge inwards, then over again so that the raw edge is enclosed. The corners will be neat and you won’t get a weird bulge that your sewing machine might object to.

Run the iron over your napkin and it’s ready to make your table pretty!

Tips

If your sewing machine doesn’t do fancy stitches, you could either sew a scalloped edge or, for an easier alternative, use trim as an edging instead.

Pulling the threads out is a task for earlier in the day job if you have eyesight issues.

It’s harder to pull the threads out of closely woven fabric, although it becomes easier once you’ve pulled out a couple of rows. Looser fabric is easier.

This is the kind of project where you can batch like tasks, especially as you’ll probably want to make a few!

If you like this post about how to sew napkins, you might also like these:

Cutlery pockets

Picnic placemat

Making the Embroidered Pincushion

You Will Need

Cutting Out

Embroidering the Design

Sewing the Pincushion Together

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Making The Squares

You Will Need

Cutting Out The Squares

Sewing The Squares

Blanket Stitching The Edges

Corners

Crocheting Round The Edges Of The Square

Round 1

Round 2

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Instructions For Making a Boxy Pouch

You Will Need

Cutting Out

Sewing the Boxy Pouch

Making the Boxed Corners

Finishing the Pouch

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Instructions For Making Embroidered Felt Bunting

To Make Felt Bunting, You Will Need

Cutting Out

Embroidering the Flags

Assembling the Bunting

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Instructions For How To Sew Napkins

You Will Need

Cutting Out

Decorating the Napkins

Sewing the Napkins

Tips

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