Peppermint Swirl Pincushion

(featured in the Simple Abundance Moda ad in the Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Publication)

1 Layer Cake square- red

1 Layer Cake square (or 8″ square)- cream

1 Layer Cake square- aqua

1 Layer Cake square- green

2-3 small red buttons

1 large button

Warm and Natural batting scraps

2 cups crushed walnut shells or other filling

1. Cut two pieces of batting, one 5″ x 10″, and one 5″ x 5″.

2. Fold the red Layer Cake square in half. Place the 5″ x 10″ piece of batting inside. Cut the green layer cake in half to make a 5″ x 10″ rectangle. Fold it in half. Place the 5″ x 5″ piece of batting inside.

3. Print out pattern pieces from this pdf file. Trace 5 swirls onto the red fabric, and 1 of each leaf onto the green fabric with a water soluble fabric marking pen. (Having some problems with the pdf file- it will be up a little later.)

4. With matching thread, sew around each shape on the lines you marked with the pen.

5. Do the same with the leaves. Sew around the whole shape, then add a small line down the center of the leaf, about 2/3 of the length.

6. Remove all the pen lines with a damp cloth. Cut out the shapes 1/8″ from the stitching. (Yes, there will be raw edges!)

7. Using the circle from the pdf, cut one cream circle, one aqua circle, and one circle from your batting.
8. On the cream circle, Fold it in half, then in half again to find the center. Pinch it to make small creases. This will mark your center.

9. Place the swirls around the center, evenly (or not!) and pin them to the cream fabric.

10. Stitch them to the cream fabric, following the stitching on each shape, up one side and down the other. You don’t need to stitch along the outer edge. The swirls will hang over the edges a little bit.

11. If you’d like, you can jazz it up a little bit with your darning foot and a few squiggles.

(here’s a close up of mine)

12. Layer the 3 circle pieces in the following order: Batting, Aqua back (right side up), Cream with swirls (right side down). Pin around the edges. Sew a slightly bigger than 1/4″ seam around the circle through all three layers (making sure to catch the edges of the swirls), leaving a 1″ opening so you can turn it.

13. Trim the swirls so they are flush with the circles. Clip around the shape, every 1/4″, up to the seam, making sure you don’t clip into the seam!!

14. Turn right side out, trim any fraying threads. Fill with crushed walnut shells about 3/4 of the way full. (Use a funnel to do this part, unless you want a big mess!)

15. Stitch the opening closed.

16. Stitch the leaves on in the center, going all the way through to the back of the pincushion.

17. When you get to the back, add the large button, and bring the needle back through to the front. Repeat each time you add a button to the center. When you finish, tie the thread off on the bottom, hiding the extra thread behind the bottom button.

18. Enjoy your sweet little peppermint pincushion. Or give it away and make another. And then another, and one more after that. 🙂

One sweet little Christmassy sewing treat.

And there you have it! Enjoy!

Camille

Simplify (blog)

Thimble Blossoms (website)