Giant Pincushions

These are super simple to make and adorable! They come in handy around your sewing room and work as great gifts for sewing friends.

honeybun or jelly roll strips

hand sewing needle & matching thread

pincushion filler of your choice

Patisserie by Fig Tree – Neptune by Tula Pink

1. Pick 3 honeybun strips that look good together and have some contrast.

2. Sew them together into a strip set. Offset the start of your strips like this.

3. Press seams. This can be in any direction.

4. Measure your strip to make sure it is 3 ½” wide. If it is not it is ok if it is smaller (your ¼ is bigger) but not larger (you are sewing too scant) Correct if needed and write down what the width of your strip is.

5. Cut a 45 degree angle at the one end of your strip.

6. Turn your ruler so you can cut a diamond. Cut it to be 3 ½” or the width of your strip set.

Repeat for a total of 8 diamonds.

7. Place diamonds RST into 4 sets making sure that the top points are the same fabrics.

8. Pin & Sew along 2 sides from top to bottom pivoting in the center. (repeat 3 times for 4 sets)

9. Open and press towards solid strip. (not the part with 2 seams) (repeat 3 times.)

10. Similar to step # 7 place diamond sets RST and pin. The ironing from step #9 should help you interlock the seams at the top and bottom. Sew 2 sides from top to bottom, repeat for 2nd set, and iron again.

11. Now you have 2 halves of your pincushion.

12. Put one half inside the other RST. Pin all the way around and sew leaving a 1 ½” opening.

13. Turn right side out. Fill with stuffing or filling of choice.

14. Hand sew opening closed and you are done!

See how easy that was!

Red White & Bold by Sandy Gervais – Neptune by Tula Pink

1. Pick 2 jelly roll strips that look good together and have some contrast.

2. Sew them together into a strip set. Offset the start of your strips.

3. Press seams. This can be in any direction. (since i had a light color solid here i pressed toward the blue print)

4. Measure your strip to make sure it is 4 ½” wide. If it is not it is ok, just write down what the width of your strip is.

5. Cut a 60 degree angle at the one end of your strip.

6. Turn your ruler so you can cut a diamond. Cut it to be 4 ½” or the width of your strip set.

Repeat for a total of 6 diamonds.

7. Place diamonds RST into 2 sets making sure that the top points are the same fabrics. You will have 2 leftover at this point.

8. Pin & Sew along 2 sides from top to bottom pivoting in the center. (repeat 1 time.)

9. Open and press towards solid strip. (not the part with 1 seam) (repeat 1 time.)

10. Similar to step # 7 place a diamond set RST with a loose diamond and pin. Sew 2 sides from top to bottom, repeat for 2nd set, and iron again.

11. Now you have 2 halves of your pincushion.

12. Put one half inside the other RST. Pin all the way around and sew leaving a 1 ½” opening.

13. Turn right side out. Fill with stuffing or filling of choice.

14. Hand sew opening closed and you are done!

see just as easy!!

you probably noticed that one of my pincushions has a lot of fabrics… this is achieved by cutting your diamonds from different strip sets… it makes a nice scrappy look and can help you use up leftover strip sets so you can go buy more fabric!

another option is to flip every other diamond… instead of a star you’ll end up with more of a pinwheel…

the possibilities are endless!!

Super cute pincushions.. you won’t be able to make just one!

3 Honeybun strips = 6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ x 3″

2 Jelly Roll strips = 8″ x 7″ x 3″

Enjoy!

by Julie of jaybirdquilts!

Cell Phone / Gadget Purse

I’m so excited to be featured on the Moda Bake Shop, and praying this little tutorial makes sense. I’m constantly dropping my cell phone so I wanted to make a little case to protect it. It would also work great for other little gadgets like ipods. I made the handle with a little hook so that you can easily hook it to anything you’d like, your purse, diaper bag, whatever! The finished case measures approx. 3 1/2″ x 5 1/2″.

1 Moda Neptune Layer Cake
1 10 x 10″ piece of Warm and Natural or similar batting
1 Sew on Snap, Size 4 or 1 ” Velcro
1 Lanyard hook w/swivel (found w/jewelry making supplies at most craft stores)

Pick three coordinating fabrics from the layer cake of your choice.

Fabric 1 – Outside of case, and outside of flap.
Fabric 2 – Bottom of Case, handle and binding around flap.
Fabric 3 – Lining of bag, and inside of flap. (This picture shows a blue fabric, I ended up using a green one instead.

Out of fabric #1 you will need to cut two 4 1/4″ x 4 1/4 inch squares. Out of fabric #2 you will cut one 4″ x 4 1/4 inch square. Sew them together with fabric #2 in the middle using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Unless indicated always use 1/4″ seam allowance.

At this point I quilted the piece you just finished on top of a piece of batting with some simple stippling. I also quilted the flap (fabric #2, 3 1/4″ x 3 inch square) onto some batting. This is completely optional. If you decide not to quilt it, you will need to sew the piece you just finished onto the batting by simply putting the fabric and batting together and sewing right down the center of the two seams.

Once the batting is attached to your fabric cut off any extra batting on the sides. Fold fabric in half with right sides together and pin sides together at the seams where the two coordinating fabrics meet. Sew down the sides of fabric and turn fabric right side out.

Flap

Cut a 3 1/4 x 3″ square from fabric #3. This will be the inside of the flap.

If you opted not to quilt the outside of the flap to the batting, simply pin the flap, the batting and the inside of flap (fabric #3) with the right sides showing and batting in the middle together.
Now your going to cut the binding for the flap.
Next you will cut 3 pieces out of fabric #3. Two pieces 4 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ and one piece 3 1/4″ x 1 1/2″. Refer to picture below.

Sew the binding onto the flap by first starting with the top piece. Line up the tops of fabric with right sides together and sew across top.

Iron the fabrics open and attach side pieces the exact same way. Cut off any extra fabric on the bottom.

Flap Binding

I know everyone has there own way of binding. Mine probably is not the correct way, but it works for me. So here is how I do it…….. Turn the flap around so your looking at the inside of the flap. Starting with the left side fold the piece of binding over by folding it in half length wise and then fold it over onto the inside of fabric and stitch down with needle and thread. When you come to the corner, fold down at an angle (like the picture below) fold in half and fold down onto fabric and stitch down like before.

Handle

Cut a 2 x 10″ piece from fabric #2. First iron the bottom of fabric over 1/4 “. This will create a finished edge that you will need later.

Now fold the piece of fabric in half length wise and press, unfold and then fold the outside edges into the crease in the middle that you just made and press.

Fold in half again length wise press and then sew down the edge. I used a 3/8″ seam allowance.

Cut a 2 ” piece of fabric off of the handle that you just made. Make sure it’s not from the edge that is finished. Thread it through the swivel.

Attach it to bag by putting the two ends of the fabric together then pin them to the to the left side of the bag and centered over the seam at the top.

Attach the unfinished edge of the handle to the right side of the bag, centered over the side seam with a pin.  Also, now is the time to attach the flap to the back of the bag.  Line up and center on the back of the bag with the inside of the flap pointing out and pin.

Lining

Cut two 4 1/4 x 5 3/4″ pieces out of fabric #3. Place the two fabrics right side together and sew across the bottom (4 1/4″). Now sew up the sides leaving 1 1/2″ opening on one of the sides.

Once this is done put the outside of bag inside of the lining piece that you just made. The lining piece should be turned inside out. Line up the tops of fabric, making sure that the handle pieces are inside of the bag. Line up the side seams and pin, (your pins should be going through the outside and lining of bag and the handles). Sew around the top of purse.

Pull the outside of bag through the 1 1/2″ opening that you made. It should look like the picture below. Now just tuck the lining down inside the bag.

Attach lanyard hook to handle by threading it through and sewing it two fabrics together.

Sew on your snaps with a needle and thread and your finished!!!

One very cute Cell Phone or Gadget Case. Or if your really ambitious you could actually make 14 of these things out of 1 layer cake.

Tutorial by Nicole from Our Cozy Nest

Neptune Necklace

1 charm pack – featured Neptune by Tula Pink for Moda

13 – 20 mm wood beads

glue stick

48″- 3/8″ grosgrain ribbon

heavy duty needle with large eye

Awl

Scissors

Pick out 13 prints (small patterns work best).
Cut into quarters.

Apply a generous amount of glue to the back of fabric.

Roll bead in the middle of fabric.
Cover entire bead with fabric.

Clip off excess fabric from each end.
Leave enough fabric to be tucked into hole of bead.

Smooth fabric up the bead and tuck into hole of bead.
Use an awl (I used the end of a paint brush) to push fabric into hole and hollow out hole.

Thread grosgrain ribbon on to heavy duty needle.
Tie a double knot 12″ from the end of ribbon.
Thread bead onto ribbon.
Next make a knot.
Thread another bead on.
Repeat steps until all beads have been threaded onto ribbon.
Tie a double knot after the last bead.

Your finished!

4 necklaces or 1 super long necklace.

Holly