Sewing

spring spruce up

I was dawdling the other day after working on some projects for too long.  Just needed a little cleaning time and I finally sat down to make the Skinny Pincushion from the Green Bee blog.  I pulled out a few cute tiny liberty scraps leftover from the Liberty Scrap Challenge project before Christmas and it really only took a half hour and I had a new pincushion!

This is such a cute useful pincushion.  Make some for your friends, or use this to help teach your kids to sew!  It’s small, but you can learn a lot of things just by making this project.  I’m going to have to sit down with my girls and make some more.

I also officially moved in my patented Crazy Mom Quilts thread catcher  that she made me and put it to use!  Thanks Amanda Jean.  Gosh, I’m so lucky.  I love this little thread catcher.  If you don’t have one, make one now!  You’ll love not seeing that trail of threads around your house anymore.  Update: Amanda Jean just released her pattern for her thread catchers, buy one here!  [Amanda Jean doesn’t have a tutorial for these, but a similar type bucket pattern would be the Nesting Fabric Bowls by Nova of A Cuppa and a Catchup.]

And thanks Melinda for the Lizard Litter!  I filled the pincushion mostly with the Lizard Litter (it’s just crushed walnut shells which I guess help keep your pins sharp) and just a small amount of poly fill before stitching it up.

I love just a little bit of change like that.  Spring is on it’s way here!  Oh and visit Organic Stitch Co. if you want to get your hands on some Liberty scraps!!!

35 thoughts on “spring spruce up

  1. I love the pincushion AND the thread catcher! ‘Gotta make both! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

  2. These are both so useful and so beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

    Take care,

    Trish

  3. Anonymous says:

    Would love the pattern for the thread catcher but couldn’t find it. Thanks so much.

    1. Anna says:

      I don’t think she has a tutorial for it, I’m sorry! You could use this pattern for similar results:
      http://acuppaandacatchup.com/nesting-fabric-bowls-pattern/

    2. Nova says:

      thanks for the pattern link love xxx

  4. I make my thread catchers with laminate as the lining, this way when you dump it, all of the thread drops right out instead of sticking to the cotton!

  5. Sarah Watson says:

    I always wonder what to put in a pincushion. I always just throw in whatever I have hanging around, scraps and whatnots. Crushed walnuts sound like infinitely more fun!

  6. Jeni says:

    Such sweet projects! I really need to make one of those pincushions, they’re so cute!

  7. Congrats! I love it! Thank you for sharing us:-)
    Hugs from Italy, Emanuela

  8. Sue says:

    Liberty and linen are a match made in heaven. Your sunny girls are so adorable. What beauties, their smiles radiate!

  9. Oh what gorgeous projects! Lovely combinations of colour. They’ve got a great spring feel to them.

    Jo 🙂 x
    adventuresandteaparties@blogspot.co.uk

  10. gorgeous! I love that the pin cushion can cozy up right next to your machine!

  11. Sew Much Ado says:

    Those are both such cute projects! I love the long skinny pincushion, that’s such a great idea.

  12. dottycookie says:

    Those are so pretty, and they look so useful. I think I’m going to have to make them both. Possibly tonight!

  13. love the pincushion, love the scraps, and love the color-coordinated pins!!! =)

  14. CJ says:

    I think I do have to make one of these thread catchers. I always forget and leave my threads on the arm of the sofa, and the children have taken to tying them round their fingers in the morning and wearing them all day. Love the pincushion too.

  15. i’m glad you are putting the lizard litter to good use. i still have so much left. i either need to make a lot more pincushions or get lizard 🙂

  16. Am I the only person that finds Lizard Litter makes my pins catch my fabric? It’s almost like it’s sticky, but not really.

  17. amandajean says:

    I love LOVE love your long skinny pin cushion. It’s going right to the top of my list!

    Glad that you like the thread catcher. 🙂

  18. Truly Myrtle says:

    I couldn’t live without my magnetic pincushion, but your is super pretty 🙂 If I use a regular one these days I end up with pins all over the show. I’ve gotten into the habit of tossing them to my “cushion”!
    BUT – that thread catcher?! Oh yes, I WANT one of those!!

  19. Katy Cameron says:

    Fun wee projects :o)

  20. Great and practical projects! Love your thread catcher so cute! I have to make one of those too! Thank you for sharing 🙂

  21. Jess says:

    I buy emery off of Etsy to use in my pin cushions – it’s the same stuff that is in the little strawberry that goes with the tomato cushions. I make a pouch of muslin for the emery, then cover that little pouch with a few layers of wool batting (I read somewhere that the lanolin in wool helps lubricate the pins so they slide better…). Works like a charm!

  22. ayumills says:

    Oh the pincushion is so cute! Sometimes all you need for a cleaner sewing space is a new pincushion! The thread catcher from Amanda Jean looks like such a neat addition to a craft space too!

  23. I have this pincushion pattern printed and sitting in a pile in my sewing room – you’ve inspired me to go ahead and make it…plus a little delivery of Liberty scraps have just arrived in the post! 🙂 Happy Spring!

  24. The pincushion and thread catcher are lovely. I hadn’t heard of Lizard Litter — I’ve always purchased crushed walnut shells at Harbor Freight or Northern Tool and Equipment. They come in a 20lb. box, so it’s good to split a box with a few friends. LilyKGonzales: great idea to line the thread catcher with laminate!

  25. Lovely! I’m definitely going to make the pin cushion!

  26. Elaine says:

    I enjoyed this post, especially the skinny pincushion. That size and shape would be so useful for me. I just have to make a couple of these since I have more than one sewing machine. 🙂

  27. Lisa says:

    I like the skinny pincushion! What kind and model of sewing machine do you have? It looks like mine but it is different. Thank you.

  28. jemfl says:

    That pincusion is just what I need-never can find my pins I lay
    down in front of the sewing machine! Thanks so much for sharing!
    p.s.:I have used rice in my pattern weights,
    works for pincusions too.

  29. Kelly O. says:

    what a great pincushion. i’m going to get out my scraps tonight 🙂

  30. thea says:

    oooh yes LOOOOOVE it! Clever how skinny it is so it doesn’t take too much space too. I think i need to make one too!

    thea.
    (spoonfulzine)
    xx

  31. Nancy says:

    I love your pincushion and might try to make one with a snake face. That’s what it reminds me of. The thread catcher is cute too.

  32. Kari says:

    Oh…you’ve inspired me to do a little cleaning up and pincushion sewing today, Anna! Too many big projects lately. Hope you’re doing great!!

  33. Sarah says:

    I made one of these too! Thanks for the inspiration. http://bluesusanmakes.blogspot.com/2013/09/skinny-pin-cushion.html

    xo
    Sarah

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