Double Ringed Pincushion Tutorial

I created this pincushion because I loved the idea of a series of pincushions that I could use all around my studio. You can create several of these simple rings and place them on a stand when not in use or have the rings scattered around your sewing room (or in my case, around the whole house). You can organize them by types of pins (drop your safety pins for pinning together your quilts on one and your hand sewing needles on another).

Just beware! You may have to make more than the two or three for your office when your kids get a hold of them (yes, they make the best toys too!).

Hope you enjoy!

Carina Gardner at www.carinagardner.com

 

MATERIALS

(Yardage is enough for 1 ring)
Double Ringed Pincushion Pattern
5" x 16" selvage/scrap or 1/4 yard or 1 fat quarter fabric for the outside and inside strips
6" x 11" selvage/scrap or 1/4 yard fabric or 1 fat quarter fabric for two rings
1/4 yard lightweight fusible interfacing that is 21" wide
Filling/stuffing
Hand-sewing needle
Thread
Basic Sewing supplies

Download the pattern and printable instructions here.

OPTIONAL STAND

To create the stand shown in the photos, you will need:
Wooden spools (one per pincushion ring)
Wooden circle or square cut out
Wooden sphere (usually called a wooden doll head)
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Scrap fabric

These materials can all be purchased at your local craft store. Note: you can substitute out the spools and wooden sphere with a simple dowel or other materials found at your craft store.

DOUBLE-RINGED PINCUSHION INSTRUCTIONS

Seam Allowance is 1/4" unless otherwise noted.
Hints about this pattern:
Many of the spaces are very small in this pincushion and sewing along a curve can also be difficult. I recommend sewing very slowly and pinning as you go to help create this pincushion.

Step 1: Print out the pattern and cut out pieces. Place the pieces on the fabric and cut out one of Pattern A (laying it on a fold to create a long strip), two of Pattern B, and one of Pattern C.

Then lay the pieces on the interfacing and cut out 2 of Pattern B and 1 of Pattern C.

Step 2: Iron the fusible interfacing pattern pieces to the fabric pieces B, B, and C.

Step 3: Place together one of the rings (Pattern B) and the inside strip (Pattern C) with right-sides together. Place the inside strip so that it is up against the inside of the ring (inside hole)

Leave 1/2 inch at the beginning of the inside strip unsewn. Sew together by continually moving the inside strip so that it is up against the inside of the hole in the ring. Sew until the inside of the strip is almost completely sewn to the inside of the ring.

Stop half an inch from finishing the inside of the ring. Next, place together right-sides of the remaining unsewn edges of the inside strip (Pattern C) and sew along the edge.

Once sewn, finish off the inside of the ring by sewing the seam of inside strip (Pattern C) to the ring (Pattern B).

At this point, the pieces should look like this:

Step 4: Next, sew together the outside strip (Pattern A) with the ring with the inside strip attached. Place right-sides together and sew with the outside of the ring (Pattern B/C) matched to the outside edge of the outside strip (Pattern A). Leave a 1/2 inch of the outside strip (Pattern A) unsewn.

Before reaching the end of the outside strip, stop sewing and place right-sides together of the outside strip (Pattern A). Sew together. The finish off the outside of the ring by sewing the seam of the outside strip (Pattern A) to the ring (Pattern B/C).

At this point, the pieces should look like this:

Step 5: Sew the second ring (Pattern B) to the already sewn portion with right-sides together. Pin together the outside of the ring to the unsewn edge of the outside strip.

Once sewn, the pieces should look like this

Step 6: Hand sew the inside of the ring by tucking in the edges of the inside strip and the ring. Sew about half of the ring and then stuff with filling. Fill the inside of the ring VERY full. Then hand sew the rest of the inside of the pincushion.

Hint: Ironing throughout the creation of the ring is difficult. Instead, I recommend STEAMING the pincushion once it is sewn. This will create soft edges along the entire pincushion. It will also help you as you even out the stuffing once it is fully sewn.

Step7: Put together the stand for the pincushion by hot gluing a wooden spool to the flat wooden circle or square. Cover the spool in scrap fabric. To create a clean edge, tuck the edges of the fabric in as it is glued. For an unsewn threadbare look, cut the scrap fabric exactly to the size of the inside of the wooden spools and glue into place.

Glue several spools together and finally glue the wooden sphere to the top. Use one spool per ring. Use an extra spool if you would like the stand to be longer

Hope you enjoy making and using this pincushion!