craftgrrl | Finished Product and How-To's

I finished the pin cushion I started yesterday. Under the LJ-cut are the finished pictures (which really don't do it justice since they were taken with a webcam) and instructions on how to make one so that it can be added to the FAQs for someone looking for a quick, easy, n' cheap Mom-gift.

You Will Need

Some colored thread (3 strands of a 6 stand DMC works great, or all of a Pearl color)
A Tapestry Needle
A Teacup
A Small Square of Aida Cloth
An alphabet pattern *or* a print-out of the letter in the font you want in size 90 or higher from your computer
A Remnant for the back
A Bit of lace
A Small bit of quilt or pillow batting
(optional)
Potpouri
Small Beads
Embroidery Hoop

How To
Step 1) Get your square of Aida cloth. Turn yr teacup upside down in the center of the cloth. Take a pencil (or fabric pencil) and make a circle using the teacup as a guide. *tip* Go lightly so it won't show too much if you mess up.

*tip for the next 3 steps* Use a small embroidery hoop. Life will be easier that way.

Step 2) Using the color you want for the vine, *feather stitch* around the circle to make a vine pattern (if you don't know the feather stitch, look it up online or have a friend teach you... I suppose you could cheat and use back-stitching, but it might not turn out the same).

Step 3) Using the color you want for the flowers, make *french knots* at the end of each "branch". *tip* If you + french knots= DOOM, use some tiny beads and just sew 'em down.

Step 4) (the hard part) If you are lucky enough to have a cross-stitch or embroidery letter-pattern that fits, center it and stitch it into the middle of your vine-circle in the color of your choice... for the rest of us, take yr print-out and cut it down to a square around yr letter (you need the square tearing-purposes, don't cut it down to just the letter). Pin the paper in the center where you want the letter to go. *back-stitch* or *outline-stitch* around the outline of the letter. Carefully un-pin the paper and tear it gently away so that all that's left is the stitched outline of the letter. Fill in the letter with back-stitching or outlining.

At this point, the project should look something like this:

Step 5) Cut yr remnant (which will be the back) to the same size as yr Aida cloth. Put them together *right sides down* and sew three sides together with a *running stitch*

Step 6) Turn it right-side out (it should look like a little pouch). Stuff it with lots of batting and add some potpouri if you'd like.

Step 7) *Whip-stitch* the open-side closed.

Step 8) Take the lace and pin it around the edges of the top of hte pillow. Stitch it down with a running stitch. You can add a 2nd layer of lace on the bottom if covering up the whipstitching is that important to you.

Now you are finished and the pin cushion should look like this:

Oh, and credit where credit is due, I actually saw this idea on a PBS needlepoint show called "The Needle Arts Studio" with Shay Pendray. So kudos to Ms. Pendray for showing me 1 craft of interest out of the many in a very long and craptacular show :D