This free pattern has appeared in my blog for the website UKQU before but it’s such a handy and simple thing that I had to share it here too. I find it perfect for appliqué when you have pinned an area, are sewing along and need to remove the pins quickly whilst holding a piece firmly. A quick slip of the pin out and into the ring pincushion and Bob’s your Uncle, you can continue sewing easily without loosing your grip.
The pdf download is available if you would like to keep a copy and all you need is a 4″ square piece of fabric. You can see I fussy cut the square, positioning the heart in the top half of the square. To fill any pincushion there are a variety of products which can actually help look after your pins – worth doing if you’ve invested in specialist ones for particular tasks. Wool fleece, actual wool that I’ve collected from sheep fields, is good as the lanolin helps oil the pins, stopping any corrosion. Crushed walnut shells are said to be great for helping keep your pins sharp. You can buy this online. Wire wool is another option for keeping pins sharp but I have to favour the walnut shells myself. To help fill your pincusion with the shells make a funnel out of paper to pour the shells in through. It helps if you lay some paper underneath to catch any loose bits! To help bulk out the cushion you can then fill with toy stuffing.
We always like a free pattern for a little gift for ourselves or for a friend so why not make up one of these little cuties.
Strictly Quilting 