Way back in the January Bustle & Sew Magazine I included a pin cushion pattern….
That’s it in the middle at the top in the image above – a little Pea Pod pin cushion. We’ve been offering Pea Pod pin cushion kits for a while now, and they’ve proved to be very popular, it’s such simple, but very effective make. After all, what could be nicer than a plump pea pod pin cushion, with three fat peas perfect for your pins and needles. This is a really quick project that takes only around an hour or two to complete and is totally sewn by hand.
And, as it’s proved to be such a popular project, I thought it would be nice to share the pattern here on the blog.
If you’d like this tutorial as a free pdf file, then click the button below and I’ll send it to you. (If you already receive our free newsletter then you’ll find the tutorial waiting for you in your newsletter readers pattern library).
MATERIALS
To make your very own pea pod pin cushion you will need:
● 6” x 4” green felt for pod
● Small scrap of felt (a different green) for the leaf frill at one end (I’m not at all sure what the technical name for this is, but leaf frill is at least descriptive!)
● Three 4” squares of printed cotton (Quilting cotton is the perfect weight for creating plump wrinkle-free peas, so why not hunt out some of your leftover pre-cuts. I used some Tilda remnants leftover from our Unicorn Kits)
● Toy stuffing
● Green embroidery floss or pearl thread
METHOD
● Cut two pea pod sides and one frill using the full size templates. Cut three x 3” diameter circles from your printed cotton fabric.
● Place the two pea pod sides together and using two strands of green floss join along the bottom edge from B to C. Use either blanket stitch, or my favourite is a decorative cross stitch formed by stitching over the edges with a diagonal whip stitch, then returning and stitching again but this time slanting my stitches in the opposite direction to create the cross stitch.
● Stitch along the top edge from A to B in the same way. Place the pod to one side.
● Run a gathering stitch around the circumference of your printed fabric circles and pull up tightly inserting stuffing as you pull to create a nice plump round shape (you may find a stuffing stick useful for this) A stuffing stick is simply created by breaking the pointed end off a bamboo skewer and “fraying” the broken end so it grabs the stuffing as you push.
● Fasten off the thread firmly and snip long ends.
● Pin the peas into place along the sides of the pod, then make small stitches at intervals to secure them into place. Make sure they’re squished in nice and firmly and secured to the pod.
● Fold your leaf frill in half and stitch to the completed pod at C.
● Your pin cushion is now finished.
I hope you enjoy making your pin cushion, and I’d love to see pictures of any finished peapods!
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PS We have Pea Pod Pin Cushion Kits currently available in-store, containing only the nicest wool-blend felt and genuine Tilda fabrics. Just CLICK HERE to see our full range of kits.
This is so cute! Thank you.
This is ADORABLE!!!!!
Joli ces petit pois ,merci !
very beautiful !!!
thank you
So cute! This afternoons “ me time” project.
Thank you!
You’re very welcome…enjoy! xx