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October 17, 2013

Skinny Pinny for October Across The Pond Sew Along

The Skinny Pincushion is this month's
and I was really grateful to Susie of Susie's Sunroom
for picking something that is so quick to make,
fun to create, and useful!


{The free tutorial can be found here from Green Bee Designs.}

These are Susie's skinny pinnies!  Photo from Susie's Sunroom
Want to see mine?
I was tempted to use the Panoramic setting
on my camera, to capture it in its entirety.

I'll just show you some close-ups, in stages, instead.

I started out with a favorite Lakehouse button print. 


 For the main body, I used the text print
from Sweetwater's "Mama Said Sew" line.
I was "saving" this sewing print for something special,
and it does make a killer pincushion!


All the way down at the other end,
I used the red and black ricrac from
the same Mama Said Sew line.


Here it is, all in one photo!


When I made my skinny pinny,
I pieced together the fabrics for the top,
to measure about 3" x 15".
I cut a piece of the button print for the bottom
that also measured 3" x 15".
I fused some Pellon ShapeFlex SF101 interfacing
to the wrong sides of the top and bottom,
for some support.

I stitched the pieces wrong-sides-together,
leaving about a 5" opening in the center of the long side 
that would become the top of the pincushion.
My finished pinny is about 2 1/2" x 14 1/2".

Here's a trick I always use when I have to leave
an opening for turning and/or stuffing:
I stitch from the edge of the project,
straight over to the start of the seam, backstitching,
on each side of the opening.

{It's easier to show you than it is to describe it.}


Here's another tip:
after turning the pincushion right sides out,
I always give it a really good pressing,
to smooth it before stuffing.

{Now's the time to add a cute label, too, if you've got one.}


Susie and many other pincushion aficionados
swear by crushed walnut shells,
for stuffing their pinnies.
I'm allergic to walnuts myself,
so I just used plenty of polyfil to plump up mine...
just a bit.

{It's still skinny!}



Once it was stuffed, I hand-stitched the opening closed.
Now you know why I chose to make my opening
at the top of the pincushion,
where it will rarely be seen.

;)


Just for a bit of jazz, 
I added a piece of black ricrac to my skinny pinny.
I just pinned it between the top and bottom layers,
along a seam, before I stitched them together.
The ricrac is actually not stitched down,
except at the seams.
I'm hoping to find a nice new pair of scissors
that can be slipped under the ricrac when I'm not using them.


I've already enjoyed using
this little gem, and it's loaded up with many more pins
than I've shown in this photo.


From both sides of The Pond,
we hope you'll share photos
in our Flickr group, if you find  few minutes to make
your own Skinny Pincushion!


11 comments:

  1. You never cease to amaze me! These are so beautiful and practical!

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  2. You always find the cutest material to use for your projects! I love the addition of the ric rak and great idea to keep it "open" for storing scissors or whatever. Love it!
    Julie @ The Crafty Quilter

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  3. Ooo, I love this! And thank you for the tip about leaving an opening - great, great idea! I might just have to add a skinny pinny to my sewing list :)

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  4. What a pretty combination! I love the ric rac addition as well.

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  5. Love this !! Great post! You give the best instructions!

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  6. Just beautiful.... the fabrics and ric rac !! Love it!!

    susie

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  7. These are super cute and sure I`ll make one with your tutorial.The last one caught my eye.Have a fun weekend!!

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  8. Yours turned out beautifully!! I'll be making mine this weekend. Thank you so much for the gorgeous inspiration! :)

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  9. Amy, this is wonderful! I love it! Thank you so much for the tips too, I wish I had known before... better late than never!

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  10. Perfect fabric choice for a sewing pincushion - lovely. I also like the ric-rac touch. Very nice indeed.
    xxx

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  11. This is adorable and very clever s well!

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