pin cushion

This project has the humblest of beginnings...a tuna can headed for the recycling bin, a bit of stuffing and a little bit of fabric. That's part of the reason I like it so much.

cut a piece of fabric 6" x 11.25"

fold in half lengthwise and press

open and fold both halves toward the center (as if you were making a purse handle)

fold in half again (the raw edges should be tucked inside) and press

open your fabric

take the two short ends and pin together

sew using a 1/4" seam allowance
this should form a tube
finger press the seam open

fold one side in (you can see I had a little helper here)

then fold the other side in, so the raw edges are in the middle

fold again, so all the raw edges are hidden

slip over the can to check the fit
it should be snug

channel stitch the sleeve using your walking foot

slip the sleeve over the can

now, cut a piece of fabric about 11" square
(you don't have to be very exact here....)
this fabric was actually rescued from my grandma's rag bin...it was part of an old worn shirt

add a ball of fiberfill...

gather the edges
make sure that you pack the stuffing tight

and stuff it into the can (so technical, I know)
the thinner the fabric, the easier it is to eliminate folds

I made one with patchwork and added a little ric rac (inspired by Anina) to hide some of the gathers....

and I glued all the pieces in with a bit of tacky glue.

I think I need to make some tuna salad for dinner so I can make some more pincushions. :) These are addicting, too.

If you make one of these, I'd love to see it. And you can also add it to the flickr group, if you would like.