Today I am happy to share this tutorial for a mini 9 patch pin cushion with you. It's simple, fun, and best yet, it's a nearly instant gratification project. It's perfect for this time of year when many of us have limited sewing time. My hope is that you make a cute little pin cushion for yourself, then make one to give to a friend and brighten their day! Repeat as many times as you see fit. ;)
Materials Needed:
5 1" squares in a small print or solid for the 9 patch
4 1" squares in white for the 9 patch
2 2" x 1 1/2" strips for the borders
2 4" x 1 1/2" strips for the borders
1 4 1/2" square of batting
1 4" square of light or mid weight interfacing
1 4 1/2" square of fabric for the backing
crushed walnut shells*
or poly fiber fill for the filling
*Crushed walnut shells are normally used for lizard bedding. They can be found in larger pet stores. I think I bought mine at Pet Smart in a 11 liter bag. That will make quite a few pin cushions! :)
All seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise noted.
Assembly:
Lay out the 1" squares in a 9 patch formation as shown.
Sew the blocks together into 3 rows. Then sew the rows together to make a mini 9 patch. Press well. The middle square finishes at 1/2"!!! (Eeeee!) I'll admit that these are fiddly-but so darn cute-so it's totally worth it!
Sew the 2" x 1 1/2" strips to the top and the bottom of the 9 patch block. Press the seams toward the borders.
Sew the 4" x 1 1/2" strips to the sides of the block. Again, press the seams toward the borders.
Layer the block on to a 4 1/2" piece of batting. Quilt with straight lines about 1/4" apart through the borders only. Since this piece is so small, I didn't even bother changing to a walking foot. I used the same foot I used to piece everything together and it worked just fine.
Trim the quilted piece to 4" square.
Following the package directions, fuse the square of interfacing to the square of backing fabric. Trim the piece to 4" square.
Place the quilted piece and the backing piece right sides together. Sew around the perimeter, leaving a small opening for turning. Back stitch at the beginning and ending of the seam. Trim corners close to (but not through) the thread line.
Carefully turn the pin cushion right side out. Use a knitting needle or a blunt end of a scissors to turn out the corners nicely.
Fill with crushed walnut shells or poly fiber fill. If you are using crushed walnut shells (as I did here) I suggest using a piece of scratch paper rolled into a funnel to make filling easier. Hand stitch the opening closed with a ladder stitch and silk thread for a nearly invisible closure.
Stick a few pins in and admire your cute little pin cushion!!!
The more you make, the cuter they are!
Trust me, I've done studies on it! By the way, these 12 were made last year.
So, there you have it! Make one, give one, spread some joy! :) As always, if you make any of these, I'd love to see them.
Terms of use: Please use this tutorial for personal use only. Make as many as you would like to keep or to give as gifts, but please do not sell items made from this tutorial. Thank you so much!
