Pin Cushion Tutorial

Here are two pin cushions. The one on the left is a simple pin cushion hot glued to a canning jar lid. The open one on the right is made by recycling a tea container.

Prepare and clean the containers. Rubbing alcohol helps remove any residue that would prevent glue from sticking on the canning jar lid. Peel off any paper from the tea container or whatever container you may be using. Cut off any strings.

The first part of the tutorial will focus on the canning jar because it is a simpler pattern.

 

Part 1 - Canning Jar Pin Cushion Tutorial:
 

Use the lid to trace the pattern for the bottom of the pin cushion. Do not add a seam allowance. After sewing, there should be a border of the lid visible surrounding the pin cushion. The visible strip will allow the ring to fit over the lid and close the jar.

For the dome of the pin cushion, mark a circle about twice as big as the base of the pin cushion. I was able to find a plastic lid that worked. If you are having trouble finding something, you can use the string method.

String Method: Measure a string the width of the lid. Pin or tack the string in to the material. Attach a pen or pencil to the other end. Draw a circle around the pinned end of the string.
 

Now you have a small circle and a large circle for your canning jar.

Press the circles.

On the large circle, sew a zig zag stitch over thread or dental floss to create gathers. Sew around the edge of the circle. Then pull the thread/floss to create the gathers.

Gently use your fingers to move the gathers evenly around the larger circle. Continue to pull the gathers until the opening of the large circle matches the size of the small circle.

Pin the large circle to the small circle, right sides together. Sew. Remember to lock your stitches and to leave an opening so you can turn the pin cushion right site out.
 

Stuff the cushion with cotton stuffing or whatever you prefer. (Sand, walnut shells, fabric scraps, yarn…) Hand sew the opening closed.
 

Whenever I knot my thread, I insert the needle one last time into the fabric at the base of the knot and exit the needle anywhere from half an inch to an inch away. Pull the thread through and trim where the needle exits to keep the thread tucked neatly away.

Glue the pin cushion to the bottom of the canning lid. Notice the rubber seal is visible. That will allow the ring to secure the lid to the top of the jar.

The rubber seal is no longer visible when the ring is added. The pin cushion can also be turned so it is inside the jar for child or pet safety.

Glue lace around the outside of the ring so it is standing up. Make sure you do not get glue inside the ring or it may prevent the lid from screwing onto the jar.

Now, glue lace around the ring so it is hanging down like a skirt.

Glue a ribbon around the ring to cover the lace seams. Tie a bow or glue a bow onto the ribbon for the final touch.

 

The pin cushion can be turned so it is inside the jar. The printed words on the top of the lid should be visible. This gives a better seal. If you don’t like the look of the plain metal lid, you can decorate it with fabric and notions. 

 

Part II - Tea Container Pin Cushion Tutorial:

Use the lid for the pattern. Trace five circles.   

The dome of the pin cushion should be about twice as wide as the base. I used the same plastic lid.

Measure the lid height. Add an inch to the measurement for seam allowances. This lid measured approximately 1 ½ inches. The fabric was cut to 2 ½ inches.

Measure the bottom of the tea container and add an inch. This one measured about 4 ½ inches so the fabric will be cut to 5 ½ inches. Do not include the white lip in the measurement for the fabric. It needs to remain bare so the lid will fit.

Measure around the container and add an inch. This one measured almost 10 inches. The fabric was cut at 11 inches.

The fabric pieces you should have are: 1) A piece for the bottom of the container. 2) A piece for the top of the container. 3) A large circle for the dome of the pin cushion. 4) A small circle for the bottom of the pin cushion. 5) Two circles for the top of the container. 6) Two circles for the bottom of the container.

*Remember, you should have a total of five small circles. The picture looks like it only has three. Two are under the other circles.

On the large circle, use a zig zag setting to sew over a long piece of thread or floss to create the gathers.

Use your fingers to move the gathers evenly along the thread/floss. Continue making gathers until the dome has an opening that matches the size of the base.

Pin the bottom of the pin cushion and top of the pin cushion, right sides together. Sew leaving an opening for turning. Remember to lock the stitches.

Turn the pin cushion right side out and fill with stuffing. Use your favorite. Then hand sew the opening closed. After knotting the thread, you can insert the needle at the base of the knot and exit the needle ½ to 1 inch away. Clip the thread where the needle exits to keep the loose ends tucked away.

Glue the pin cushion inside the lid of the container. Only add glue to the bottom of the pin cushion or the inside of the top of the lid. The sides need to remain glue free so the lid will still fit onto the container.

The fabric to cover the side of the lid for this tea contain measures 2 ½ inches by 11 inches. Press a ¼ inch seam along the 11 inch side.

The fabric to cover the side of the bottom part of the tea container measures 5 ½ inches by 11 inches. Press a ¼ inch seam along the 11 inch side.
 
You can sew the seam flat at this point if you find it easier. I chose to wait to sew the seam.

Fold both fabrics right sides together so that the 11 inch length is halved. Pin and sew with a half inch seam allowance.

Sew the circles right sides together along the traced line. Complete the circle so there is no opening.

The fabric for the lid and bottom should now look like a tunnel. Press the seams open. Then pin the pressed seam for sewing. Sew to finish the edge.

 

Cut slits into one side of the circles. Turning right sides out. Be careful not to cut the other side. Trim excess material from the edge.

Turn circles right side out. I use a wooden skewer to make sure the edges are fully pushed out. Press with an iron.

I had quite a bit if trouble getting the outside to fit correctly over the tea container. Finally, after many tries, I was able to sew the outside loose enough to fit over the container. It was looser than I would have liked, but with all my previous problems, I decided to keep it this way. Because it was a little loose, I glued the lace on first to make the fabric a little snugger. Then I added the “tunnels” of fabric and hot glued the seams over the lace.

Feel free glue the fabric first before the lace. Do whatever works better for you.

Hand baste thread about ¼ of an inch from the raw edge. Then pull to create gathers to fold the material over the edge. (Much like English paper piecing.) Make a knot to keep the material over the edge.

 

To finish the lid, pin lace around the raw edges. Lay one of the circles over the lace and pin in place. For the bottom, lay the circle over the raw edges and pin in place. Hand sew to finish.

*The lace and circles can be glued into place instead of stitched.

Add red ribbon where the fabric meets the lace and you are finished.

When the lids are on correctly, the pin cushions are hidden away in both containers.

The finished pin cushions will hold scissors, thread, or other items for projects.