Hobbies And Interests
Tin Can Pin Cushion
Find a small tin can, such as a cat food container, and carefully remove the label so that it̵7;s all in one piece. Trace the label onto a piece of a strong decorative paper like scrapbook paper or wrapping paper, adding 1/2 inch to the length for overlapping. Use double-stick tape and attach the label to the can. For the lid, place a handful of polyfill in the middle of an 8-by-8 inch piece of fabric of your choice and gather the ends until you form a ball. Hot-glue the inside of the can and insert the ball, tucking in the fabric until it is taut and sticks in place. Insert your pins in the top.
Flower Pot Pin Cushion
As a variation to the tin can pin cushion, take a mini flower pot and cut a piece of fabric that measures three times the width of the top of the pot. Insert polyfill inside the fabric and use a rubber band to loosely wrap the fabric/polyfill ball. Add as much additional polyfill as you can, then wrap the rubber band around a few more times. Glue the insides of the pot and stuff in the fabric ball.
Retro Cup Pin Cushion
Choose an old cup or mug of any kind and select a fabric to complement the cup̵7;s design. Cut the fabric 4 inches larger than the cup̵7;s rim, then use a needle and thread to sew a running stitch along the fabric̵7;s edge, which you will use to draw up the circle. Place polyfill inside the fabric and draw it up, adding more filling as needed to make the cushion firm. Then draw the thread tightly and stitch it off so that it̵7;s secure. (As an alternate method, you can use a rubber band instead of sewing to draw the cushion taut.) Glue the inside of the cup, place the cushion so that the drawn part faces inward, and push it firmly into place.
Canning Jar Pin Cushion
Take a canning jar and use the lid to cut out a circle of the same shape from card stock. Use the same lid to trace a circle on the wrong side of a piece of fabric, but increase the circle̵7;s radius an inch before cutting it out. Make a ̶0;sandwich̶1; by layering the fabric, some cotton balls and the jar̵7;s lid and push the sandwich inside the removable band of the canning jar so the fabric/cotton part pokes through. If needed, you can adjust the fabric at this point to remove creases. When you are satisfied that the fabric is smooth, fold it over and hot glue it to the underside of the lid. Trim excess fabric and hot glue the cardstock over the fabric edges. Line the band with some glue and press the pin cushion firmly inside. Add the lid to the jar, using the top part as your pin cushion, and fill the bottom of the jar with safety pins or any other accessory you desire.