Strawberry Pincushions

FINISHED SIZES: 3˝ × 3½˝ and 2⅜˝ × 2½˝

Of course you need a strawberry pincushion to go with the Strawberry Pouch. These strawberry pincushions are a quick, hand-sewn project. You’ll want to make at least one for yourself—and then more for your friends.

By the way, these make really cute Christmas ornaments.

Materials

•Red felted wool for large strawberry: 1 scrap 3½˝ × 7˝ per pincushion

•Red felted wool for small strawberry: 1 scrap 3˝ × 5½˝ per pincushion

•Green felted wool for large topper: 1 scrap 3˝ × 3¾˝ per pincushion

•Green felted wool for small topper: 1 scrap 2½˝ × 3˝ per pincushion

Additional supplies

•Self-adhesive laminating sheets: 1 sheet

•Threads: Perle cotton size 12 in colors to match or complement the fabrics

•Ribbon: A short scrap for the stem

•Stuffing: Use lizard litter or wool, cotton, or polyester stuffing

Pincushion Assembly

Refer to General Appliqué Instructions as needed.

1.Make templates for the pincushions using the Strawberry Pincushions patterns.

2.Place the felted wool right side up on a sandpaper board. Place the template right side up on the felted wool and trace around it.

3.Cut out all the felted wool pieces.

Tracing on Felted Wool

Felted wool is fuzzy, which makes it hard to write on. You can sometimes use a chalk pencil, but if that isn’t working for you, use a Sharpie Ultra Fine Point marker or something similar. Draw the line just a little bit away from the edge of the template.

When you cut away the excess fabric, be sure to cut off the drawn line.

4.Place the strawberry topper over the centerline of the strawberry, both shapes right side up. Turn the topper so that it is slightly on the diagonal. Sew the 2 shapes together with a stem stitch to create veins.

Use stem stitch to sew shapes together.

5.Cut a small slit ⅛˝–³⁄₁₆˝ long in the top center of the strawberry, through both pieces of felt. Pull a loop of ribbon or trim through the slit. Sew the ends of the ribbon in place on the inside of the strawberry.

Alternate stem option: Don’t cut the slit; finish the pincushion as described in Steps 6–8. Sew a special bead or button to the top of the strawberry instead of the stem.

6.Sew seeds on the strawberry. Becky used black perle cotton size 12 to sew several short lines. You could use embroidery floss, narrow silk ribbon, beads, or anything else that suits you.

Add seeds to strawberry.

7.Fold the strawberry in half, right sides together. Sew together the 2 sides with a running stitch about ⅛˝ inside of the cut edges. Use doubled perle cotton size 12 or multiple strands of embroidery floss in a color to match or coordinate with the strawberry. Stop sewing about 1¼˝ away from the end.

8.Stuff the strawberry as full as you want it to be. Sew the opening closed and knot the thread. Fill it with pins and enjoy using it.