Pincushion Parade Blog Hop! {quilt block pin cushion}

Hello and welcome! Today is my turn on the Pincushion Parade Blog Hop hosted by DayBrook Designs. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Stephanie, and I am a hoarder of fabric scraps. This month, I'll be sharing 4 pincushion ideas that use scraps...even some of those itty bitty scraps most sensible quilters throw away! You can find all the blog hop details on this DayBrook Designs blog post. I hope you will join in the fun and sew along with us this month. (There are prizes involved!)

My first pincushion project uses a 4-inch finished quilt block to make a patchwork pincushion. You can use any small quilt block, and this is a great project to try out small piecing without committing to a making a full-size quilt. Today I'm sharing a pincushion using a block made with my scrappy 4-patch heart quilt block tutorial. 

You can find the instructions for making the patchwork heart here.

Instructions:

Make a small quilt block. You can use my patchwork heart tutorial or any small (approximately 4 inches) quilt block pattern. 

Make a mini quilt sandwich by layering your quilt block (right side up) on top of one or two pieces of batting that are cut slightly larger than your quilt block.

Quilt as desired. A small project like this is a great time to try a new quilting technique. I did some straight line, crosshatch quilting on mine. After quilting, trim the batting even with the quilt block.

If desired, you can fuse a piece of interfacing to the wrong side of your backing fabric. Place your quilted piece on top of your pincushion backing with right sides together.

Leaving an opening at the bottom for turning, stitch the layers together using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. (I like to stitch along the edges twice just to make sure everything is secure.) Clip the corners taking care not to cut the stitching.

Turn the pincushion right side out. You can use a blunt tool to help poke out the corners.

Stuff your pincushion as desired. You can use polyfill, shredded batting, fabric scraps, or crushed walnut shells. (My preferred filling is crushed walnut shells because it gives the pincushion a nice weight.) Handstitch the opening closed. I like to use a heavier, upholstery weight thread so the stitching is nice and secure.

Admire your creation!

I'll be sewing along with a lot of the great pincushion tutorials that will be featured this month. I live in Omaha, Nebraska which is just down I-80 from Lincoln, Nebraska and the International Quilt Museum. Friends of the International Quilt Museum sponsor PROJECT PINCUSHION. Pincushions are sold in the IQM gift shop (when it reopens!) and at special museum events. Proceeds go directly toward future exhibits at the IQM. I'm excited at the prospect of actually having pincushions to donate this year!

Thanks for stopping by and happy sewing!