Pincushions (or Pinkeeps / Pinpillows if you prefer) unfairly get a bit of a bad rap. You know the look you get when you tell someone you are making a pincushion. !!!!! Such a basic and mundane object. And yet….so versatile.
The best thing about the humble pincushion is that you get to make something really quickly which is a good distraction midway through a large project, or a gap filler while you are thinking about your next project. And you get to try out different techniques or mediums without too much commitment.
If you have a beautiful piece of dyed linen you don’t know what to do with, a pincushion gets that urge out of the way. A gorgeous thread you bought at some market or on an impulse because you couldn’t resist keeps winking at you? Use it on a pincushion, and finish it off with that lovely bit of trim that you found and didn’t get enough of to use for anything much. And little pincushions are the best way to use up linen scraps and left over bits of beautiful threads. There are so many designs to choose from. I think the designers feel the same way about using the pincushion as a way to express a new idea quickly.
If you have pieces of embroidery you started and no longer want to finish, don’t be afraid to chop them up and make the best bits into a pincushion or two. Your guilt over UFO’s is gone and you have something new to add to your collection.
And pincushions make such beautiful collections. A bowl full will enhance any room and it is something you can change with the seasons or for any occasion – Christmas, Easter, Summer (flowers), Winter (warm broody tones). If you like collections it is a good idea to get a theme going. At the moment we are all mad about the Blackbird Designs Garden Club Series. These use beautiful hand dyed linens and are worked with the exquisite over-dyed threads from The Gentle Art.
And what lovely gifts pincushions make. All stitchers love a hand-made gift even if they could make it themselves. In fact especially if they could make it themselves, as we stitchers are often over looked for that reason, and we appreciate the work more than anyone. But non stitchers are equally grateful and often overwhelmed by a gift made with loving hands.
Please don't fill your pincushions with polyester fibre fill. If you want to use it as a pincushion that is the worst thing to do as your needles and pins will rust. Always use sheeps wool or another wool substitute for your filling. The lanolin will help keep your needles in tip top condition.
So check out our Small Projects category under Charts and see if anything takes your fancy
