Cake Themed Pincushions

These irresistible pincushions would make a lovely gift set, especially when teamed with the matching sewing box – it’s the perfect size for thimbles and threads. The pincushions are really quick to make and are stitched from felt, so won’t fray. Designer Ellen has added some split peas to the stuffing to give some weight to the project, and sewn sprinkles using oddments of coloured threads.

Essentials

Fabric: spotty, fat quarter
Felt: brown; chocolate; beige; caramel; pink; red; peach; green
Ric rac: red, 80cm; pink; orange; yellow; 40cm each
Stuffing
Thread, embroidery, assorted colours
Fusible webbing Pencil, chalk
Interfacing, fusible Split peas
Beads; two Button Ribbon, scrap

Dimensions List

Iced swirl pincushion: 11cm x 14cm
Chocolate cake pincushion: 6cm x 11cm
Sewing box: 8cm x 12cm

Sew a iced swirl pincushion

Download the templates and print. Cut a 12cm circle from brown felt, and a 16cm circle from beige, then cut a 5cm x 35.5cm strip from brown felt for the side of the cake. Iron fusible webbing onto the back of a 10cm square of caramel felt.
Draw a three-swirl spiral onto the backing paper and carefully cut it out. Peel the backing paper off the spiral and place it in the centre of the beige circle. Press under a cloth to fix into place. Machine topstitch along the centre of the spiral. Using different coloured embroidery thread and sew sprinkles around the beige circle.
Transfer the position of the darts onto the beige circle as indicated on the template and machine stitch on the wrong side of the fabric. With right sides facing, pin and stitch the ends of the long strip of brown felt together. Then, with right sides facing, pin the beige circle to the brown strip, and sew into place. With right sides facing, pin the brown base to the brown strip, and machine stitch into place, leaving a 4cm gap for turning.
Turn the pincushion through the gap and stuff well, adding some split peas to the base, then hand sew closed. Cut a length of yellow ric rac to fit the circumference and hand sew in place where the beige and brown felt meet. Cut five petal shapes from red felt and sew their points together to make a flower. Attach to the swirl, adding a bead for decoration.

Make a chocolate cake pin cushion

Cut two 11.5cm circles from brown felt. Using the same felt, cut a 6cm x 35cm strip for the side. Using a chalk pencil, draw diagonal lines onto the strip, positioning them 2cm apart. Draw another set of lines in the opposite direction so they make a diamond pattern. Machine topstitch over the lines in a contrasting thread.
Pin orange ric rac to the centre of the strip and machine stitch into place. With right sides facing, pin the ends of the strip together and machine stitch. Cut a length of red ric rac to fit the circumference of a circle and tack 2mm in from the edge. With right sides facing, pin the side to the felt circle and carefully machine stitch into place. Turn the right way out and embroider sprinkles using different coloured threads.
With right sides facing, pin the base to the sides, leaving a 4cm gap for turning. Turn the pincushion out and stuff well, adding some split peas to the base. Hand sew up the gap. Cut two small blossom flower shapes from peach felt and sew running stitches through the centre of each one. Pull the threads to gather. Cut two small leaf shapes from green felt and sew to the flowers, then attach them to the top of the cake, adding a bead for decoration.

Create a sewing box

Pin a length of pink ric rac across the middle of a 5cm x 31cm strip of brown felt. Machine stitch into place. With right sides facing, pin and stitch the ends of the strip together. Cut an 11cm circle of brown felt, and with right sides facing, pin the base to the sides and machine stitch in place.
Iron interfacing onto the back of spotty fabric and cut a 5.5cm x 28cm strip and a 9.5cm circle. Pin the ends of the strip together and machine stitch into place. Pin the base to the strip and machine sew. Fold over a 5cm hem at the raw edge and push the lining into the base. Sew the lining into the box base using neat whip stitches, leaving a small gap at the back for a ribbon tab.
Cut a 15cm circle of brown felt. Cover the back of a piece of pink felt with fusible webbing and cut out a large blossom flower. Peel off the backing paper and iron the flower onto the brown felt circle. Sew pink running stitches around the flower. Transfer the dart marks from the template onto the circle and sew. Attach a button in the centre of the flower and embroider sprinkles using different coloured thread.
Cut an 11cm circle from fabric for the top of the lid. Using pinking shears, cut an 8cm circle of pink felt and sew to the centre of the fabric. Trim red ric rac to fit around the lid and tack 2mm in from the raw edge of the felt circle. With right sides facing, pin the lid to the lid base and machine stitch into place, leaving a 4cm gap at the back for turning. Turn the right way out and stuff. Insert a small piece of ribbon into the gap, then sew it closed. Insert the other end of the ribbon between the box lining, then sew up the gap.