Woven Ribbon Pin Cushion

This intricate-looking weave is quick and easy to create but gives a fantastic finish to this must-have sewing accessory. Work with satin, printed and grosgrain ribbons to create a unique pin cushion that makes a great stocking filler, or – if you can't part with it – will brighten up your work basket.

Essentials

Cotton, bright coloured, two 11cm squares
Interfacing, fusible, 11cm square
Ribbon: satin, printed and grosgrain, each 17mm wide, 12cm long
Embroidery thread, coordinating
Toy stuffing

Dimensions List

Approx 10cm square

Pin Cushion

Prepare the interfacing. Iron the square of fusible interfacing onto one square of cotton and remove the backing paper.
Arrange the ribbons. Lay the lengths of ribbon over the cotton, weaving in and out of each other in a random pattern. Leave a 1cm seam allowance all around the square.
Trim the ends of the ribbon in line with the cotton square and hold each length in place with a tacking stitch at either end inside the seam allowance.
Secure the interfacing. Turn the woven panel over and press with a hot iron on the reverse to bond the ribbon to the interfacing panel on the fabric.
Use embroidery thread and work with a short running stitch to hold any areas of the ribbon down onto the surface if necessary.
With right sides facing, place the second square of cotton over the design and tack around two edges. Cut ten ribbon tails of varying lengths and sandwich these between the squares at one corner before continuing to tack around the remaining sides, leaving one small opening to turn the project through.
With a straight machine stitch, sew along the tacking line leaving the small opening unstitched. Clip the corners and turn through to the right side. Fan out the ribbon tails at the corner.
Stuff the pin cushion firmly with toy stuffing and over sew the opening using small stitches.