Wrist Pincushion Tutorial

Okay, okay, I know I said that I'd post the second Kaleidoscope Kreator project today, but I forgot to take pictures this afternoon when the sun was out!  So tomorrow I will have it for you, along with the Art Journaling Week winner.  In the meantime, I've got a fun sewing and stamping and painting tutorial to share!

I was watching Project Runway and I was totally inspired by the wrist pincushion on one of the designer's wrists.  There was nothing special about the pincushion, but I had been meaning to make myself one forever and it was a good kick in the butt.  I often end up at the sewing machine with pins in my mouth and the pin cushion is way over on the other side of the room and...well, I wanted a wrist pincushion.

Here's what I did....

STEP ONE: Create Pincushion Fabric

I used Archival Ink to stamp my image onto a piece of plain white fabric twice.

I used acrylic paint to paint in one of the images (the other one will be on the bottom of the pincushion and barely show).

You do not need to do a super careful job when you're painting.  Just get some color on there!

STEP TWO: Cut Pincushion Pieces

Once the paint has dried, rough cut your two pieces.

Holding the fabric up to a light, line up the images so that they're face to face (right side to right side), and then put a pin in the center.

Cut a rough circle out, generally following the line of the stamped image.  (For the sake of the photo I've put the pattern side up, but your pattern will be on the inside.)

STEP THREE: Stitch and Stuff

Stitch around the edge of the fabric sandwich, but be sure to leave a gap so that you'll be able to turn it right side out.

No need to clip the seams.  Simply remove the pin and turn it right-side-out.

Stuff your pincushion with fiberfill.  I like to overstuff and get a very firm pincushion.

You can get fancy and do a really invisible stitch to seal this up, but I'm not that talented a seamstress.  Witness my messy whipstitch in electric blue:

It does the job!

STEP FOUR: Make the Wristband Fabric

Stamp your fabric using Archival Ink.  I used a square stamp and stamped it four times in a row.

Color the stamped strip in with acrylic paint.

Don't worry about the seams where the stamped images meet.  Color them as if the images are whole and no one will notice!

STEP FIVE: Create your Cuff

Create a cuff template from a piece of scrap paper.  Just keep trying it on your wrist and cutting away until it's "just right."  Trace the template onto a piece of muslin.

Rough cut the patterned fabric, the template, and a piece of batting.  Layer them together in the following order (from the bottom): patterned fabric (face down), batting, traced template (face up).

Pin and then stitch, following the template line.  Once it's stitched, cut the cuff shape out.

I used black thread because I like the contrast, but you could certainly use any color that works for you.  Go around the perimeter with a zig zag stitch...

...and then your cuff is done!

STEP SIX: Add Your Closure

Take a scrap of lace and machine stitch it down the edge of your cuff.  The gaps in the lace are going to act as a buttonhole.

Handstitch your buttons to the other end of the cuff.  I used embroidery floss to do this.

Test the cuff to make sure it fits.

STEP SEVEN: Prepare the Flower

Take a flower and pull it apart so that only the outer two layers of petals remain.

Cut a circle from the packaging that the flower came in.

Glue it into the bottom of the flower.  This will prevent any pins from poking you in the wrist.

STEP EIGHT: Assemble Wrist Pincushion

Glue the pincushion inside the flower.  You want to glue the inner layer of petals up the sides of the pincushion.

Glue the flower onto the center of the cuff.

And you're done!

I can imagine so many variations of this!  And I'm delighted to have my very own wrist pincushion.  No more pins in the mouth!

Thanks for stopping by!