The Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade 2017

This was such fun last year that I have been looking forward to joining up again this year. Many thanks to Ida at My Sister Made Me do it for all your hard work in setting this up and arranging for all the lovely prizes!

I went to a car boot sale - vide de grenier as they are known here - last year and spotted this owl pincushion.

He is pewter and had belonged to a friend of mine who had died earlier in the year. Her family were selling some of her things. I could not resist! However, he is a little sad I thought and so I removed the ugly blue lump that was the 'pincushion' and replaced it with a big fluffy velvet pin cushion. Here he is now in all his splendour!

He sits on a little cabinet watching over all the sewing that I do.

A couple of years ago I fell in love with this design from Natalie Bird.

I bought the pattern and then it sat in a drawer for a year. But then last Christmas I decided that it would be my Christmas present to me and so I made up my version.

I based it on my favourite Tilda fabric - the grey with roses which went beautifully with the dusky pink spot - I wish I could get hold of some more of that pink spot!

I replaced the wool applique of the original with embroidery.

And beacause I filled the pincushion with crushed walnut shells it is quite hefty so I replaced the bobble on the top/nose with a loop to make it easy to move around.

For some reasdon this pincushion did not make it to last years post and yet it sits on the table next to me every evening!

Made for me by a dear friend, the extra large thread catcher is useful for storing my handcream, glasses, tapemeasure etc

A tile used as the base makes it nice and stable and the magnetic strip holds my scissors safely in place. The pincushion is large enough to hold masses of pins.

Next up is this Christmas pincushion which again missed out last year - because it is stored away with my Christmas things!

It's a Gail Pan design and I love getting it out to use during December.

I am looking forward to seeing lots of beautiful pincushions in the link up - hope to see you there!

Christmas Through the Year

And this will be my last CTTY post for the year as I think I have completed all my Christmas stitching!

Many thanks to Anthea for keeping us on our toes this year - you can see what other people have been up to on her blog here

I have finished two more wheat bags

and a couple more crazy hearts.

Then I decided that it was time for a Christmas gift for me! I love this Mouse Pincushion pattern by Natalie Bird and bought the pattern last year when I finally tracked down a copy in the UK. But that is as far as it went. Now seemed like a great time to make it.

And here is my completed pincushion.

I adapted the pattern to suit me as I don't do wool applique - instead I embroidered the large mouse and flower on the side panel.

I also swapped the felt ball on the top for a loop - filled with crushed walnut shells this is quite a hefty pin cushion and the loop makes it easy to move around.

I used some of my favourite Tilda fabric and this dusky pink spot which sadly has now all been used up.

The pattern even includes some of my favourite hexies! These are 3/4".

So that's me done for this year - I already have a few ideas for 2017 so watch this space!