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    Home » Sewing

    How to make your own Pincushion with a Pocket

    Updated: May 24, 2019 by Melissa Mortenson · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 11 Comments

    Learn how to make a cute pincushion with a pocket to hold your scissors! A free pincushion sewing tutorial- love the churn dash quilt block addition! #pincushions #DIYpincusions #pincushionstosew #pincushionpatterns #Cutepincushions #sewingtutorial #sewing

    Just last week I was getting ready to hand-stitch a project and I could not find my small scissors anywhere! If I had a pincushion with a pocket like the one that Sarah Ashford created for today’s tutorial, I would not have had that problem. I love that this project is so useful and it gives you the fun opportunity to stitch up a mini churn dash quilt block as well (I’m enamored with all things mini lately).  Keep reading to get this cute free pincushion pattern.

    Tutorial for a Churn Dash Pin Cushion with a Pocket for your Scissors

    Learn how to make a cute pincushion with a pocket to hold your scissors! A free pincushion sewing tutorial- love the churn dash quilt block addition! #pincushions #DIYpincusions #pincushionstosew #pincushionpatterns #Cutepincushions #sewingtutorial #sewing

    I don’t know about you but I’m always dropping pins, losing pins, hunting for the right type of pin, just when I’m at the critical moment in a project. And as for embroidery scissors for snipping those loose threads, I can never find them when I need them! So it gave me the idea to make a pincushion, that also keeps my scissors safe too, so I can always find them! I decided to create a pincushion with a pocket.

    I’ve worked on a lot of projects recently that have been really modern in design. I’ve done lots of foundation paper piecing, some improv piecing, and used lots of solids. So I wanted to go back to the roots of quilting and use a traditional method and a traditional quilt block.

    Learn how to make a cute pincushion with a pocket to hold your scissors! A free pincushion sewing tutorial- love the churn dash quilt block addition! #pincushions #DIYpincusions #pincushionstosew #pincushionpatterns #Cutepincushions #sewingtutorial #sewing

    One that I love but I’ve not used for some time is the Churn Dash Block. This is a very old 9 patch block and one that girls first learned in the 1800’s because of the simplicity of its rectangles, triangles, and squares. It gets its name because the perimeter resembles the butter churn and the square center resembles the stick – also known as the dash. So there you go, a little bit of history before you embark on this cute project!

    Traditionally Churn Dash blocks are made up of 2 high contrasting fabrics. Well, I’m abandoning tradition for this bit and throwing in as many adorable Heather Ross Tiger Lily fabrics as I can find, but you can use any fabrics you choose. You might want to consider some contrast but why not add in 3 or even 4 different colors. See if it works and if it doesn’t, try a different combination!

    supplies needed to create the pincushion

    Supplies for Pincushion Pattern:

    You will need:

    Center square 1 ½”

    2 x colored squares 2” for the triangles (slightly larger to allow for trimming)

    2 x background color squares 2” for the triangles (slightly larger to allow for trimming)

    6” x 1” colored strip

    6 x 1” background color strip

    For the Pocket:

    1 x 3 ½” square (pocket lining)

    For the Cushion:

    2 x 5 ½” x 3 ½” (front and back of cushion)

    Toy stuffing

    Instructions to make the Pincushion with a Pocket:

    Step One: Make the Mini Churn Dash Quilt Block

    We are going to start off by making a 3” (finished) Churn Dash block.

    Take the colored strip and stitch right sides together with the background color strip. Press open and sub cut into four 1 ½” inch strips.

    constructing the mini churn dash quilt block

    Next, create the half square triangles (HSTs) by taking 1 colored 2” square and placing it right sides together with a background 2” square. Draw a line down the center and pin near the edge of the square on either side. Repeat with the other pair.

    constructing the mini churn dash quilt block

    Using a ¼” foot, stitch down either side of the drawn line. Using a rotary cutter, cut down the drawn line creating two HSTs.

    constructing the mini churn dash quilt block

    Open out, press to the dark side and trim the ears. Trim to 1 ½”. Repeat with the other pair of squares to create 4 HSTs in total.

    constructing the mini churn dash quilt block

    You now have all the components of the block, ready to stitch together.

    Starting with the top row, take the square made of two rectangles and stitch a HST to either side, checking the orientation of the block.

    constructing the mini churn dash quilt block

    Take the center square and stitch a square made of 2 rectangles to either side, checking that the background fabric is on the outside of each square vertically.

    constructing the mini churn dash quilt block

    Take the final square made of 2 rectangles and stitch a HST to either side, checking the orientation of the block.

    constructing the mini churn dash quilt block

    Stitch all the rows together to complete the Churn Dash block.

    Learn how to make a cute pincushion with a pocket to hold your scissors! A free pincushion sewing tutorial- love the churn dash quilt block addition! #pincushions #DIYpincusions #pincushionstosew #pincushionpatterns #Cutepincushions #sewingtutorial #sewing

    Step Two: Make the Pocket for the Pincushion

    Take the pocket lining piece and place right sides together with the Churn Dash block. Stitch across the top to join the two blocks together. Open out and press.

    sewing the pincushion together

    Fold the lining fabric so that it is wrong sides together. Press in place and top stitch ⅛” from the top.

    mini churn dash quilt block for pincushion

    Step Three: Construct the Pincushion

    Now to construct the pincushion. Lay the pieces down in the following order:

    Top cushion fabric right side up, pocket lined up with the bottom, right side down, back of cushion right side down. Use basting clips to pin in place, leaving a gap for turning.

    assembling the pincushion

    Clip basting pins all around the outside, leaving a gap at the top for turning. Stitch all around the edge using a ¼” seam, and reinforcing beginning and end.

    Clip the corners and turn out. Stuff with toy stuffing.

    stuffing the pincushion

    Use basting clips to hold the opening closed and use a small slip stitch to close the gap.

    Learn how to make a cute pincushion with a pocket to hold your scissors! A free pincushion sewing tutorial- love the churn dash quilt block addition! #pincushions #DIYpincusions #pincushionstosew #pincushionpatterns #Cutepincushions #sewingtutorial #sewing

    Add your scissors and pins and you are finished! Now you’ve no excuse to ever lose your scissors or pins again!

    Learn how to make a cute pincushion with a pocket to hold your scissors! A free pincushion sewing tutorial- love the churn dash quilt block addition! #pincushions #DIYpincusions #pincushionstosew #pincushionpatterns #Cutepincushions #sewingtutorial #sewing

     

    About the Maker:

    Sarah Ashford is a British Quilter and embroiderer and founder of the GreatBritishQuilter challenge on Instagram. Sarah regularly contributes projects to magazines and loves to spread the joy of quilting everywhere she goes. Follow her on Instagram at @sarahashfordstudio and be sure to check out her beautiful sewing room decals in her etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/sarahashfordstudio

    Other projects you may like:

    • Padded iPad Case Sewing Tutorial
    • Bedside Kid Tote Tutorial
    • How to make a Dresden Quilt Block
    • Quilting Basics for Beginners

     

    Learn how to make a cute pincushion with a pocket to hold your scissors! A free pincushion sewing tutorial- love the churn dash quilt block addition! #pincushions #DIYpincusions #pincushionstosew #pincushionpatterns #Cutepincushions #sewingtutorial #sewing

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    About Author

    Melissa Mortenson

    Melissa Mortenson is a blogger, designer, and content creator. She is the Polka Dot Chair blog founder and has been sharing fresh and creative ideas with readers since 2008. She is the author of “Project Teen, Handmade Gifts your Teen will Actually Love.” Her work and designs have been featured on HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, BuzzFeed, Better Homes & Gardens, and many other established publications. Her first fabric line, “Derby Style,” debuted in January 2015 through Riley Blake Designs.  Additional fabric collections have followed it in subsequent years. A mom of 3, she considers herself lucky to be living in Kentucky.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ivory says

      May 15, 2018 at 7:53 pm

      WOW! I love this project, fabulous.

      Reply
    2. Carole Kokinis says

      May 18, 2018 at 2:37 pm

      “pocket lined up with the bottom, right side down……………….should be right side up as shown in the illustration? Love the mini block, which would make a mini pincushion on its own. Thank you.

      Reply
    3. Heather says

      May 21, 2018 at 10:13 am

      This looks like a bed for Polly Pockets. (I have daughters who used to love them. For anyone who hasn’t seen Polly Pockets, they are tiny dolls.)

      Reply
    4. Annette Crain says

      December 24, 2018 at 11:43 am

      Thank you for the neat churn dash pocket pincushion tutorial! What is your recommended size of sissors for this little project? Happy Holidays!

      Reply
    5. Annette says

      February 26, 2019 at 2:04 am

      Thanks a million. Question? What does HST’s stand for. Thanks a lot

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        March 06, 2019 at 3:56 pm

        Half Square Triangle

        Reply
    6. Bronny says

      April 12, 2020 at 3:17 am

      Thank you for this project. Have made 2 this afternoon. I added a flap of brushed cotton on the back, fastened with vintage press-studs to trap my orts when I”m out stitching at work.

      Reply
    7. Linda Gleason says

      July 04, 2020 at 8:48 pm

      If you stuff your pincushions with steel wool, the pins will stay sharp.

      Reply
    8. Lydia Foley says

      October 22, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      I’m new to the churn dash block, and am confused on the triangles. I followed the directions and had squares look exactly like the 4 unsewn triangular squares that lay side by side. Then in the next picture, it shows the 2 HST sewn to the 2 rectangular piece. The HST has a seam allowance that does not show in the previous picture. It looks like the two pieces I sewed together to create the HST should actually been a square and rectangle to create the seam allowance. Please help me understand…this is an extremely cute project that I am certain I am missing something.

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        October 23, 2020 at 3:13 pm

        The whole project uses a 1/4″ seam allowance. So when the block is all sewn together it will line up as all of the other pieces will have a 1/4″ seam allowance as well.

        Reply
    9. Liza says

      January 11, 2021 at 5:40 pm

      Cute project…I made one for my daughter who took up embroidery recently. Thank you…clear easy instructions and it turned out perfectly.

      Reply

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