Lady Bug Wearable Pin Cushion

Sometimes the sewing machine breaks...........

I made a little pincushion today to take my mind off the fact that I still have three outfits half made and another three or four ready to go and no sewing machine. I think a piece has broken off and is lodged in the machinery somewhere. I pulled everything apart and cleaned it, I followed the T.N.T theory. T= thread, is it threaded correctly? N = Needle, is the needle dull or bent? T= Tension, have you adjusted the tension? I think I'm going to have to give her to the professionals to look after.
:(

I hand stitched a large part of my bathing suit top and had a hard time with pin cushion. It kept sliding around on the table. Very frustrating. So I decided it was time for one of these wrist pin cushions.

Here's how I made it.

Things you will need to make this wrist pin cushion:

one sheet each of red and black felt
small scrap of white felt for eyes
matching embroidery floss
stuffing
plastic lid

Tools:

scissors for cutting fabric and plastic
pinking shears
embroidery needles
two large snaps (or some velcro)

Cut an oblong shape that is about 1.5 inches by 3 inches from the lid of a plastic food container.

With your pinking shears cut an oblong of black felt that is a half inch larger than the plastic oblong on all sides.

Make a red oblong that is one inch wider and a half inch longer than the black oblong. Cut two, one inch long triangles from each end of the red oblong. These are darts to make the red piece a three dimensional shape.

Using matching embroidery floss sew the darts closed.

Flip the red piece inside out so the rough sewn edges are on the inside. sandwich the plastic piece in between the red and black pieces and sew around the edge with a quarter inch seam allowance. Stop when you are about an inch away from where you started sewing and stuff the piece between the red felt and the plastic with stuffing until it is firm. Continue sewing the piece until it is sealed. I used red thread but black would work also.

Cut a small half oval from the black felt.

Match the bottom flat edge of the half oval to the bottom flat edge of the lady bug as shown.
Pin the piece in place and sew it there using black embroidery floss.

Pin the top of the half oval around the top of the ladybug tucking and pleating where necessary. Sew it in place using black embroidery floss.

Add a middle stripe and some dots of felt and sew them in place using black floss.

Add some eyes. I used white and black felt but sew on or glue on googlie eyes would be pretty cute too.

Using your pinking shears cut two strips that are two inches by five inches, and two strips that are two inches by three inches. Round off one end of each strip.

Sew the matching bands together around the edges.

Sew the non-rounded ends to the bottom of the ladybug.

Add snaps or velcro to fasten the piece.

I chose snaps, GIANT snaps!

Add a mouth with red embroidery floss.

The plastic will keep the pins from stabbing your wrist. I think this little guy will stop any future frustration from skittering pin cushions.

George helped a great deal by keeping my lap warm. Every time I removed him he crawled back up. It was easier to just work around him and nice to have the company.