from McCalls Quilting magazine November/December 2013 pages 59-61

Designed by Jane Thomsas

I call them and they make superior ‘Needle’ cushions

Project Requirements: This is 100% hand work!

8 hexagons (the same size) assorted prints A paper scissors and a fabric scissors 1 sturdy tracing hexagon (height 1 7/8 “) 8 paper-piecing hexagons (height 1 1/4 “) an applique or small iron is helpful Quilting or sturdy thread An applique needle (Thimble is helpful.) Stuffing: Ground Walnut Shells @ Village Creek 12 oz for $3.00 A plastic funnel

Some helpful hints:

‘Fussy Cutting’ the top and bottom Hexie looks

very nice. The top and bottom hexies can be dif-

ferent materials to make it more interesting.

Ground walnut shells are said to sharpen your

pins/needles. If using them for stuffing, avoid using

white or very light fabrics. (Shells may slightly dis-

color white material.) Wool batting may be used

as an alternative.

Before you begin, copy the page of hexagons onto cardstock or heavy paper. Cut them out carefully.

These can be re-used many times. My hexagon template is for 1 1/4 “ high (side to opposite side) by 1 1/2”

wide (point to opposite point). You can make your Hexagons any size you want—just be consistent!

Step 1: Make a tracing template 1/4” larger on all sides than your card-

stock final size. I use an old manila file folder. Trace on fabric and cut

with a scissors. You will need 8 hexagons to make one pincushion.

“Fussy cutting” the top and bottom hexies will make it look really nice.

Another option: using your cardstock final size, cut fabric leaving a

generous 1/4” on all sides. This does not have to be exact.

Step 2: Place your cardstock hexie on the “wrong” side of your fab-

ric hexie. You have a little leeway here, but make sure there is

more than 1/8” of fabric showing on each side; having a little more

material on one or two sides won’t matter.

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Step 3: With an applique or small iron, fold the fabric edges over the

cardstock one edge at a time and press to the size of the cardstock.

This can also be done with a standard size iron, but take care not to burn

your fingers!!!

Step 4: Using a neutral or matching color of basting thread, on the

backside, sew a simple thread knot in each corner where the ma-

terial overlaps. Do NOT sew through the cardstock paper. No

need to be fancy about this. Leave your basting thread in. It ends

up on the inside anyway.

Step 5: Once the basting is done, carefully remove the cardstock paper

from each fabric hexie. I like to iron my fabric hexie one more time to

make sure it is flat and has crisp edges. (Save the cardstock hexie to use

for future pincushions.)

Step 6: Lay out your basted hexies the way you want to put them

together.

In this picture, the red hexie will be the center of the top, and the

sunflower “fussy cut” will be on the bottom. (Actually, either end

could be the top when you are finished.)

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Step 7: Starting with the center ‘top’ hexie and one of the side hexies,

sew a starting knot in one corner and sew the edges of the 2 hexies

together along one side only. Sew a knot in the other end of this seam

too. Use small stitches since the crushed walnut shells used for the

filler can be very small and you don’t want your pincushion to ‘leak’

shell bits all over the place.

Sew the third hexie to the center one and continue

around the center hexie adding a side to each edge

until it looks like this

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Step 8: When the center ‘top’ hexie has 6 side hexies sewn

around it, it is time to sew up 2 edges of a side hexie to it’s near-

est neighbor. It will end up looking like a bowl with the pretty

sides in and the ‘top’ or central hexie sitting at the bottom.

( Remember to sew a knot at each corner of the hexies.)

The opening at the top of your ‘bowl’ will be for the last Hexie

that you intend for your ‘bottom’ one.

Step 9: There is only one place for your eighth hexie to

go...with the “right” sides together, sew five sides of the last

hexie in place. Leave a long tail of thread after your final knot,

but take your needle off. (You’ll thank me later :-)

<<< It will end up looking like this: “wrong” sides and basting threads

showing.

Step 10: Now turn the whole thing right-side-out

through that one space you left un-sewn. It is a bit of a

wrestling match. Once it is “pretty-side-out,” use a small

tool that has a point—but not a sharp point– to poke out

the side hexie points.

(This is why you remembered to sew a knot into the

ends of each corner of each side of each hexie...right?)

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Doesn’t it look

nice now!

Here is a bag of crushed walnut shells that you can purchase at

Village Creek Quilt Shop. Depending on the size of your hexies,

this bag of crushed shells will fill several pin cushions.

Crushed walnut shells are said to sharpen your pins and needles.

It also gives it a nice weight.

Another option might be to stuff it tightly with wool batting.

Step 11: Insert a clean funnel into the unsewn opening.

I use a measuring cup to pour the crushed walnuts into

the funnel. Fill your pincushion as full as you can. (This

will take a little time and wiggling.) Remove the funnel

and add as many walnut pieces by hand as you are able.

(I do this step over a pan to catch the shell bits.)

Last Step: Using small stitches, sew up the last

opening .

You have a practical and pretty gift that all

your friends who sew would like.

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