How I made tiny pincushions for a doll's sewing room...

Miniature pincushions for our American Girl doll sewing collection.

       To make the miniature doughnut pincushion cut a circle template using a quarter (coin) and then read the instructions here for the larger version.

A child's tea cup turned 
into a pin cushion.

       For the miniature ice cream cone pincushion draw around a small juice glass or around the inside circumference of a masking tape dispenser to make a circle template. Cut this circle in half and trace around it on top of a tan piece of felt to make the 'cone' shape of the tiny sweet pincushion. Repeat these same steps but shorten the pink cut-out slightly and set the felt cones end to end, leaving an opening to stuff the doll sized pincushion. Sew the hole shut and decorate the ice cream appropriately. I tacked on a 'swirl' for my soft serve ice cream using a twist of pink yarn sewn around the pink felt. You can see how to decorate a larger version of the same ice cream pincushion here.

       To make the prickly, blooming cactus in a pot, you will need to shape brown felt around a 'planter' for the cactus to be 'planted' in. I cut a tiny square shaped planter from a recycled paper egg-carton. Then I glued the felt about the outside walls of this small shape to cover the surfaces. You may shape the cactus by either sewing a tiny series of tubes from the green felt and then gluing these inside the felt covered planter or you could just roll the felt into long, narrow tubes and then insert these inside the planter. Roll a tiny orange, fringed cactus flower and glue this to the desert plant for color. 

       To make the tiny tomato pincushion for an 18 inch dollhouse sewing room, cut two circles slightly larger than a quarter (coin) of bright red felt. Sew them together around the edges, leaving a 1/2 inch hole to turn the small round inside out and stuff firmly with cotton. Sew the hole shut. Use a needle and thread to work from the outside edges to the center, evenly spaced stitches to create the classic, tufted tomato shape. Then cut from green felt a clever little spiked edged cap to attach to the center. Use a dark green embroidery floss to act as a stem for attaching a tiny strawberry through the center of the tomato. 

       To make the 'fake pins' cut the tips of a inexpensive hair brush off and glue these into the tiny felt pincushions. I also pinned in tiny safety pins as decorative elements too.

Cactus pincushion as seen from different angles.

General Supply List For A Handful 
of Doll Sized Pincushions:

• colorful felt craft sheets and/or scraps
• recycled egg carton for planter shape
• embroidery floss
• a clean, new hair brush with plastic tips
• tacky white glue
• needles and threads to match
• tiny safety pins
• pink yarn for the ice cream cone
• cotton balls 

How I made an ice cream cone pincushion...

Below, I have linked to a variety of websites that will help you construct your own unique
 sugar cone pincushion and ice cream scoop. Left you can see how I applied felt to the
sugar cone to give it texture and dimension. Right, is the finished result!

       For this ice cream cone pincushion, I combined crochet and felt needle work. The size, pattern and color of the crochet tumbler pattern will dictate the overall design of the pincushion. My example uses a mix of rainbow colors and lace edging. Below are just a few links to sites where you can find free directions for the cozy crochet "ice cream" topper.

Where to find free patterns for crochet tumbler cozies:

• Crochet Glass Cozies: Four Glass Cozy Crochet Patterns from Speckless
• Crochet Stashbusters - Jam jar tealight cozy from lovecrafts
• Free Pattern: Crocet Mason Jar Cozies from lisaclarke
• Cool Crochet Can Cozies by AllFreeCrochet

       The cone templates are available in many locations around the internet. You will need to select one of them, download it, print it out and trace around the cone pattern on top of cardboard and then layer a dark felt on top of this to craft a basic sugar cone. The three dimensional felt work may be done with a lighter tan color of felt. Simply cut long, narrow strips and gather these with a needle and thread to create the bumpy textures. The bows are rectangles cut and gathered in the middle with a tiny knot.

Where to Find Free Cone Shape Templates:

• A Cone Template from firstpalette
• A Cone Template from woojr
• A free cone pattern from smashedpeasandcarrots

       I stuffed the cone tightly with batting and then stuffed the crochet cozy with acrylic fiber fill. Then turn the cozy upside-down on top of the faux, felt sugar cone and sew the two together. 

Craft Your Own Hat Shaped Pincushion

The finished hat pincushion measures three inches across.
You can make this type of pincushion any size you like.

        This old-fashioned favorite hat design for a pincushion is very simple to make and anyone can finish it in less than half and hour!

Supply List:

• hot glue and hot glue gun
• scrap cardboard
• felt scrap - lighter color than fabric
• scraps of muslin
• cotton batting
• decorative fabric for hat (scraps)
• decorative ribbon for the hat pincushion

Left, the pin cushion is stuffed firmly with cotton batting. Center, cut the felt large enough for
it to wrap all the way around the brim. Right, trim off the excess felt so that the pincushion will
sit neatly on top of the covered cardboard.

       I chose to trace around a small teacup for my pincushion template. It measured approximately three inches in diameter. Use a pencil to trace around the tea cup on top of muslin. You will need both a top and bottom piece Cut these out leaving a 1/3 inch seam allowance.

Left, this is the bottom half of our pincushion project. Center, the top cushion is glued in place.
Right, glue on an additional strip of felt around the place where the cushion and brim meet. 

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Using a straight stitch sew the two sides together, excluding an approximate half inch opening.Turn the fabric inside out and stuff it firmly with cotton batting. Because this is the 'crown' of our hat it should be over-stuffed! You should be able to stick a large embroidery needle into this cushion without it's tip 
2. Cut a perfect circle from a piece of clean, discarded cardboard, using the same template. Then cut a piece of felt large enough to cover this cardboard circle. This will be the 'lip' of your pincushion hat. 
3. Pull the felt around the cardboard and glue it securely in the center with hot glue. Trim off any excess felt so that it leaves the surface reasonably flat. 
4. Here you can see (above) that the bottom half of our pincushion will be the nicer side. 
5. Hot glue the stuffed cushion to the messier side of the covered cardboard hat brim. Hold it firmly in place for a minute to ensure that the point of contact is secure.
6. Take an additional strip of felt and glue this around the cushion and hat brim. This is where you will glue the gathered decorative fabrics.
7. Cut larger circular pieces of decorative fabric to cover this hat pincushion form. Use a straight stitch to gather fabric edges. Pull the stitching taunt around both the top and bottom pieces of decorative fabric and glue these securely around and on top of the hat's felt hat band.
8. Cover the felt banding and decorative fabrics with a nice ribbon and additional glue. 
9. Trim the hat pincushion with additional bows and flowers using your hot glue gun and a bit of imagination.

More Hat Pincushion Projects:

• Sew a felt top hat pincushion kit.
• DIY a crochet version of the hat pincushion and here are more versions with finer threads...

Sewing a doughnut pincushion is a bit tricky . . .

Finished doughnut pincushion.

       Sewing a wool felt, doughnut pincushion is not as easy as it looks. It helps to have good hand-sewing experience. An adult who can sew the inner hole shut for his or her child may need to keep and eye on this little sewing project in order to smooth over a few frustrations for a young person. But, felt is forgiving, so pull together the flaws and gaps with the finishing stitches and soon you will have a cute little pincushion completed within an hour.

Supply List:

• tan 'doughnut' shade felt, one square 12 x12 wool
  
• alternate icing color felt, one square 12 x 12 wool
• seed beads for 'sprinkles
• cotton batting
• matching threads and embroidery floss for top stiching
• washable ink pen or soft pencil or chalk for marking on felt
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1.  First you will need to determine the size of your pincushion. The younger the sewer will find a larger doughnut easier to work with.
2. Cut two identical circles from the tan felt.
3. Sew around the outer edge of the doughnut leaving a 1/4 seam.
4. Using a sharp pair of small scissors, cut a round whole through the center of both circles and then turn the fabric right sides out. 
5. Now here comes the tricky part. Using a needle and thread, turn the inner edges of the doughnut whole slightly inside as you tack together the inner hole of the doughnut all the way around to make a full enclosure. 
6. Take your small sharp scissors and cut through only one of the doughnut halves an opening large enough to stuff this pincushion. (see below)
   
7. Stuff the inside firmly, packing the cotton till stiff. 
8. Close the opening with a needle and thread as you go. Don't worry about the look of this closure because your going to applique the icing on top of it, so it will never be seen. (see below)
   
9. Cut from your second felt square a icing top. Make it a bit curvy so that it looks as though the doughnut has been 'dipped' into the icing at a bakery.
10. Sew the icing on top using your favorite top stitch. 
11. Sew around the doughnut seams to 'firm' and tiddy up the stuffed pin cushion.
12. Thread a thin needle and sew seed beads or in the example's case bugle beads randomly on top of the faux icing for decoration. (see below)
    

Left, Take your small sharp scissors and cut through only one of the doughnut halves an opening
 large enough to stuff this pincushion. Center, Close the opening with a needle and thread as you go.
Don't worry about the look of this closure because your going to applique the icing on top of it,
so it will never be seen. Right, Thread a thin needle and sew seed beads or in the example's case
 bugle beads randomly on top of the faux icing for decoration.

More Doughnut Crafts:

• Shape a dozen papier-mâché doughnuts

The Dutch Boy Pincushion

       This dutch china figure is unbranded. There is something very charming about his subtle smile and side-glance. His color is brilliant given his age. He holds a tiny bundle of flowers; one might think he is out to court his lady fair? In any case, something must be done about his attached cushion for I cannot use it properly in the state it is in...

The china head on this old pincushion is where it's value is at. I cleaned it with a soft cloth and
 rubbing alcohol after removing and washing the outer fabric original to this unique half doll.

Left and Center the original appearance of the pincushion and feel of this pincushion is not correct.
Right, after unstuffing it, I find a bag with pellets inside.

The finished result.

         These pellets are plastic and although they were inserted inside the doll to keep it upright, they made it impossible to use this little man as a pin cushion. Not to mention pellets like these will dull delicate needles and pins. I suspect that he was sold to hold hat pins, not sewing notions, because of the hole in his head.

       Needles will indeed work their way into the inner fibers of old pincushions, this is how the pincushion should look when you open it up. As old as this pincushion was, I found absolutely no needles inside of it! In it's given state it is only good for holding hat pins.

       If you do know how to clean needles properly, the interior of a pincushion can be a treasure house if it is of your own making. However, if it was used by someone else, no amount of cleaning will convince me to recycle the old needles. Throw them away properly without handling them, if you find these and dispose of the old filler promptly. 

• Properly disposing of needles, pins and rotary blades
  

3 good reasons to dismantle old pincushions...

• It is stuffed too loosely. Pincushions like the one shown above are not always assembled properly. Although it is lovely and old there are more important reasons for it to be upcycled. If it is stuffed loosely, it will not 'grip' needles and pins properly. The pins will 'pop' out and the danger of stepping on them will increase.
• Needles inside could be contaminated. One should also keep in mind that prickly pins and needles, when used, need to be discarded or cleaned properly before using again. There are many types of bacteria etc... that can live on the tip of a needle that has pricked and drawn blood.
• The outer fabric is torn and tattered. If the pin cushion has been used so much that it is falling apart, then it's time to ensure it may be used again! 

Left, insert a thick narrow tube inside the pincushion to support the china doll's head.
Center cover a cardboard bottom with cotton batting sheet to give the pincushion a base.
Right, twist cotton batting around the tube to create cushion between the
china head and stuffed body too.

        Above you can see the new pincushion properly stuffed and bound to cushion the doll's head. It looks too generous, I know, but it will provide a very stiff lower body that is needed to collect needles and pins. I was able to recycle the original outer fabric and sew it firmly back in place for this cushion in the end.

• Restoring Vintage Pin Cushions
• Velvet salt and pepper pin cushions

Craft a Walnut Pincushion

Left, a view of the walnut pincushion from the side.
Right, see leaf button embellishment from above.

        A couple of years ago, my daughters and I were searching through a little antique shop for a gift and saw a bunch of tiny walnut pincushions.  These were so miniature and sweet that I decided to make them that year for Christmas. Cracking the walnut in half is the most difficult part of this project, but, If you can manage it, the rest is as easy as can be!

Brief Description: These tiny walnut pincushions make unique gifts. Trifles like these also are excellent additions to miniature collections and novelty boxes.

Supply List:

• one cleaned walnut split in half and hollowed out.
• tiny pincushion template
• scissors
• decorative button
• small handful of cotton stuffing
• a small swatch of woven check or plaid
• tacky white glue

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Cut a piece of woven check fabric after drawing around the template provided. (3 inch diameter circle)
2. Sew a loose straight stitch around the edge of the fabric circle.
3. Gently pull the end of the thread in order to create a pouch for the cotton to be stuffed.
4. Stuff the cotton in firmly and sew the edges tightly down around the stuffing.
5. Sew on a button for decoration.
6. Stuff the walnut half with cotton and then glue the tiny pin cushion on top of the walnut.

Click on the image to download a circle template
for the walnut pincushion craft.

 More Related Content:

• How to make walnut pincushions
• WalnuB-Ideen
• Craft a walnut strawberry
• Craft Baby Jesus in A Walnut Shell

Pincushion Dolls

Left, my newest pincushion. A stuffed bear who's tongue extends to reveal a tape measure.
Center, My favorite pincushion was given to me when I was very young.
A half doll attached to a 'skirt' pincushion; she still sits on my bedroom dresser.
Right, is an antique hooked pin cushion that belonged to my mother-in-law

         A pincushion is a small cushion, typically 3-5 cm across, which is used in sewing to store pins or needles with their heads protruding so as to take hold of them easily, collect them, and keep them tidy. Many of these are shaped into miniature dolls, animals or basic shapes.
       Pincushions are typically filled tightly with stuffing, so as to hold pins rigidly once placed. The stereotypical design - a tomato with a strawberry attached - seems to have been around forever but, most likely, was introduced during the Victorian Era. Typically, the tomato is filled with wool roving to prevent rust, and the strawberry is filled with an abrasive to clean the pins and keep them from snagging fabrics.

• Textile Arts: Needlecases, Needle Books and Pincusions

Native American Pincushions:

• A Mohawk Pincushion at the NMAI museum
• More native American folk art pincushions

My favorite pincushion is a half doll (above) that was given to me by my great aunt. I’ll include links of these prickly beauties below. Some of them have been dismantled. With the price of needles these days, it’s no wonder. One must, from time to time, retrieve the lost and buried just to pinch a few pennies!

• Half dolls, bathing beauties and pin cushions
• Half Dolls: A Full Time Collectable

More Pincushion Types:

• Yo Yo Pincushion
• Reclaimed Pottery Pincushions

Our Hand-Crafted Pin Cushions:

1. Craft a Walnut Pincushion 
2. The Dutch Boy Pincushion
3. Sewing a doughnut pincushion is a bit tricky...
4. A playful pincushion from Germany?
5. Craft Your Own Hat Shaped Pincushion
6. No bake, slice of cake pincushion... 
7. How I made an ice cream cone pincushion. 
8. How I made tiny pincushions for a doll's sewing room...

  Return to the Doll Guide Index Page