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. 

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