Well, not all that itty, bitty. They are on the smaller size though at three inches.
See? I haven't been here, but I've been a little productive in between all the lazing about on the couch and trying to work up the gumption to lie about and read at the same time without falling asleep.
I had been teaching a beginning quilting class at church. Normally, when I was teaching at quilt shops I would have a gift for everyone the last day of class. Because I was a bona fide professional I always had a stash of free stuff from manufacturers - rulers, rotary cutters, notions and what have you. I would wrap them up and pass them out. All quilters, new or not, seem to like free stuff even if they already have three of the same thing at home.
However, the last of the free stuff was used for door prizes a few months ago and the last quilt making class was fast approaching. What to do, what to do. It's not that I actually had to do anything, but I did want to do something for the stalwart nine who stuck it out to the end. This being a casual bunch of ladies coupled with the class being free well, a number of people dropped out along the way.
First I thought to make adorable biscornu like my friend did. I made about four before I determined that mine were not as cute as hers. Bad fabric choices? I don't know. Whatever my problem they were rejected.
Then I procrastinated. I know, hard for those of you who know me to believe.
Then I got my act together and bought a cute charm pack of fabric and decided to make little pieced pincushions because I knew I could do that. Deciding and shopping was as far as I got.
Then I went on vacation.
And came home feeling really crummy.
That's where all that couch lying (laying, I never could get that one straight) came in.
Then I decided to get in gear and just get sewing.
Sally Collins' book The Art of Machine Piecing came to the rescue as it so often does. It's filled with block patterns in 3", 4" and 6" size. I made up a bunch of blocks and matched them up with plain squares for the backing and had the outsides done up in no time.
When I've made these before I stuffed them with wool batting. I started to do this but let me just say that it takes FOREVER to stuff in little pieces and pack them down so that you end up with a tight, firm pincushion. After three I decided to try something else.
Back to my friend with the good looking biscornu. She, like so many smart quilters, uses crushed walnut shells for filling. I decided to join the smart people, and smart they are because with the help of a funnel all of those little pincushions - even the first three which I unstuffed because, yes, I am that kind of person - were filled and sewn shut in less than an hour.
So happy to have actually finished something more than a nap!
Vacation pictures are coming along with some other fun stuff that I've been up to. Promise.
-- marcella
Those are adorable, Marcella! I still have the one you sent me way back when, and I love it. I'm sure your students will love these just as much. :)And you've given me an idea, too -- I made several of Sally Collins' little 3" squares years ago, and they're languishing in a drawer. I should make them into pin cushions and use them as gifts! Thanks for the idea! :)
Thank you! See how smart you are making the pincushions now and just having them on hand rather than scrambling at the last minute? Yours has piping around the edge which I really prefer. Because these were from a charm pack and I needed 9, there just wasn't fabric left for piping and nothing in my stash other than cream matched. They're fine without, but cuter I think with it.