I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more
Contact Mary
I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more
Contact Mary
April 27, 2008
Here’s a great little tutorial on how to make embroidered pincushions with felt and a few basic items from around your house and in your embroidery stash. They are so darned cute!
My dilemma is this: I’m thinking about using the idea for my summer children’s classes – but the questions, what age group?? To small for 7 – 9 year olds?? Anyway, check out the tutorial, which comes via Taunton Press.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Thanks for the link to the pincushion tutorial – how cute! However, I think you are right to be concerned about the project being too small for your group of young beginners.
While I was over at Amazon adding a pincushion book to my shopping list … I noticed a book that might be appropriate for the young beginning embroiderer. The title is: Doodle Stitching. I have not seen the book in person, but it looks promising for your purpose. Also, I know that Caron Threads has projects on their web site for children http://www.caron-net.com/kidcornr.html. When I was teaching young folks embroidery, I contacted them for permission to use them as class projects. They graciously granted that permission.
thanks for the link – they are very cute!. I think this should be easy for a 9 year old…not sure about 7 year olds – borderline I think – may be easier if they embellish before stitching together?
They’re so sweet! I think they might be a bit tricky for little hands but only because of how small the caps are.
What if you enlarge the scale of materials they might work with?
I took a quick look around the house for items that might work well. How about the caps off aerosol products?
The Pam cooking spray cap looked like a perfect size to me. I found the cap on a can of hairspray, a can of furniture polish, a can of waterproofing spray for boots, all around the same size.
Not too tiny in the hand but not so outrageously big that the finished pin cushion would look peculiarly large.
Maybe use a bit of glue to help secure the fabric that raps around the cap, just to make it less slippery and apt to get away from them as they start to stitch?
What a fun project!
J. Mosley
Thanks for the input, everyone!
I was watching my 7-year old niece playing with a bottle cap the other day while we were sitting at the table, and I do believe 7-9 would be too young, unless they made bigger ones, as Jeannine suggested (good ideas on the home items to use – thank you!).
D’oh!…I meant use a little glue to secure the fabric that wraps aroun… Not raps around. Though rapping fabric could be fun too. Fo shizzle! – J.M.