Ultimate Tips for DIY Quilted Pin Cushion Success

After posting my Frolic Plus pincushion on Instagram (see that here) for the Pinnie Parade hosted by Cheri of Tinkerellen (sneak a peek inside her sewing bag!), many of you reached out to know a little more about my ultimate tips for DIY pincushions success.

Ask and you shall receive 😉

Today’s the day, my quilty friends, that I share ALL my pincushion-making secrets with you!

Read on to ensure your quilted pincushion success!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission.

Perfect Scrap Buster

Let’s face it, you have WAY too many scraps sitting in your stash. And you save these precious little bits because you can’t bring yourself to throw them out. Surely, you’ll find a project to sneak those precious little bits into. Right?

Well, my friend, pincushions are your answer.

• They’re quick.
• They’re easy.
• They’re an opportunity to explore your creativity.
• They use up your favourite scraps.

And, they’re just so darn cute. You know you get a little happier just looking at them. It’s OK, I do too 😉

My approach to DIY pincushions

My scraps are normally scraps from the last project I was working on. You know my penchant for sharing scraps and trimmings with you on Instagram. I just can’t help it! And inevitably those scrappy bits are beckoning me “Shannon, come play with us.”

Project keepsakes

In fact, it has happened that I created a pincushion top before I even finished my quilt. That’s how this idea of creating pincushions from my project scraps got started. I loved working on my Playtime quilt SO much that I wanted a keepsake. A little token to remind me of the beautiful collection I was working with and the enjoyment I experienced during that quilt journey.

And so, now, as I cut my fabrics I neatly set aside my scraps into corresponding sizes. I allow those pretty scrappy piles to inspire me before dipping in and selecting which pieces I’ll use.

Materials and Notions You Need

The good news is that you don’t need a ton of materials and notions to DIY pincushions. Here’s everything I used to make mine:

• Fabric scraps – mine were leftover from making the Plus Infinity Quilt
• Batting scraps
• Sewing machine
• Sewing machine needles
• 50wt thread for piecing and blind stitching
• 40wt thread for quilting (optional, you can absolutely use a 50wt or whatever you have on hand).
• Iron
• Wool pressing mat (read why I love using one in this review)
• Fine mist spray bottle (optional)
• Tailor’s clapper (optional)
• Snips
• Needle for blind stitch
• Thread gloss (optional, but super helpful)
• Point turner
• Filling of choice – this is my go-to

DIY Pincushions a Step-by-Step Guide

So, now that we know which materials I use, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at my quilted pin cushion in the making. I’m using these cute little scraps to demonstrate how I build my pincushions from the ground up.

How to Choose Your Patchwork Design

The design I choose is dependent on a few things.

• Am I feeling playful and adventurous?
• Are the pieces calling out to be stitched a certain way? Because all scraps chat with you. No, just me?!
• Do I want to try a new technique out? Exploring new techniques on a small project is a great way to test it out without having to commit to an entire project. So practical!

In this instance, these little scraps you see here – these are all as they were. Little leftovers from blocks I cut from strips. Different sizes and different leftovers. But they all look like they will play together nicely, don’t you think?

This was as organic a creation as possible. I picked some little trimmings that caught my eye. The colours appealed to me, as did the shape! Hmm, they look nice together. How about I place them like this? And what about if I arrange them like that? I keep doing this until I find the one that feels the best to me. This could take a couple of minutes or it could be longer. There is no set way here. Just do what feels right to you.

Step 1

Once you’ve settled on a design, now comes the time to piece it all together 😊

Step 2

Once you have your front and back patchwork pieced together, place it right side facing up on top of some batting. Then quilt using your preferred method.

You can add lots of personality with the stitching you select. Here I went for straight-line quilting using Aufiril Cotton Mako Thread in 40wt. 

But you can choose to practice free motion quilting, which is what I did for the backing of my Frolic Plus pin cushion. Or, you could add some hand-stitched detail. Which I did on my Playground pinnie. Lots of options to explore!

Tip – Have fun here as this is the perfect opportunity to try new quilting techniques!

Step 3

Once you have your patchwork panels quilted, trim them up!

Feels so good to square them up! This is when I really start to get excited and see my design coming to fruition.

Tip – Now don’t toss those trimmings – we’ll use some for the stuffing! Say what? Yup, why throw those bits in the garbage when they can be recycled as pinnie stuffing!

Step 4

Place your front and back pincushion panels right sides together, and stitch around the entire perimeter (I used a 1/2″ seam allowance), leaving a small opening for turning. Be sure to backstitch at the start and end to lock in your stitches.

Leave a bigger opening than you think you’ll need.  Turning all those layers adds up to lots of bulk. Some of the seams on my quilted piece popped…so, do as I say not as I do 😜

Step 5

Trim your pincushion corners to reduce bulk and ensure you achieve nice crisp corners.

Step 6

Turn the pincushion right side out, using a slim Hera marker to poke the corners out.

Step 7

Now comes the fun of filling up your DIY pincushions! Fill it more than you think. I like a nicely stuffed pinnie so don’t be shy or stingy with the filling.

Pincushion Filling Options

Some pincushion-filling options to consider:

• Crushed walnut shells
• Quilt batting scraps
• Thread scraps
• Emery sand – this will also help sharpen your pins
• Steel wool – is also good at keeping your pins sharp
• Polyester filling like Poly-fil
• Dried rice or beans

There is no right or wrong here, just preference. I like my pincushions to have a nice weight to them so I love using crushed walnut shells. While shopping, I recently picked up this huge bag, so I’ll be in pinnie-making business for a while without needing a restock! I used to use dried rice, but I like the density of the crushed walnut shells better. That’s just me though 😉 You do you!

Tip – if you fill them with something hefty, they also make great pattern weights if you have a large pattern you need to cut out!

It can be messy – consider yourself forewarned!

Step 8

Once your pincushion is nicely stuffed, close the opening using a blind stitch for a seamless look.

And voilà you have a custom pincushion!

Top 10 tips for quilted pincushion success

Here are some of my top tips quilty success!

1. Have fun!
2. Don’t overthink it!
3. Find pieces you love and you’ll love the outcome.
4. Go scrappy!
5. Choose your favourite filling.
6. Leave a bigger opening than you think you need to turn her right side out.
7. Fill your pin cushion more than you think it needs. No one wants a sadly stuffed pinnie!
8. Blind baste the pinnie closed for a seamless look.
9. Experiment with new ideas.
10. There is no right or wrong, just do you!

Now that I’ve shared my DIY pincushions-making secrets, I would love to hear your tips and tricks! Share them in the comments below 😊

Happy quilting my friends!

xo,

Shannon

P.S. I’m adding this post to Tips and Tutorials Tuesday hosted by Late Night Quilter and Quilting Jet Girl. Be sure to check out the link party for other great tips!

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