Page 77 - Patchwork & Quilting - UK (February 2020)

REGULAR // wandering the web

(bit.ly/33BL7sI). Then there are the blogs and websites with I found several Pinterest boards dedicated to pincushions
free patterns and tutorials. This one (bit.ly/2XZ7Rl5) has and antique ones in particular featured on these two
done the job for me as it links to 125 free patterns but it (bit.ly/2XYbIid and bit.ly/34z4l3s). The Quilters’ Guild have

still hasn’t quite covered all of them so you can find a few a Victorian pincushion in their collection and you can fi nd a
more on the Spruce Crafts site (bit.ly/2Y1R0hE) and a few photo of it on their website (bit.ly/2DtG6Ys) but there is very
more from Patchwork Posse (bit.ly/2OVAYle). Then I found little information about it.
a few more not covered already such as these two from The
Sewing Directory (bit.ly/33pe0rS and bit.ly/2Owpohm). Sew 4 There are several websites with articles on antique and
home has a ‘scrap-busting’ pincushion (bit.ly/2Rcv0PN) while vintage pincushions such as this one from the Collectors
PurlSoho (bit.ly/2ryQ5ZM) makes miniature patchwork ones Weekly (bit.ly/2L4g3eA) and from AC Silver (bit.ly/2rx2sFH).

which are stuffed with steel wool. You can also fi nd tutorials Nordic Needle (bit.ly/2DoJy6J) has a fairly comprehensive
on making crazy patchwork pincushions (bit.ly/37LGbEI), article but unfortunately many of the photos didn’t show up
a piggy pincushion (bit.ly/33x7gIy) and a detailed blog on when I went to read it – you may have more luck, but I did

making a wrist pincushion (bit.ly/35LmmM6). find more photos with a brief article on the From These
Hands blog (bit.ly/2OV0erH).
Having made your pincushion, what should you stuff it
with? Most of the patterns will have told you what they used I was intrigued to read an article from the V&A’s Museum of
but are there alternatives? Several bloggers have discussed Childhood about ‘Layette Pincushions’ (bit.ly/2pY0de2) and

the pros and cons of diff erent fillings from wadding scraps the use of pins in infants’ clothing in early Victorian times
to walnut shells, sand to sawdust. The Sewing Loft before the invention of the safety pin. But I was even more

(bit.ly/2XXz9YY), Jacquelynne Steves (bit.ly/2rAFddR) and intrigued to find a number of articles about ‘sweetheart’
Mabs Creations (bit.ly/35LgKBg) all list a variety of fi llings and pincushions – made by soldiers in WW1, and possibly earlier.
their experiences with them while the Our Pastimes website These two are from the UK and from the USA (bit.ly/2Lk4Oir
(bit.ly/2rDFUmA) discusses not only the various fi llings and bit.ly/2OUdQUf) while this article (bit.ly/2XVpYIH) has even

available but why the filling you use may also depend on the more photos and a lot of links for you follow to find out even

use of the pincushion and where you live. The Buzzing and more about this little-known part of our history.
Bumbling blog (bit.ly/2OTePUt) has more of a list of what
others seem to be using than a discussion of what works (or

doesn’t) but also it lists stuffings found in vintage pincushions
which led me to go and look for some old pincushions and
more information about the history of pincushions.

Sawdust Heart pincushion, Sawdust
Heart Project, www.ww1hearts.co.uk
Above: Scrappy
Valentine’s Day
Pincushion,
www.so-sew-easy.com
Right: Antique The bit.ly links we use are to replace the sometimes
pincushion, very long web addresses that take you to a
www.acsilver.co.uk particular website page. Type in the bit.ly link (such
as bit.ly/2GeNoTf) into your web browser and you
should be directed straight to the correct web page.

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