journal entry:
When women used to sew all of the time, they had signature pin cushions. Some were plain and useful and others were like this one: fancy and small. In other words generally useless as a functioning pin cushion but perfect as a non-essential little “something” sitting on a sewing table. I bought the little silver creamer for two dollars at a really interesting second-hand store. The pin cushion itself is a small Styrofoam ball covered with a square of wide, wired ribbon which is made up of small ribbon rosettes.
The pin cushion itself was just a means to an end. The end being the fancy pins. Pins with personalities. Made from various types of pins, including hat pins, floral pins and quilting pins. All are embellished with beads and little metal “things” which I gathered from the sale baskets or on special discount days. Oh, the pins are fun to make !
The tall flower pins are my favorites. I used heavy paper flowers from the scrapbook aisle, supported by pewter beads. These are the closest to the size of old-fashioned hat pins that I could come. They are very stately looming over the smaller pins.
This pin cushion is made from an old, rusted measuring cup. One cup to be exact. I bought three the day I went to the second-hand store. I used a square of rosette ribbon to cover a Styrofoam ball. The ribbon is about eight inches wide when it comes from the roll. I like to use glue dots for these projects. I find it easy to press the corners of the ribbon on glue dots before pulling each tight around the ball. I line the inside of the cup with glue dots and press the covered ball down inside. The glue dots hold it in place. This little chain with leaves was perfect for this pin cushion. The colors in the leaves and the color of the ribbon AND the color of the old cup were perfect. Just perfect. The pins are all unique. The pins are truly the fun part.
This little pin cushion was made the same way. Instead of wired rosette ribbon I used a soft rosette trim which I bought by the yard. Using glue dots, I circled the Styrofoam ball twice and pushed it into place against more glue dots. Done.
And now, a reminder to breathe. Deeply.