My Japanese, sashiko pin cushion

 Ok… after being on zoom at new years and the discussion about my thoughts on my pin cushion. I acted.

Yes, after 2 years I did something about it.

I chose fabric, thread and a design.

I drew my lines, started sewing and then it was done.

A little stitch gathered up and filling put in. I now have a pin cushion in my special hexagon pot.

And don’t these special pins look so good in their new home. A set of sewing tools and a special cheeky owl for Tony.

Why has it taken 2 years to do something that only took about 3 hours to stitch and complete.

Anyway, it is done now and is very special to me. 

I love it.

My RSC this year is anything goes

 This year for RAINBOW SCRAP CHALLENGE (RSC) I am not doing a quilt or set blocks but will focus on whatever is around. January is BLUE. Amongst my scraps and cleanup I found some crumbs already started as well as a zipper pocket for something already stitched. 

These need to be finished.

Here is the scraps squares I found to do the outside.

Here is the zipper pouch done. The outside

And inside

I also want to make my little pincushion pot to stick my fancy pins in. 

I bought these pins and the little pot on my trip to Japan. The girls on zoom think I should work in some sashiko. 

Linking up with Angela for RSC.

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2026/01/scraphappy-saturday.html

I did it. 50 placemats have been made.

While looking for  some fabric for a different project I came across these leftover blocks. These were from a previous Bonnie Hunters mystery. FROLIC.

So I laid them out to make 4 placemats

They look lovely and bright.

That’s enough of placemats. I reached my goal of 50. Our quilt group has a great pile and are trying to get to 200.

I had a few little pieces left.

Just enough to make 3 pin cushions.

 That’s 33 that I have put away for another group activity

Back to Chandlers Cottage Advent sewing

 Last year (2024) my daughter bought me a great sew along Advent Calendar from Chandlers Cottage. As you know, my plans changed and I wasn’t able to work on them at the time. 

I choose to work on this project. Just a small one.

I have done cross stitch before but have never used this fabric stabiliser before. You don’t have to draw the design onto your fabric. Just count, stitch and pull the threads away when you are done.

And here it is all stitched.

Now to trim it and make it into the pin cushion.

Oops cut it wrong. I had stitched it in the correct orientation so I didn’t have to trim it small. Looks like I forgot and I followed the instructions to trim (shouldn’t have). Now I have made it square and not on point.

And sewn together.  Well it’s a lot smaller now. Finished at 2”.

 

My yellow Kawandi placemat is finished. RSC yellows - placemats, pin cushions and potato chips.

My comments are back. For some reason they were going in to my spam mail.. argh!!!!

 My Kawandi placemat is done. I am loving making these.. They are very addictive.

Continuing with yellows and RSC scraps, strings, potato chip blocks and crumbs.

Out came the yellow box.. using up the crumbs and strips on placemats.

The leftovers sewn on to purchase receipt papers. I know many people use adding machine tape rolls but the receipts are free and a good width.

I also cut lots of smaller scraps into the rectangles for my potato chip blocks.

3 more placemats completed. Total now 25 out of the hoped 50.

Using up the receipt tape lengths into pin cushions.

Enough to make 8 more.

So 8 pin cushions completed.. Total. 29 out of 40 needed.

I have now used up all the little pieces of yellow. That tub is cleaned up.

Linking up with Angela. RSC.

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2025/03/scraphappy-saturday-homeward-bound.html

More scrap placemats, pin cushions and a little zipper coin purse

 I have another placemat to add to the pile. This makes no. 14 I think.

I have been asked to make them a bit smaller. I have been doing them 12”*18”. 

So I now am going to do them 10”*16”….

After finishing the backing for my large Bordertown B’s quilt I have use the last of the crumbs up.

I made 3 pin cushions making a total of 21.

And a cute little zippered coin purse. Of course, you can use it for anything. I might use it for my thimbles.

The puzzle is finished and some pin cushions

 I sit at the table to eat and while doing so I put a few pieces of the puzzle in.

IT IS FINISHED. Now to decide what to do with it…

So, we decided that we would like this to be framed now it is finished. I went off shopping and bought a large black photo frame. Removed the cardboard mat. Painted the backing board black. Smothered the newly painted board with pva/craft/elmers craft glue mixed with water. I covered the whole board which sealed the paint as well. This way I didn’t have to measure where the puzzle would be, given it’s weird shape.

Mmmmmm how to get it from the table to a frame.

EASY. 

I should have taken a photo but didn’t think of it. I was just excited I worked something out…

I ironed a sheet of freeza paper to the top of the jigsaw puzzle. Did a quick test. YES, it’s holding.

Then pick it up and place the jigsaw on to the backing board. 

IT WORKED .

Put my quilting rulers on top of puzzle and a heavy tub to weigh it down until the glue dries.

Assemble the frame.

Put hooks on the wall and here we have it displayed.

I have made some more pin cushions too.

Using up more scraps

 Continuing with my clean up piles I finished off some placemats.

And a Xmas zippered placemat

I have put a napkin and cutlery in the pocket. This one is for me to use.

Then the smaller scraps 

were made into pin cushions.

They are good to put a few binding clips on and your sewing needle when stitching your bindings or other hand projects.

I want to get about 40 of these made by December. I am well on the way. I have about 14 already. I will continue to make these with the leftovers of other projects. It’s a finish up year…

Early February SAS and a pin cushion.

 Hi everyone. I am going to be playing catch-up over the next couple of posts. I have had a good and not so good month and have not done anything to do with sewing. So now I will start with.

WHERE AM I AT WITH MY SAS.

I have turned both corners and it is looking good.

I got another row sewn together and another block laid out ready to sew but that has been put on hold until Scrub Stitchin. I think this is what I will be working on as everyone there wants to see it for show n tell.

Also ready for scrub Stitchin is this little pin cushion/clover clip holder. Last year when I was there Chooky gave me a pattern to try. Well, I finally got around to it. It was a tiny log cabin, paper pieced block. What to do with it stalled me but that is sorted now.

I dug into my scrap basket.

Started to sew.

Finished the block and removed the papers.

A pin cushion was made.

Then my clover clips added, ready for my sewing bag to take to Scrub Stitchin. The pattern wasn’t wasted.  It measures 5” finished.

Thanks Chooky