HOW TO MAKE: The Purple Pouffe Pincushion

I have to limit time spent on Instagram as it's addictive. Once you start scrolling through the endlessly inventive creations on there, it's so hard to stop. On one of those browsing sessions I came across a beautiful plump pincushion - made by Heidi Parkes - and I couldn't resist making my own version of it. I'm calling this a pouffe pincushion as the shape reminds me of the overstuffed padded footrests that cluttered up lounges, maybe in the Seventies? I'm not sure of the period they were popular, but I bet you'd find 'em in any trendy vintage furniture sale. Anyway, here's how to make one:

As with lots of my projects, it started with unbleached calico to use as a base. I cut out a circle of it, using a teaplate as a template. Then a slightly larger piece of purple material, something soft and easy to stitch into. Pinned the two together and began sewing lines of simple running stitch across the circle. It's an ideal way to use up all those odd strands of embroidery thread. You know when you've separated out two strands to use, then have the remaining four strands leftover, destined to lie in a tangle on your worktable. Here's the use for them.

Once you've covered the surface, then you sew a running stitch around the outer edge and pull that into a gather. As you would with making a yo-yo / Suffolk Puff.

Next up, it's time to stuff your pincushion. Put plenty of filling in there, don't be stingy. I used tiny scraps of material and thread ends, but you could use polyester wadding instead or even crushed walnut shells.

Once you've packed it with lots of stuffing, tighten the gathering stitches and firmly sew the gap closed. Or as near to closed as it'll get. Then cut out a circle of felt in whatever colour you'd prefer, matching or contrasting as the mood takes you.

I added a dab of fabric glue underneath the felt to keep it in place while I sewed a blanket stitch around the felt circle.

I added more decorative stitching with this multi-coloured spiral, then popped a button on for that finishing touch.

Here's one side of the finished pincushion, and below is the other side with the button attached, nestling in a saucer with my Pocket Purse and my boro inspired coin purse.

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