In case you haven’t noticed, I’m making lots of bags lately. Yesterday I cut out a few more at the kitchen table. When I finished, I (rather precariously) stacked my cut-out bags, shears, pins, etc. on the cutting board and headed back down the stairs. At the bottom step I heard a CRASH; my pin magnet thingy had fallen to its death.
Now, the pin magnet has been with me for many years. Normally if something breaks that I’ve had such a long time, I’m sad about it. It’s like losing a friend. But not this time. Pin magnets are great… for pins that actually stick to it. There’s always those few in the mix that won’t stick, and fall into the carpet for you to find the hard way. And the ones that do stick, become magnetized. That means that they stick to your scissors and anything else metal. Joy. And you can’t even call it a pincushion, because there’s nothing cushiony about them.
For a long time I’ve wanted to replace the pin magnet. But in a busy, frugal life, when something is at least functional, I often put up with its flaws rather than replace it with something I’d rather have.
Last fall I taught a basic sewing skills class to a few teens. For their “final exam” I created a pattern for them to follow and gave them all the supplies they would need to make their choice of pincushions: a monster with silly pin hair, or a cupcake with pin sprinkles. (Of course, the girls wanted to make the monsters, and the boys wanted to make the cupcakes. That’s fine.) I did my best to not step in and help, and let them do it all on their own just to see if they could. They all did a fine job, and had SO much fun! But I felt left out – I wanted a cute pincushion too! But I couldn’t have one. I had the pin magnet, and it was good enough. *sigh*
But no more – NOW is my chance to have a cute pincushion! Or a dozen, all over my sewing room, if I want! And now you can too, because here’s the same pattern I gave to them – Happy Sewing!
Monster Pattern PDF Cupcake Pattern PDF
I will be keeping the magnets from the pin magnet, because they do come in handy for finding dropped pins and needles. But for storage, I’ll be using these! Rest in pieces, pin magnet.
So cute! I’d have to go with the monster myself, but I’m sure V would choose the cupcake. 🙂
Absolutely adorable!!! Abby would fall head-over-heels for the cupcake one! (This may be a Christmas present, as she’s been asking me to teach her to sew.)
I should have mentioned – rather than making it a cupcake pincushion, you could sew beads on the top for sprinkles. Or beads or yarn or whatever for the monster’s hair, but we’re talking about little girls and cupcakes here. 🙂
Oh, your, ‘what I have is good enough’ comment broke my heart. Being more than a little frugal myself, I completely understand that thought pattern. I could use a new pincushion myself and I have a couple of little girls who would like to learn to sew so I might just be making a handful of these this week and instead of giving the girls the cutest one, I’ll make it mine this time. 🙂 Hmm, ribbon I have, or rickrack I’ll need to buy… and I’m sure I’ll use the felt I already have regardless of the colors; can’t help the frugal.
Oh, bless your heart! I hope you have fun making them! Hey, post a photo on the atinyforest facebook page, if you like? I’d love to see them!