Beginner Hand Sewing: Pincushion

Painting by Robert Payton Reid, British 1859-1945

Summer's Day in the Flower Garden

Art Print

Reid, Robert...

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The above painting shows a dress that could easily be made with the long sleeved versions of this pattern or this one.

Similar patterns can be seen here

There is never any need to pay full price for patterns, since they regularly go on sale for $1.99 or 99 cents at fabric stores. Sign up for an ad to come in your mail and keep your eye on the upcoming discounts.  To make these patterns look like the dress in the painting, just wrap the completed dress with a sash of the same fabric, or stitch an obi belt on to the front of the dress. If I get this sewn, I will try to demonstrate it online. An alternative would be a skirt and blouse, with the blouse of similar design. The hat could be easily immitated also. 


Today I have made a pin cushion, using fabric that co-ordinates nicely with the blue/rose fabric I have done the previous projects in, which fits nicely also with the white muslin. It is a print you should be able to purchase in any fabric store: a tiny rosebud pattern. See if you can click on the picture and get a close-up view of it.

This is all hand-stitched, and a little more complicated that the other things, and, if you will not get frustrated with it but patiently try to master what you are doing, I think you will be excited about the results. Making this pin cushion also gives you some more sewing knowledge, and a technique you have not done before, if you are a beginner. 


 I like to show what you can do by hand, because I believe women should always be prepared to make-do in hard times. Even if you expect to live an easy life of prosperity, one day you will be glad you can do these things.  My little student that I have had since she was 8, is now 13, and has been asked on occasion to sit with an elderly person, while her care-giver is called out of the home. During these times, she has taken her sewing basket and put in some little projects like this.

You need a scrap of fabric of your choice, a small dinner plate or salad plate or bowl, and a frozen juice can lid.  Lay your plate or salad bowl on the fabric and draw around it with a pen or pencil, and cut it out.

Do the same thing with the juice can lid. Then, iron down the edges a fourth inch, all around, on both round pieces. Don't worry if it pleats and creases as you iron around it, because it will work out fine when you start to stitch.


 Thread your needle with a strong quilting thread, knot it on the end, and, putting several stitches at a time on your needle, stitch all around both pieces.

I have used a co-ordinating hot-pink thread so you can see the stitches for this demonstration. Make sure your knot is on this side of the piece.

Do the same thing with the smaller piece you traced from the juice can lid. Make sure your stitches are not too close to the edge, because they have to go through both layers of cloth, like a hem. Take four or five stitches in the same place at the end, to make a secure knot so that the stitching will not come undone. Clip thread.

Put plenty of glue on the juice can lid, using the side that is the flattest. One side dips in a little and will not stick as well.


Before you glue the lid down, be sure to stitch around the hem you ironed, and do not make a knot, because you are going to have to pull up your threads and make a gather.  Just leave the needle stuck in the fabric while you put the lid in it.

Lay your cloth on a plate so that the glue from the lid will not seep on to your surface or table. Put the lid, glue side down, on the middle of your fabric, eyeing it as best you can, to get it evenly in the middle. Let it dry, and have a cup of tea while you are waiting. If it is summer, you can take it outside and it will dry quickly. If it is colder weather, put it in front of a blowing heater for a few minutes.  


This lid is necessary so that your pins and needles will not go all the way through the pin cushion, and so that they will not damage your table or any where you are using it.

Next, on the larger piece, pull up the thread, still in the needle, until it gathers up, like this, but do not make a knot yet. It has to be flexible enough to put your stuffing in it.

Put stuffing inside it and make it is full as you can. If you do not have stuffing, you can shred with your hands, a small piece of batting, or you can use something else that might work (cotton balls?).

With the thread still in the needle, pull up the stitches as tightly as you can so that it looks all gathered, like the above photo. Then, take about six stitches in the same place, over and over, to secure the thread. Cut your thread.

Now, take that smaller piece that you stitched but did not gather,  and pin it across the hole in the top, to secure it while you sew. Stitch in and out of the previous stitching on the little circle, filling in the blank spaces with your thread.

You can see in the above picture, how I filled in the stitch areas, to give it a finished and pretty appearance. If you cannot quite do this, just do the best you can to get it sewn on.

Add some pins that match the fabric, and your needle and coordinating thread. In some stores, you can buy pins with heart-shaped tops, which would look nice on a hand made pin cushion with a heart print. This looks like a confection, doesn't it!


Completing this small cushion gives you the ability to make a very large pillow or cushion in the same manner.  Try using a different fabric for that center medallion piece.


Before showing a sewing basket, I need to make a few more supplies, such as a scissor case and a thread holder, which will be posted later. In the mean time, just find anything to keep your sewing supplies in: a shoe box with a hinged cover, covered in scrapbook papers is nice; a plastic ice cream bucket with a handle, a wicker basket, or even a large wide-mouthed jar. A hat box works well, too.


Someone mentioned a fabric called homespun, in the previous post, and I just happened to have a gift given to me by a recent visitor, who makes dish towels from home spun:

She irons on an applique, made from a cut-out of other fabric, and stitches it down with a machine satin stitch.

The homespun makes a much better dish towel for drying, than the cotton that I am working with for these projects. It has a looser weave and is softer and more absorbent.

Planning for Sewing

painting by Louis Aston Knight, Pennyslvania 1873-1948

By learning to press a hem before sewing, and then stitching a straight stitch, you nearly have all the skill you need for just about anything you wish to make.  Your iron will be the most important tool you have in sewing, and if you do not have one, you can get a small iron for crafts, which can be placed on a towel on the table next to your sewing machine.

  If you want to learn to stitch straight and evenly, you can always use a checked fabric, and sew along the pattern on the fabric. I use large gingham check fabric when showing beginners how to straight-stitch, and all projects are made using the checked fabric.

The above sketch shows a way to plan out the sewing projects you wish to complete. Sketching out all your ideas can help you determine how much fabric you will need.  When you do not have enough, you can always use a different fabric, as I have done with the muslin, that still matches it.  When you have sketched every thing you can think of that you would like to make, you have a clearer idea of what you are wanting to do.  Try sewing other things like baby-blocks and balls, ornaments, and picture frames, or make  covers for  plant pots,  valances for the tops of your windows to hide the rods, and a tissue box cover. Try making a hat and hand bag. Some of these may come up in future beginner sewing posts.  Use a nice pen and a deluxe box of crayons to illustrate the projects you are dreaming up. I think sewing should be inspiring and enjoyable, and not stressful.  I remember as children, how we would take pieces of burlap and make small burlap bags and pretend to carry silver coins in them, made from foil covered round cardboard pieces. With fabric, we could make anything, from a tent to a sleeping bag.

This is what has been completed so far: pillow and pillow case, yo-yo quilt piece, soft toy, little gift bag,  lamp shade cover, patchwork quilted potholder or hot pad, dish towel or tea towel, handkerchief, table runner.

I began more projects with muslin, and added ball fringe trim: yard-long pillow, lamp shade cover, handkerchief, coffee-table or end-table cloth, and fireplace mantle cover.

These mantel cloths are quite expensive to buy, so if you can make your own, you can have several without spending a lot. Look for other fabric sources also: an old sheet, a curtain, pillow cases, skirts and the skirt part of dresses.  When you can do the simple things shown on these tutorials, you can have everything you need to decorate your home or wear.

These are muslin curtains, which are very easy to make, with the added trim on the inner edges. Tie backs can be made, as shown in the drawings, and directions will be shown in other posts. Muslin can be as wide as 120 inches and makes an excellent home decorating fabric, since you can dye it any way you wish, and you can even rubber-stamp your own pattern on it, using your rubber stamps and fabric ink that is sold by rubber stamp companies.

The Water of Tyne

I have a few subjects I am working on to post in the future, as well as some more sewing, but in the meantime, you might like to hear something beautiful.






Boatmen in a Wooded River Landscape

Giclee Print

Sanchez-perrier,...

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A View of Newcastle from the River Tyne

Giclee Print

Richardson,...

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The following song is for all those who enjoy acapella.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuFbjTBeXIM


WATERS OF TYNE




I cannot get tae my love if I would dee

For the waters of Tyne run between him and me

And here I maun stand wi a tear in my ee

All sighin and sobbin, my true love to see



Oh where is the boatman, my bonny hinney

Oh where is the boatman, go bring him to me

For to ferry me over the Tyne to my honey

Or speed him across the rough waters to me



Oh bring me a boatman, I`ll gi all my money

And you for your trouble rewarded shall be

If you`ll carry me over the Tyne to my honey

And I will remember the boatman and thee



I cannot get tae my love if I would dee

For the waters of Tyne run between him and me

And here I maun stand wi a tear in my ee

All sighin and sobbin, my true love to see






The Boatman

Art Print

Japy, L.

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You might also enjoy this folk song.

The Business of Home Living

Beginner Sewing: handkerchief and lamp cover

Unlike paper tissues, a cloth handkerchief is less likely to be dropped carelessly on the floor or ground. It will be treasured and used for many things. Handkerchiefs  have a history all their own, and were commonly seen in a man's pocket or a woman's purse. 

A handkerchief is a good beginner sewing project because it is small and works up quickly, even for the most inexperienced with a needle.

For a pattern, you can open up a square paper napkin and lay it on the fabric, cutting around it and allowing an extra half inch on each edge of the napkin, for hemming.

Where the lace ends overlap, turn one side into a corner by pressing the edge to the inside. Click on for a closer view, and click again for extra large.

 Just turn in the edge of one side of the lace to form an angle or triangle. If you are not sure how to do this, just try different ways until you have a look that you prefer.  There are other ways of doing this, but for the sake of simplicity and time, for beginners, this is the one I prefer.

As in previous beginner sewing posts, you need to have your iron heated up to cotton and linen, or very hot, with steam. Then iron the square down one-fourth inch on all sides, pressing firmly so that the creases are permanent. Then, fold that ironed down hem again, one fourth inch and press firmly. That way, it will stay in place while you stitch, and the raw edges and stray threads will be hidden inside the hem.

A boy's handkerchief can be made of any cotton print that suits a boy, or white muslin, as shown. I have used dark thread to show where you should stitch: close to that inside folded edge, catching in the main part of the handkerchief also. That will be 3 layers you are sewing through, all the way around.

If you have a little experience, you can stitch an initial in the corner. Just use your straight stitch for now, if you like.

After hemming all around, finish off in a knot. Lay the lace along side the finished handkerchief  and cut four pieces of flat lace an inch longer on each end. When ironing this finished piece, you cannot use a hot iron if the flat lace is synthetic.

Here is what it looks like when lace is attached, but even with a ladies handkerchief, the lace is not necessary.

A way to get all your old mis-matched lampshades to look alike, is to make a simple cover for them, and you can do this by hand. I've used muslin here, with ball fringe.

I need to pause for a second and tell you about Singer's large-eyed sewing needles, which makes threading easier. They come on a magnetic strip.

I use quilting thread for these hand-sewn projects, because it is thicker, and usually all cotton.

To get the right size for your lamp shade, just lay the fabric on the side of the lamp and mark the depth with a pencil, leaving an inch at the top for the casing.  Use the selvage for the bottom, so that you will not need to hem it.  Use the raw edge at the top, where you will be ironing down a large fold. To find out how much you need to go around your lamp shade, wrap the fabric around it twice. It is better to have a little more, than less.

  Sew the short edges of the piece as shown before, by ironing down one fourth inch and then one fourth inch again, and stitching with running stitch or over cast stitch.

You will need a piece of ribbon to put through the casing. To make a casing, iron down the raw top edge one fourth inch as usual. Then fold down again an inch or so, and lay your ribbon on top. Make the fold a little larger than the ribbon, so you can pull it through easily. Press that down, and sew along that inside edge, leaving the ends open to insert the ribbon. (See above photo)

Cut a piece of ribbon a few inches longer than the long piece of fabric. Attach a safety pin, and run it through the casing, by manipulating with both fingers, pulling the fabric in one direction and the safety pin and ribbon in another. It will gather as you go.

If you did not use the selvage on the lower edge, now is the time to hem it, tucking in stray threads and pressing down, then stitching.   Add your trim or fringe by stitching it on the outside edge.

This is what the finished shade looks like when done in the fabric that I have been using for this series on hand sewing. I cut a lot more ribbon so that I could tie it on to the lamp in a bow. You don't have to let the ribbon show, and it can be tucked into the opening edges.   You have just learned as simple skill that will help you make curtains, skirts, and many other things.  

I am nearing the end this fabric, so I hope to show you what you can do with all those little left-over pieces. I hope you have not thrown anything away. I forgot to tell you that when I first began the beginner sewing instructions: that the scraps can be used for something. You do not have to always save them but it is important to know what to do with them if you ever need to be resourceful.