A few years ago I purchased two little white coffee cups and saucers from a clearance shelf. They were just too cute to pass up. Different times over the last few months I thought of getting rid of them, until last week when I picked up a Yankee Magazine book titled "Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs and More" that I had been given a while ago. I was paging through and something caught my eye. It was a short piece on how to make pin cushions. Well, I never, ever thought that I needed a pin cushion. That was something that my grandma had on her vanity table. For some unknown to me reason, I thought about my two little white coffee cups and saucers. The rest is history, because the completed items are pictured above and below. I am only sharing this process with you because, you may find yourself in a situation like I was many times in my life. You, or one of your family, has an appointment, or an invitation, or whatever, and one of you pops a button as you are hurriedly getting dressed. Maybe you cannot relate to this, but believe me, it has happened one too many times to me and my family. I am here to help, and it is a very simple solution.
It tells you to fill a small sandwich bag with cornstarch(something I rarely use in my kitchen). It did not say it has to be fresh cornstarch...so I was okay. You cut off the top of the bag and squeeze the bagged cornstarch into a ball. Then you take fabric or a white or flowered hankies from an antique store, or your mother's drawer, and form it around the plastic ball. Use a sturdy rubber band and tighten it into a ball. I made the size of this ball to fit perfectly into my little coffee cup. It works so well, the pins just slide in and are removed easily.
I thought I would try making one with this pretty dish from a flea market purchase a few months ago. It worked just as well. To make the jeweled border, I used wire and some tiny, clear beads that I strung on the wire. I bought this bag of beads at Walmart one time, and I find myself using them for so many things. They are clear, a bit irridescent and very inexpensive. I used a small amount of hot glue to attach this to the ball and the cup. I added a few touches to dress up my pin cushion, like a butterfly and a ribbon. This project is so simple and can be created so many different ways. It will be a fun gift to give to a bride. It will prevent her from many harried moments like I had over the years.
This pin cushion was created the same way as the others, except that I embellished it with the wired beads and an old clip earring from an antique mall. I know you did not wake up this morning thinking that you would love to know how to make a pin cushion, but, hopefully this may spark your interest in a new area of thinking. By the way, one of THE best inventions that I have found lately, are a pack of self threading needles by Singer. So if you are going to give this as a gift, it would be a great idea to thread some of these needles with white thread and stick them into the pin cushion before giving. Oh, the frustration you could save someone, especially if they are like me. Judy ps. Always make sure that your pin cushion is stored up high and out of the reach of small children. Now, I sound like a grandma.
A few years ago I purchased two little white coffee cups and saucers from a clearance shelf. They were just too cute to pass up. Different times over the last few months I thought of getting rid of them, until last week when I picked up a Yankee Magazine book titled "Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs and More" that I had been given a while ago. I was paging through and something caught my eye. It was a short piece on how to make pin cushions. Well, I never, ever thought that I needed a pin cushion. That was something that my grandma had on her vanity table. For some unknown to me reason, I thought about my two little white coffee cups and saucers. The rest is history, because the completed items are pictured above and below. I am only sharing this process with you because, you may find yourself in a situation like I was many times in my life. You, or one of your family, has an appointment, or an invitation, or whatever, and one of you pops a button as you are hurriedly getting dressed. Maybe you cannot relate to this, but believe me, it has happened one too many times to me and my family. I am here to help, and it is a very simple solution.
It tells you to fill a small sandwich bag with cornstarch(something I rarely use in my kitchen). It did not say it has to be fresh cornstarch...so I was okay. You cut off the top of the bag and squeeze the bagged cornstarch into a ball. Then you take fabric or a white or flowered hankies from an antique store, or your mother's drawer, and form it around the plastic ball. Use a sturdy rubber band and tighten it into a ball. I made the size of this ball to fit perfectly into my little coffee cup. It works so well, the pins just slide in and are removed easily.
I thought I would try making one with this pretty dish from a flea market purchase a few months ago. It worked just as well. To make the jeweled border, I used wire and some tiny, clear beads that I strung on the wire. I bought this bag of beads at Walmart one time, and I find myself using them for so many things. They are clear, a bit irridescent and very inexpensive. I used a small amount of hot glue to attach this to the ball and the cup. I added a few touches to dress up my pin cushion, like a butterfly and a ribbon. This project is so simple and can be created so many different ways. It will be a fun gift to give to a bride. It will prevent her from many harried moments like I had over the years.
This pin cushion was created the same way as the others, except that I embellished it with the wired beads and an old clip earring from an antique mall. I know you did not wake up this morning thinking that you would love to know how to make a pin cushion, but, hopefully this may spark your interest in a new area of thinking. By the way, one of THE best inventions that I have found lately, are a pack of self threading needles by Singer. So if you are going to give this as a gift, it would be a great idea to thread some of these needles with white thread and stick them into the pin cushion before giving. Oh, the frustration you could save someone, especially if they are like me. Judy ps. Always make sure that your pin cushion is stored up high and out of the reach of small children. Now, I sound like a grandma.
1 comment:
Judy, Thank you so much for this! I have 2 teacups of my mothers with little roses on them. I will make one into this pincushion.It's so easy even i can do it! =) I love your blog. It's so like me and i'm going to be a great-grandma for the first time! HUGS, Judy p.s. i love your name =0)
Post a Comment