Tin Can Pincushion

Materials and Tools:

smallest tin can
6-8 cups pillow stuffing
10" of 3" wide lace
6 gold seed beads
1-1/2" x 3" crinoline
Tacky glue
heavy thread or dental floss
20" of pink silk flower bud trim
6" diameter circle thin batting
2-3/4" x 9" piece thin batting
2-1/2" diameter circle thin batting
two 6" diameter circles pink taffeta fabric
10" of 3" wide pink ribbon or fabric
25" of 1/2" wide ruffled pink Mokuba ribbon
12" of 13mm Kacoonda #321 silk ribbon
4-1/2" of 1/4" wide lavender/pink ruffled ribbon
6" of 1/4" wide green/yellow ruffled ribbon
6" of 1/8" wide medium green silk satin ribbon
needle
thread
pins
rubber bands
scissors
ruler

Steps:

1. Empty the tin can and wash and dry it thoroughly. Spray inside and out with a clear sealer. Let dry.

2. Glue the 2-1/2-inch circle of thin batting to the bottom of the tin can.

3. Cover the bottom of the can with one of the pink fabric circles. Hold fabric with a rubber band. Glue the edges to the tin can. Secure fabric with strong thread or dental floss. Remove rubber band. Trim fabric edges.

4. Stuff the can with pillow stuffing. Pack tightly so a dome shape is formed at the top.

5. Cover the top of the can with a 6-inch circle of thin batting. Hold the fabric with rubber band. Glue the edges to the side of the can. Tie a piece of dental floss or heavy thread around the batting to hold all in place. Remove the rubber band. Trim fabric edges.

6. Glue and place the 2-3/4" x 9" piece of thin batting around the can.

7. Lightly glue the 3-inch-wide ribbon over the batting. Turn under the raw edges of the ribbon at the seam and glue/stitch to secure.

8. Glue the lace over the ribbon at the top and bottom edges.

9. Glue ruffled ribbon to the top and bottom of the lace edges. Glue the flower bud trim over the ruffled ribbon.

10. Make one pink Ruffled Rose using 5 inches of the 1/2-inch-wide pink ruffled ribbon. Fold the end of the ribbon down and roll in a very tight circle. Gather the remaining 4 inches of ribbon along the long edge and up the other raw edge. Gather and coil on itself into a rose shape.

11. Make two Ribbon Candy Roses using 6 inches of the 13mm silk ribbon. Fold over the raw edge on one end and secure with stitches. Gather (stitches are the same length as the ribbon width) along the length of the ribbon. Pull tightly, arrange folds and secure in the back of the rose.

12. Make two lavender/pink Rosettes using 2-1/4 inches of the ruffled edge ribbon for each rosette and the U-gather stitch pattern. Gather tightly, so the ribbon forms a circle. Secure at the center with a few backstitches. Sew three seed beads into the center of each rosette.

13. Make three Curved Leaves. Use 2 inches of 1/4-inch-wide yellow/green ruffled edge ribbon for each leaf. Fold the ribbon in half. Secure the thread in the ruffled edge at the fold and sew a "smile" or curved shape stitch pattern. Slightly gather the ribbon and secure. Open the ribbon to reveal a leaf.

14. Make two Figure Eight leaves. Use 3 inches of 1/8-inch-wide medium green satin silk ribbon for each "leaf".

15. Stitch all the flowers and leaves to the crinoline in a manner pleasing to you.

16. Stitch/glue the flower composition to side or the top of the pincushion.

17. Optional embellishments include sterling silver sewing tools, a fancy bead stickpin, or an old brooch.

Project by Helen Gibb.