Until the 19th century and the onset of mass production, straight pins were scarce and quite costly. Money allotted to purchase pins was very precious spending money-- thus the term 'pin money'.
Victorian pin cushions became the rage in the mid-1800s as pin were used for more creative and less utilitarian purposes. Small decorative pin cushions were made to commemorate events, a birth, or to signify the departure of a loved one. Fabric-covered padded hearts filled with sawdust were encrusted with pinned beads. The surface design often included a message to the departing person such as "Remember Me." Today it is hard to believe that straight pins had such intrinsic value.
Materials:
muslin covered boxes - discontinued
- use layers of quilt batting to puff up the lid if desired
Battenberg lace doily
transfer iron-on pattern - any desired pattern
#17 silk pins
glass seed beads
teardrop beads - optional
Steps:
- Center the transfer pattern on the flat fabric center of the doily and transfer the design.
- Center the doily on top of the padded, fabric-covered lid of the box. Secure the doily with large straight pins.
- Using a #17 silk pin, pick up a single seed bead. Holding the pin at a side angle, insert it into the padded box top through the doily to more prominently show off the bead. Pin more beads onto the box top in the same manner, creating a design to accent and secure the doily.
- Pin additional beads on top and bottom side of the box. Further embellish design by pinning on teardrop beads.
Tips:
- To speed up beading, scoop beads onto several pins at a time. Place the bead pins randomly into the project cushion, then reposition the beaded pins into a design as desired.
- Use size 17 silk pins. Shorter pins tend to fall out easily.
- Use glass beads for beading, usually seed beads size 11 or 12.
- Larger beads work well as accents. Place a smaller bead on the pin first so the larger bead won't drop over the pin head.
Resources silk pins
Prym Consumer USA Inc.
Website:
www.dritz.com
Battenburg doilies
Barrett House/Wimpole Street Creations
Website:
www.barrett-house.com
booklet - Pin Beading - Design Originals (Model #: 5074)
Design Originals
Website:
www.d-originals.com
Guests Suzanne McNeill
Publisher and Author
Design Originals
Website:
www.d-originals.com Also in this Episode
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