Tiny Cottage Pincushion Tutorial.....

Here is an easy little pincushion for you or for a friend....

I have made several little cottage cushions....some with embroidered flowers and some using felt as flowers....any way you decorate your cottage - it always looks sweet :)

First print out this pattern...I have given measurements so you can check and adjust your printer appropriately....

I cut a strip of fabric for the roof about 4" X 11" and a strip of fabric for the body of the house 4.5" X 11" 

Sew the two strips together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance....

Then fold this sewn piece in half width-wise {roof on top and body on bottom}.  Place your pattern on the fabric so the drawn seam line hits the sewn seam line on your fabric piece.....trace around the pattern with a pencil....

The drawn line will be your sewing line....NOT THE CUTTING LINE....reduce your stitch length and stitch on the drawn line leaving the entire bottom open for now. 

Trim around the stitched line leaving about 1/4 inch beyond the stitched line....

and turn the cottage inside out....

The bottom is open so I had easy access to add a door, windows and flowers - placing them where I wanted....it is your happy house!!!

If you notice on the pattern I have a dotted line just below the door running across the width of the house....be aware of this line while adding your embellishments...this line will be the bottom of the pincushion.

Once you have finished the embroidery and decorating :)  you will need to add gussets to add depth to your pincushion - this will allow it to stand....

Turn the pincushion inside out again so the wrong side is on the outside....with your sewing machine stitches still reduced, stitch from the opening space to the side you previously stitched and then stitch the other side of the opening space to the side of the house where you previously stitched....now you should just have the opening space open....Are You Still With Me?

   

To make the gusset, measure up from the bottom 1 1/2 inches....mark on both sides....meet the side seam and the bottom seam... this will create a triangle at the bottom....extend the 1 1/2 inch line across this triangle....and stitch on this line.  Do the same on the other side of the pincushion....

Once you have stitched across to create the gusset....trim the excess.... and now the bottom should look like this...

  

Then gently turn the cottage right side out and stuff firm....slip stitch the opening closed....and there you have it!  A cute little pincushion cottage!!!

***note*** if you would rather....you may add a quarter inch seam allowance to the pattern and follow your quarter inch foot for your seam.  This way you could add doors and windows before you have stitched.  For me it is easier to get a nice curve when I have a line to stitch on rather than a seam allowance.  Either way should work out fine :)

And here is a happy cottage using felt for the flowers!!!

Have fun....

mary:)