A hand stitched pin cushion
Updated: Jun 15
Why hand stitch?
I am a huge advocate of hand stitching for a variety of reasons: it is relaxing, inexpensive, portable, versatile, creative and practical.
A lot of creative hobbies require you to make a big investment in materials, tools and time. But that is not so with hand sewing. Most of us have a needle and thread at home, and a small piece of fabric is always easy to obtain (and free if you upcycle old garments).
Once you have developed basic sewing skills, you will be surprised at the number of ways in which you will put them to use.
The greatest benefit of hand stitching for me is the effect it has on my nervous system - when I have a moment to hand stitch, my breathing slows down, and my mind and body relax.
You think you haven't got time for a creative hobby…
Finding the time for a hobby is often the biggest obstacle in getting creative.
This is where hand sewing really comes into its own, because hand sewing projects are small by default - you wouldn’t sew a garment by hand, you would do it on a sewing machine. But you can hand stitch a small purse, a hair accessory or a glasses case!
I like to think of some of my creations as ‘micro projects’ because I can pick up and finish them in 15 minutes or half an hour - and that is often all I have.
With hand sewing, you don’t have to spend a lot of time finding tools or preparing materials, and, unlike when working with paint or clay for example, you can also dip in and out as you please.
Micro-project: Hand stitching a pin cushion
You can watch my latest YouTube video which shows you all the steps for hand stitching this pin cushion. The only hand stitches used in this project are the running stitch, backstitch and ladder stitch.
What you need to make this pin cushion
A piece of fabric measuring about 30 x 15 cm for two circles of 12 cm and a small scrap for covering the button.
A Sharp needle and an embroidery needle.
Sewing thread to match your fabric.
A 1.5m piece of string such as stranded cotton or perle yarn for embroidering the button and wrapping around the pin cushion.
A button blank (you can also skip making your own button and just use a regular button).
Stuffing for the pin cushion - I used insulation wool from our frozen dog food delivery, but you could also use old fabric or yarn scraps, cushion or toy filling or steel wool (which keeps your pins and needles sharp).
Does your sewing kit need a stock-take?
If you need to check that you have all the tools in your sewing kit, have a look at my sewing kit checklist.
