Are you following along with the steps to make four-patch pin cushions?
Two weeks ago, I went into detail on the first few steps at the sewing machine. You can catch up HERE.
Last week I did some embroidery embellishment. Follow those steps HERE.
Back at the sewing machine, I'm going to set aside the pin cushion bottom for now and work with the top - the piece with the embroidery and with the side 'wings' attached to the four patch.
I'm going to sew the short, adjacent edges to each other.
First I have to wiggle them into position and sew a 1/4" seam starting and stopping 1/4" from each end with a back stitch at the beginning and the end of the stitching (red dot to red dot).
Be sure to pull any seam allowances out of the way (two arrows) so you're only sewing through two layers of the fabric at a time.
Work one corner seam at a time until all four are sewn.
Once you sew all four corner seams, the pin cushion top will kinda look like an inverted square cup.
Grab the four patch for the bottom of the pin cushion.
Look for and match the two spots with the basting stitching. Pair those up with a pin or clip and leave these to sew last.
Next rotate the pin cushion and align the bottom with one side. Nest and oppose the seam intersection. If all the previous steps went according to plan, each pieced side should nestle up with each bottom edge.
Sew one row at a time.
When you get to the last side (with the basting) sew about an inch in from each end (backstitch at the start end end of the mini-seams), leaving about a ~1" opening in the middle.
You don't need to press anything . . . EXCEPT for the seam at the opening. I have found that it helps a lot later on if you press the fabric back about 1/4" at the opening.
And it's not absolutely mission critical that you do this step, but after making about a million of these things, I have found that having that seam pressed helps later after the pin-cushion is stuffed when the opening is closed.
There is no need to trim the seam allowances at the corners.
Turn everything inside out (right side out) through the pressed opening.
And all of the sudden, the hot mess looks nice if a little wimpy.
We'll do the final steps next time - I sorta got distracted this week from finishing - can't imagine why!
Happy Stitching!
Joan Ford
Head Hummingbird
Thank you so much for these detailed directions and close-up pictures. Such a help and a perfect little project during this quarantine both as a stash buster and a “thinking of you” gift for quilting friends I miss being with. I look forward to your newsletters!