Home Pincushion

A great scrappy project.

CUTTING

Prepare templates using patterns given. Cut as directed on each pattern and as per instructions. From blue tonal: • Cut 2 (21/2") B squares. • Cut 1 (21/2" x 51/2") F rectangle. From green tonal: • Cut 1 (11/2" x 71/2") G strip. From white tonal: • Cut 2 (21/4" x 21/2") D rectangles. • Cut 1 (11/2" x 51/2") E strip. From gray print: • Cut 1 (21/2" x 51/2") A rectangle. From red print: • Cut 1 (2" x 21/2") C rectangle.

PREPARING THE YO- YOS

1. Hold one yellow circle with wrong side facing you and finger-press a scant 1/4" hem as you hand-sew a running stitch all around near the fold using doubled matching thread as shown in Figure 1.

2. Pull the thread to gather the edges together in a circle, using your fingers to pull the hole to the center as shown in Figure 2. Take the thread to the back; knot and clip thread to complete one yo-yo circle. 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make 10 yo-yo circles. Set aside for later use.

COMPLETING THE PINCUSHION

1. Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the wrong side of each B square.

2. Referring to Figure 3, place a marked B square right sides together on each end of A and stitch on the marked lines. Trim 1/4" beyond stitching line and press B to the right side to complete the roof unit.

3. Sew C between two D rectangles to complete the door unit as shown in Figure 4; press. 4. Sew E between the roof unit and the door unit to complete the house unit as shown in Figure 5; press.

5. Trace the treetop shape and a 3/8" x 31/4" rectangle for tree trunk onto the paper side of the fusible web. Cut out, leaving a margin around each piece. Fuse the treetop onto the wrong side of the green tonal and the tree trunk rectangle to the wrong side of the brown tonal. Cut out on traced lines; remove paper backing.

6. Center and fuse the tree trunk rectangle on F, aligning the bottom edges as shown in Figure 6. Center and fuse the treetop to the top of the tree trunk rectangle to complete the F unit.

7. Sew the F unit to the right edge of the house unit and add G to the bottom edge referring to the Placement Diagram to complete the pincushion top; press.

8. Pin the pincushion top on the batting and baste to hold.

9. Machine blanket-stitch around the tree shapes and quilt as desired in remaining areas.

10. Sew the white button to the C piece as a doorknob.

11. Pin the top and backing right sides together. Stitch all around, leaving a 3" opening on one side. Clip corners and turn right side out.

12. Insert cotton or polyester stuffing to desired fullness.

13. Fold in the opening seam allowance; hand-stitch opening closed.

14. Pin (or use a dot of glue) six yo-yo flowers to the G strip; tack the edges down to secure.

We all turn to thoughts of our house and yard when spring arrives. This pincushion reminds me that spring is fresh and clean and bright with colors. —Chris Malone

15. Glue the flat head of a pin to the wrong (ungathered) side of a yo-yo as shown in Figure 7; glue a second yo-yo on the other side of the pin head. If desired, tack the edges of the yo-yos together with small stitches or glue to finish. Repeat with second flat-head pin.