Do you have a favourite make? 

Something you turn to whenever you need to satisfy a sewing itch? 

Pincushions are definitely a go-to project for me. They’re super quick to make. Their cuteness always makes me smile. And I love that I get to dive into my scrap bins and take a little trip down fabric memory lane before creating something new and fun.  

Sit 'N Sew Pincushion now available in the shop. 

This style of pincushion with the hanging sleeve is the very first pincushion I ever made alllll the way back when I first started sewing. Being a fairly organized person, I love having my notions and tools all set up and easily accessed when I’m in the throws of a sewing project. And this lil’ pinnie does that in spades. 

So, how did this one come to be?  

 

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STORY BEHIND THIS LIL’ PINNIE

Picture this, it was Springtime and I had been on a multi-month kick to figure out how to sew. I’d been making a bunch of things all on my own through trial and error (zip pouches, aprons, lavender sachets, pillows and bags). But I really wanted to up my stitching and finally signed up for a pillow class. They instilled some basic principles that were new to me – you know, like how to pin properly and some simple sewing organization, pincushions being one of them!  

 

Inspired by these teachings, I went home to start sewing and realized I needed to have my own set-up too. So, I spent time figuring out what basics I needed and designed this pincushion to keep them at the ready. I went years with the same pincushion, until last year I noticed a little hole in the pinnie and realized it was probably time to retire her and update my studio. 

 

Pictured above: *Rollakan fabrics leftover from my Harvest Falls and Flight Plan quilts.  

Even though she’s small, she packs a fun visual punch! I see her every time I walk by my studio and I love the little pops of colour she brings every time I sit down to sew at my machine.   

I also have this one, made from scraps from my Modern AztecTable Runner featuring *Sonata. She hangs out on my ironing board and keeps ironing specific tools at the ready. 

I love that they serve as a visual reminder of previous quilt journeys. 

I feel so strongly about these little pinnies that I’ve made quite a few as gifts for new sewists and quilty friends. They really do make for a perfect gift or swap idea. And did I mention they’re quick to make too?! 

Here are just a few examples of the Sit ‘N Sew Pincushion I’ve made over the years. 

 

PATTERN FEATURES

This lil’ pinnie has received so much love and requests for a pattern, that I finally pulled her together for you! 

Now, the principle of these is to just have fun and work with what you have in your stash. But I know it can be fun to follow a pattern to get a feel for the design and piecing steps. Just keep in mind that there’s lots of fun to be had by letting loose and piecing without a set plan in mind. Use this as a guide to explore new ideas, try new blocks and, above all, just have FUN! 

Here’s a full list of features: 

• Skill level – beginner friendly!
• Instant PDF download so you can get stitching right away!
• One size: 7ʺ x 3 ¾ʺ with a 6ʺ x 6ʺ hanging sleeve.
• Step-by-step graphics so you see how the pincushion should look at each stage of piecing.
• Tips and links throughout the pattern to help you achieve quilty success.
• Multiple design colourways to inspire you.
• Colouring page so you can plan your own.
• Feel free to customize this to your own needs. The pattern is meant as a guide and includes tips to customize and make this pinnie work with the tools you love and use most.
• Did I mention she’s scrap friendly?!

She’s quick. She’s fun to piece. She’ll have you sew organized. Plus, she makes the BEST gift for your favourite makers. 

MATERIALS

These pincushions don’t require much fabric to whip them up. Here’s what I

featured in mine: 

 

SIT ‘N SEW PINCUSHIONS IN THE WILD

I’m so lucky to have some of the BEST pattern testers out there. And I couldn’t be more thrilled with the positive feedback I received from them after they tested her out. Here are just a few of the comments I received: 

“SHANNNON! I adore this pattern! It was so easy to put together!” Anjeanette

 “What a fun pattern!! I found it simple to follow and I loved being able to use all scraps that I already had 😊” Abbi 

“What a fun and quick sew!” Kate & Julie 

“There’s something very satisfying about being able to start and finish a project in one sitting.” Janice

I asked my testers to follow the pattern as is to ensure the pattern was 100% accurate and easy for you to follow. But the whole point of these pinnies is to have fun, use up your fabric scraps and just have fun. The pattern is meant as a guide, with lots of opportunity to explore and play.  

With that said, check out these adorable Sit ‘N Sew pinnies: 

 

Photo courtesy of Ange from A Little Patchwork.

Ange from A Little Patchwork always has the most adorable fabrics tucked away in her stash. I’m always zooming in to see the details on her fun prints. This li’ Sit ‘n Sew pinnie would totally cheer me up to see her on the daily! 

Photo courtesy of Angela from Spicy Redhead. 

Angela from a Spicy Redhead whipped up this fun version that has me dreaming of spring! 

Photo courtesy of Cecilia of Cecivas. 

Cecilia from Cecivas had me at the strawberry print – ha! I do love strawberries 😉  

Photo courtesy of Colette from @rcwfam. 

I got so distracted by all the *Tula Pink loot tucked away in Colette’s cutie petutie Sit ‘n Sew pincushion that I almost missed the fun scissors print! Plus, I think I may need some of those *unicorn pins!! She's locked and loaded and ready to sew! 

Photo courtesy of Abbi from Abbi Quilts. 

Abbi dove into her fabric scraps and found these gorgeous blue, orange and turquoise solids to work with – yummynummy! 

Photo courtesy of Anjeanette.  

Anjeanette took it next level by adding a pretty little lace detail.  

Photo courtesy of Julie from The Little Pine Needle. 

I adore the stitching details Julie added to her pinnie. This is making me wish I had some fancy stitches on my Juki! 

Photo courtesy of Frieda. 

Feel free to customize your pinnie to make it suit your needs. Just like Frieda did when she added a second hanging sleeve to the other side. Genius! Double the storage 😉 

Photo courtesy of Janice from Prairie and Ocean. 

Janice was so fired up she made her pinnie in one sitting and loved it. Love how she's storing her little clips on there too! 

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All that’s left is for you to get in on the pinnie fun!  

Grab the Sit ‘N Sew Pincushion pattern, head straight to your scrap stash and join the fun with #sitnsewpincushion on Instagram. 

Happy quilting! 

xo

Shannon

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