BLOGTOBERFEST, Day 12
Yesterday I showed you the wonderful happy I received from Mary. Today, I’ll show what I sent to Cindy in Fresno, CA. Cindy makes all manner of fun selvage items, her most recent came in SECOND in a recent online contest, Texting while Sewing:
I’ve started collecting my selvages, but I had yet to make anything with them. I knew I had to include something with a selvage for Cindy… but what? I had seen this pincushion and sewing kit on someone’s blog recently, as part of the Zakka Sew-Along–suddenly I knew this was the item to create for Cindy and just how I would use the selvage! I don’t own a copy of the book, so I made this up as I went along, and modified it to make it work for me.
The pincushion is filled with walnut shells (why? They are inexpensive and readily available… and the crushed shells work like emery, keeping your pin and needle points sharp!)
Yep, I buy it at a pet store, a giant bag is under $10.00. Fill your pincushion with a funnel, and stitch up the opening. Easy as that.
The pincushion fits nicely inside this roll-up sewing kit, which has small pockets to hold your package of needles, thread, your English paper piecing hexies(!), your scissors, your thimble, etc…
Most of Cindy’a kit came from my scrap bin, except for the green “tree” print used for the binding and one end of the pincushion. I chose that fat quarter because I had purchased it at Grubers last year, the same weekend I met Cindy for the first time. The entire kit rolls up and ties nicely, for a fun take along sewing kit:
The band is attached, it is another piece of selvage dots (from a Dr. Seuss fabric as it had the brightest colors I could find!) and satin ribbon for the tie. Enjoy, Cindy, I had a lot of fun making this for you!
p.s HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN to my beautiful Goddaughter, Leah!
(My God, how did sixteen happen?!?)
made by a brunnette 
Such a beautiful and special “happy” for Cindy! Nice work Doris!
This is such a perfect gift. And special that you chose fabric from the first Gruber’s weekend that I attended! yay for using selvages–you will get hooked! I love our friendship, I love that weekend. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I love what you made for Cindy. Using the selvages was a special touch. I have the Zakka book and have admired this project. Yours is great!
Very cute! And selvages – how Cindy! 🙂
Thanks for the tip on the walnut shells – I had no idea that they were either so cheap or so easily found. I guess I’ll be heading to the pet store this weekend!
Your pin cushion and sewing kit are beautiful!!!! I love the fabric you picked, especially using a fat quarter purchased at our retreat. I know Cindy must have loved it!! This swap has been so much fun 🙂 Y’all are really inspiring me to try new, dare I say “sewing,” projects!!!! I have GOT to get over my “I don’t sew” mentality 😉
I LOVE what you made for Cindy. It is so personal for her! Just great. (I love her block, too!) I did not know you could get the walnut shells at a pet store. Way cheaper than what they sell them for at my LQS!
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