How to make: a pin box / cushion

I had an empty moisturiser jar and wondered what to do with it. It was too nice to just throw out. So I got out my fabrics and ribbons and after a couple of hours I’d made a pin box / cushion in one! (See photo).

If you would like to have a go at this craft project, just follow the photos I’ve taken at each step together with some written instructions.

 

For the jar

First you need an empty and clean moisturiser jar with the sticky labels removed.

You can choose matching or clashing fabrics for the bottom and lid of the jar. Cut a strip of fabric to size to wrap round the jar.

Choose an appropriate crafting glue – I used Pritt Stick; smear glue round the outside of the jar and wrap the fabric strip round, pressing firmly down to fix.

It should look like this

Next you want to sort out the lid.  With the fabric chosen for the lid, turn it upside down and draw round the lid.  Cut out the circle and glue to the top of the lid.  * Tip *  You might need to trim a little excess off round the circle so the fabric sits within the lid.

So it looks like this

Choose a ribbon – measure how much you need by winding it round the rim of the lid.

Glue it down so it looks like this…

So far the jar and lid ought to look like this.  * Tip * If you fancied having just a little box without the pin cushion top, you could add a bow to the top of the lid for a nice finish.

For the pin cushion

I found for my jar which measured 2 and a quarter inches across the lid, I needed quite a large piece of fabric for the pin cushion – so I drew round a cake plate on the reverse of the fabric.

After cutting out this large circle I sewed with a long running stitch (large stitches so they can be bunched up) half an inch from the edge.

It should look like this, preferably without the creases! * blush *

Carefully, without breaking the sewing thread (as I did) pull the thread so the fabric bunches up into a kind of ball; then, with some kind of filling (I used white fluffy stuff used for stuffing teddy bears etc) fill the bunched up fabric. You will need copious amounts for a nice big firm cushion remember!

…to look something like this.

Sew up the gap to tidy it up.

The jar is perfect for keeping pins and thimble!

On card, cut out a small circle, one and a half inches across. This next bit is a bit tricky, but it can be done!: Sew the card circle over the gap seams to afix to the pin cushion.

I then used a strong glue (super glue) to fix the pin cushion to the jar lid.For embellishment, I added a bow in the same pink gingham fabric as that used for the jar

Tags: Crafts, eco friendly, Green Living, pin box, pin cushion, recycle, sewing, sewing project