Cactus Pincushion

Project by Caroline Devonport

This is a little lockdown project that doesn’t take long.

You will need

Felt ( I used a mixed pack of craft felt)

Small flower pot or mini bucket

Threads

Stuffing (can be fabric scraps)

Glue

Paper

Pen

Basic sewing stuff

I started by washing the flower pot, it had been in the shed and was a little grubby.

I then selected three shades of green, but you could use just one or two if you wanted. On the paper I drew a rough oval/cactus shape.

I then cut this out.

I added a little frill bit at the bottom. I pinned this to the felt and cut out three layers at a time.

I then repeated this so I had 6 cactus shapes. You do not need to do 6, you can do less.

I then used the sewing machine to join the pieces together, you could do this by hand as felt is very easy to sew.

Stitching carefully down one side at a time adding pieces until they are all joined together.

Unusually you leave the sewn side outside.

At this point, I added a little stuffing, to give it some body.

Thread a long needle with two strands of green thread, so you end up with 4 strands thick.

Stitch through the centre of the cactus, loosely sewing opposite sides of the cactus, to give shape. Don’t worry if stitches are visible.

Once all sides are stitched add more stuffing to individual parts to make them firm, use a pencil or similar to push right in carefully..

It should look something like this now.

I set the cactus aside now to work on the pot.

The pot has a hole in the bottom for drainage, we don't want drainage. So I cut a small piece of felt to fit, but you could use paper or cardboard, anything really.

I then drew around the top of the pot to make a pattern for the “soil”, cut this smaller as you will not be putting it right at the top. I used felt for my “soil”, but you could use cardboard.

Stuff pot with some more stuffing or scraps.

Glue “soil” to top of stuffing.

Next take some felt for the flowers this is optional. I chose pink and orange. I cut two small circles. I then stitched and shaped these to make a rough flower shape that I attached to the top of the cactus.

I added scraps of pink and orange along edges to look like little flowers.

Using green thread and pink thread add little tufts, tying it around the edges.

Then cut another “soil” circle of brown felt.

Then spread out the frilly bottom part of the cactus and sew this to the “soil” circle.

You can do this with a few big stitches, fine sewing skills are not required.

Then glue this to the other “soil” circle inside the pot.

It will now look like this and is basically finished.

The only thing left to do is add some pins.

Enjoy your new pincushion.

To see more from Caroline. visit her on Instagram @the_sewing_pirate

Made by Caroline Devonport for The Craft Cotton Company 2020