DIY Pin Cushion with Felt

Learn how to make this DIY Pin Cushion project with felt and embroidery thread. They are easy to create and make wonderful handmade gifts.

This fun little pincushion DIY was inspired by a gift my girlfriend gave me years ago. I liked it so much I had to make one of my own.

This is the one I made. A cute little sunflower pincushion. However, I wasn't blogging at the time, so I decided to make a new one and share the steps with you.

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Felt Flower DIY Pin Cushion Tutorial

Step 1. Cut out the pattern pieces as shown above.

Step 2. Next, make the flower top. Pin the smaller circle to the center of the larger circle and draw equal points around with a pencil or sewing marker to make petals.

Step 3. Then trim away the excess felt. Set aside.

Step 4. This project is all sewn by hand. No sewing machine needed. Attach the bottom round to the large rectangle using 3 embroidery threads and a blanket stitch.

To make a blanket stitch, go through both fabrics and slip your needle through the loop just at the end. Here's a video that may be helpful if you are unfamiliar with the blanket stitch.

Continue around with a blanket stitch and up the side. You may need to overlap the edges of the side seam to make it look nice and neat.

Step 5. Add the top circle of felt in the same way, leaving a couple of inches open for the stuffing.

Step 6. Once stuffed, you can finish the basic pincushion.

Step 7. Set the flower pieces you made earlier on top and, using a French knot stitch, sew the flower to the pincushion, adding random knots all over.

To make a French knot, bring the needle up through the felt from the bottom. Hold the needle with one hand while the other hand wraps the thread 3 or 4 times around. Then push the need back down through the felt near the same spot, and then bring it back up somewhere else on the flower to repeat.

Here's a video for the French knot to help you see what I'm talking about. In this video, they only wrap the needle twice, but that is because they are using a thicker thread. 

Step 8. Finish embellishing the flower by using some more of the olive thread to stitch around the edge of the olive circle.

Now all you have left to do is add your pins and needles.

This pincushion DIY was super easy to create, and you can play around with different colors and stitches to make it your own. For example, in my original sunflower pin cushion, I used the French knot to embellish the edges as well as the center. 

Wouldn't it make a nice gift?