Pin Cushions (Scissor Fobs are farther down the page.)
These small, incredibly cute pin cushions are made from big wool beads! Approximately 2" in diameter, they fit in the palm of your hand. Simple and fast to make - they are sure to bring a smile. Make them for yourself and to give as presents.
Bead colors in each pack will vary. Our supplier's supplier is unpredictable.
You will need to order:
- big wool beads (5 per package)
- 1 package of green felt
- 1 package of felt flowers - or a package of colored felt to cut your own flowers
- the felting tool is handy to have.
- Use embroidery floss from your stash.
Pin Cushion Instructions
Be sure to hide your knots - unless they are a design element.
A. Tomato
- 1 big wool bead - any color is good!
- a scrap of green felt
- green and gold embroidery floss
- embroidery needle
Cut a strip of green felt 3/8 x 1 long. Fold or roll the strip to make a stem 1-inch long. Sew it closed with 2 strands of green floss.
Cut a green, leaf-like top for the tomato. Center it over one of the holes in the bead. Blanket stitch it in place with 2 strands of gold floss.
Cut a small slit in the green tomato top. Insert the stem. Sew it in place as invisibly as you can. Embellish the top of the stem with some wraps of gold floss if you want to.
If you want to flatten the tomato a little cut a 3/8 x 3/8 scrap of green felt. Use 2-3 strands of matching green floss and a long needle. Sew through the area at the base of the stem through the center of the bead and out the bottom. You may be going through the hole in the bead, or not. Sew through the scrap of felt and then back up through the bead. Squash the bead with your fingers and pull the thread tight. Do this a few times. You will need to catch some of the bead itself on the bottom side of the tomato so that your scrap of felt is not pulled into the hole.
B. Flowers & Leaves
- 1 big blue wool bead
- a scrap of green felt
- 1 each gold, orange, and fuschia felt flowers
- embroidery floss to go with flowers and leaves
- embroidery needle
Cut several green leaves - we cut 7 in varying sizes. Arrange leaves and flowers on the bead. Use pins to hold them in place.
Blanket stitch the edges of the leaves and flowers with 2 strands of floss. Run a line of stitches down the center of the leaves. Add some random stitches in the flower centers.
C. Stripes & Flowers
- 1 big green wool bead
- a scrap of darker green felt
- 2 orange felt flowers
- gold embroidery floss
- embroidery needle
Cut 6 green strips 3/16 x 2 1/2. Arrange the strips around the bead - start at the top hole and end at the bottom hole. There is no need to overlap the strips, trim as necessary. Use pins to hold them in place. Space them an equal distance apart. Sew the strips to the bead with a running stitch and 2 strands of floss.
Using 6 strands of floss, sew a cluster of french knots in the center of each of the 2 flowers. Center a flower over north and south ends of the bead. Blanket stitch the edges of the flowers with 2 strands of floss.
D. Leaves & Flowers
- 1 big blue wool bead
- a scrap of bright green felt
- 2 blue felt flowers
- embroidery floss
- embroidery needle
Cut 10 green leaves approximately 1 1/2-inch long. Find the hole at the top of the bead. Arrange 5 leaves around the hole - one point of the leaf is at the top hole in the bead, the other end of each leaf is pointing toward the bottom hole. Use pins to hold them in place. Sew the leaves to the bead with a blanket stitch and 2 strands of floss. Add a stitched vein in the center of each leaf.
Repeat, adding 5 leaves to the other side of the bead. These new leaves fall between the previously sewn leaves.
Using 6 strands of floss, sew a cluster of french knots in the center of each of the 2 flowers. Center a flower over the north end of the bead. Blanket stitch the edges of the flowers with 2 strands of floss. Repeat for the south end.
E. Felted Flowers
- 1 big blue wool bead
- 7 felt flowers
- embroidery floss
- embroidery needle
- a felting needle - the Clover felting tool with 5 needles makes quick work of this
Using 6 strands of floss, sew a cluster of french knots in the center of each of the flowers. Place a flower on the bead and felt it in place. Continue adding flowers and felting them to the bead until you are happy with it.
Scissor Fobs
Identify your scissors with light-weight scissor fobs made from small (3/8-inch) wool beads! Once your start making them, it's hard to stop.
FYI - you can also use these beads in jewelry! Becky strung together wool beads and felt scraps to make a stretchy bracelet.
You will need to order:
- 1 set of small wool beads.
- You might also want to order
- 1 set of colored felt
- 1 package of felt flowers.
Find lobster clasps, heavy beading thread, and beading elastic at a craft store or online.Use buttons and/or beads from your stash.
Scissor Fob Instructions
Fob A
- 5 teeny weeny wool beads
- something to dangle at the end of the fob... this is an earring that Becky wore in high school!
- 1 lobster clasp
- heavy beading thread
- embroidery needle with a large eye
Cut a length of heavy beading thread 20-inch long. Fold it in half. To attach the thread to the clasp, slip the folded end of the thread through the hole at the bottom of the lobster clasp. Run the cut ends of the thread through the loop - pull to tighten. Place the cut ends of the thread through the eye of the needle.
Place the 5 beads on the thread. Make 1-2 knots at the bottom of the last bead, being careful not to pull the thread too tight.
Attach your decorative charm. Knot it securely. Bury a tail of thread back up into the last bead and cut the remaining thread.
Fob B
- 3 black and 3 white teeny weeny wool beads
- 4 buttons, 1 slightly larger than the rest
- 1 lobster clasp
- heavy beading thread
- embroidery needle with a large eye
Cut a length of heavy beading thread 20-inch long. Fold it in half. To attach the thread to the clasp, slip the folded end of the thread through the hole at the bottom of the lobster clasp. Run the cut ends of the thread through the loop - pull to tighten. Place the cut ends of the thread through the eye of the needle.
Alternately place the beads and 3 smaller buttons on the thread. Make 1-2 knots at the bottom of the last bead, being careful not to pull the thread too tight.
Attach the larger button. Knot it securely. Bury a tail of thread back up into the last bead and cut the remaining thread.
Fob C
- 4 teeny weeny wool beads
- 1 wool flower
- a variety of colorful wool scraps about 1/4" in size
- 1 glass bead
- 1 lobster clasp
- heavy beading thread
- embroidery needle with a large eye
Cut a length of heavy beading thread 20-inch long. Fold it in half. To attach the thread to the clasp, slip the folded end of the thread through the hole at the bottom of the lobster clasp. Run the cut ends of the thread through the loop - pull to tighten. Place the cut ends of the thread through the eye of the needle.
Alternately place the beads and wool scraps on the thread, then the flower and 2 more scraps of wool. Make 1-2 knots at the bottom of the last scrap, being careful not to pull the thread too tight.
Attach the glass bead. Knot it securely. Bury a tail of thread back up into the last bead and cut the remaining thread.
Fob D
- 6 teeny weeny wool beads
- 1 wool flower
- 1 glass or metal bead
- 1 lobster clasp
- heavy beading thread
- embroidery needle with a large eye
Cut a length of heavy beading thread 20-inch long. Fold it in half. To attach the thread to the clasp, slip the folded end of the thread through the hole at the bottom of the lobster clasp. Run the cut ends of the thread through the loop - pull to tighten. Place the cut ends of the thread through the eye of the needle.
Place 5 beads on the thread, then the flower and 1 more bead. Make 1-2 knots at the bottom of the last bead, being careful not to pull the thread too tight.
Attach the glass or metal bead. Knot it securely. Bury a tail of thread back up into the last bead and cut the remaining thread.
Bracelet E
- Several teeny weeny wool beads depending on your wrist size
- a variety of colorful wool scraps about 1/4" in size
- Beading elastic
- an awl, stiletto, or ice pick
Cut a length of beading thread 12-inch long.
Poke a hole in the center of each of the wool scraps.
Place beads and wool scraps on the beading elastic until your bracelet is the proper length. Knot the ends securely (Becky used a square knot, but there could be a better knot). Bury the tails of the elastic through one bead cut the remaining elastic.