Wool Felt Pincushion Project 2511-3 by Susan Brubaker Knapp Sponsored by Bernina of America and Equilter.Com

Quilting Arts TV series 2500 Wool Felt Pincushion project 2511-3 by Susan Brubaker Knapp Sponsored by Bernina of America and eQuilter.com

Host Susan Brubaker Knapp

Materials 00% wool felt dyes beautifully, 4. Pour boiling water in the container. • 8" x 10" 100% wool felt, white or is wonderful to hand stitch, and (The amount depends on how much neutral color 1makes for a great pincushion. wool you are dyeing; consult the dye • Boiling water The ground walnut shell filling will container for instructions.) keep your pins sharp and provides • Vinegar 5. Add vinegar (again, see the container ® a nice weight. If walnut shells are • Rit All-Purpose Dye in 3 colors for the recommended amount). • Latex or rubber gloves an allergen for you, substitute wool • Gallon plastic container (I use an old batting or polyester fiberfill to stuff your 6. Add the liquid dye. food storage container marked “For pincushion. 7. Put on latex or rubber gloves and Dye Only” so it won’t ever be used for drop the wool felt into the dye bath. food again) Dye the Wool If needed, use your gloved hands or • Old clean towel 1. Cut a few pieces of wool: 5" x 10" an old spatula to agitate the wool Thread (I used 30wt cotton thread • for the main color plus 3" square and evenly dye it. If you don’t want that matches the wool for machine and 2" square for contrasting colors. it to dye evenly, just make sure all and hand stitching.) You will cut these into circles at a the wool is submerged, and leave it Embroidery needle • later step. alone. Allow it to sit for an hour or • Hand-dyed perle cotton #5 more. • Ground walnut shells (This can be 2. Fill a kettle with water and bring to 8. With the gloves on, pull out the purchased in pet stores; it is sold a boil. Place the plastic container in wool and gently squeeze. Rinse to use in tanks for desert-dwelling a deep sink. under cold water to remove any reptiles like lizards.) 3. Read the directions on the dye excess dye. Optional container. It is important to 9. Squeeze to remove as much water as • Stirrer, retired kitchen spoon or understand the basic process that is you can or roll in an old clean towel. spatula recommended, including the amount of water and vinegar appropriate for Spread out, reshape, and allow to the amount of wool you are dyeing. dry. aution C : 10. Repeat this process with different All supplies used for dyeing must colors of dye, if desired. For my be dedicated to non-food use. project, I used 3 colors.

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11. When the wool is dry (or mostly Resources dry), press with steam. If you iron • Wool felt: JoAnn Fabrics when the wool is still slightly damp, • Hand-dyed perle cotton you can block it (stretch it gently • Laura Wasilowski (http://artfabrik. back into shape) as you iron. com/artfabrik-store/hand-dyed- Construct the pearl-cotton-threads/ ) pincushion • Weeks Dye Works (https://www. weeksdyeworks.com/pearl-cottons. 1. Cut 2 large (4½" diameter) circles php) for the front and back of the • Ground walnut shells: Amazon pincushion from the 5" x 10" strip. (https://www.amazon.com/Zilla- From different colors, cut 1 medium Reptile-Terrarium-Bedding-Substrate/ (2¾" diameter) circle and 1 small dp/B001OVGPH6/ref=pd_lpo_ (1½" diameter) circle from the 3" sbs_194_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&p and 2" squares, respectively. sc=1&refRID=QYQHS9VP7T0KQP7C 2. Center and pin the medium circle GSRC) to 1 of the large circles. Using #5 bluemoonriver.com perle cotton, embroider using the closed fly stitch (figure 1) to sew the circles together. Add French knots, if desired, to enhance the stitching.

3. Center and pin the small circle to the medium circle and embroider it in the same way.

4. Place the second large circle on top of the embroidered circle, right sides together, and sew around the edge of the circle on a sewing machine with a ¼" seam allowance. Backstitch at both ends, leaving a small opening for turning.

5. Turn right side out, and fill with crushed walnut shells or filling of figure 1 your choice. Turn edges under and stitch the opening closed with thread that matches the wool.