Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Pincushion Exchange

One of the fun classes I took at American Quilting's Retreat was a Pincushion Exchange. I was surprised that not many people took the class. It was really fun and informative not to mention the fact that we all got a new pattern to make a darling pincushion.

Here are some of the examples that Melinda (teacher also Amy's oldest daughter) brought to inspire us. Each pincushion had a story. Notice the chicken in the top right hand corner of the picture, well, she's been around for 25+ years. Melinda remembers playing with the chicken when she and her sisters were younger. They especially loved poking her with pins. lol.


The strawberry wrist pincushion is made using a large covered button and has a magnet sewn inside to catch your pins and needles. This pattern is an ORIGINAL design that Amy gave to us at last years retreat (I think).


I'm pretty sure this is another original design by Amy but I didn't see a pattern on her website. I just love the cording around the outside edge and wool yarn that she used to sew the vines.


I really love this bunny pincushion and the pattern is called Cottontail by Under the Garden Moon (Amy's design) and can be found here.


For the Exchange we each had to make a pincushion. I just realized that I didn't take a picture of mine but you'll see it in the group shot below. I used a pattern called BABY CAKES by Cindy Taylor Oates. You can find the pattern here.

In the pictures below you will see all of the pincushions wrapped and ready to trade. We used a one die and each time you rolled a 1 or a 6 you could either pick a package or take a pincushion from someone that had already unwrapped it. It was crazy. I have to say that I was really happy to get the one I had my eye on. It was close and I was able to trade for it in the very last seconds of the game.


Here is a picture of the pincushions that everyone made and brought to trade. I ended up with the sweet turtle made by Amy (American Quilting). Isn't he sweet? You may recognize the pattern made by Heather Bailey called Henrietta Turtle.

24 comments:

Silvia LGD (Little Green Doll) said...

Beautiful pincushions!! I'm sure the classes were great!

Lynn B said...

Kim, these are all darling!

Lucky-1 said...

Oh I so love the hen pincushion in the first photo.

Shari said...

Wow! What a great time you've had! Pincushions and purses and lots of laughs with great friends! I have a vintage handle that came from my grandmother - what inspiration... just need someone to have a 'purse' class here! And just love those pincushions - especially that chicken! Very vintage... somewhere I have a frog that was my grandmothers. It's a bit fragile now so no longer used - but it still has it's original bits - including beans to weight it! Must hunt it out...

Hugs - Shari

Joanne Lendaro said...

Love, love, love all of those darling little pincushions!! What fun you had!!

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of a pincushion exchange! I wonder if this will catch on with guilds? The rabbit with the embroidery...by far my favorite!

Thimbleanna said...

What a fun idea! And what better gifty to combine with that old Christmas gift game -- I'll bet you guys had a blast!

Material Mary said...

Love pincushions--love the pincushions you swapped. They are fun and happy and make sewing delightful.
Mary

Karen said...

Such cute pincushions. I like the strawberry wrist band. Such a different idea. What a good idea to have a pincushion trade.

Deb said...

I just love all those pincushions, but the bunny one has really stole my heart. I think that I need to get that pattern!!

Sherri said...

Great pincushions!!!

Rosa said...

Kim,all the pincushion are lovely!!

Oddbjørg said...

Wow, so many beautiful pincushions! I wish some of them were mine :-)

Cindy said...

Who doesn't love a pincushion? These are FANTASTIC, Kim! What fun!!!!

You sound like you had the BEST time.

Jan said...

Adorable pin cushions!

Calamity Jane's Cottage, Bonnie said...

Love all the pincushions, we all can use a few of them.
Keep Stitchen'
Bonnie

quiltingnana said...

the pincushions were great and the class sounds like it was great fun

Jacqueline said...

WOW that looks like a really FUN class! All the pincushions are sooo gorgeous and i especially LOVE the Cottontail! :) Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!

jacqueline
http://www.jqlinesocuteithurts.typepad.com/

Betsy said...

Those are so adorable Kim

onlymehere said...

They are cute.

Lisa said...

What a fun retreat! Your pincushion looked good enough to eat. It was so fun to meet you all. Thanks for sharing your talents. See you next year! Lisa

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I love the cottontail cushion - it is really cute.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/

Mel said...

Love all the pincushions!! Thanks for sharing retreat pics!!

Pretty Things said...

Oh SQUEEEEE but those are cute! The bunny is my favorite!!!!