Even
though the Prettified Pincushion is the last pattern in Patchwork, Please!, it
was the first one that I completed. Never having attempted paper piecing
before, I asked my mom for a lesson before the sew along started. I was glad to
have her guidance and moral support, as the technique proved to be a tad too
finicky for my improv-loving soul. During my first attempt, I used the teeny
tiny fabric pieces called for in the pattern, and it was a disaster. Undaunted,
I switched over to using 2.5” squares and then trimmed them down after sewing
each seam, which worked much better for me. After a long afternoon of
diminutive patchwork, my admiration for Ayumi’s skills only increased. At the
end of the day, I was the proud owner of a cute new pin cushion, which is now
put to regular use.
For
those of you who may be nervous about trying paper piecing or another
new-to-you technique, I encourage you to jump in! Even if you find out that
it’s not your cup of tea, you may also find that you like the end result enough
to make it worth the time and effort.
Note: Not having linen scraps on hand, I
used cotton scraps instead. In lieu of Polyfill, I filled the pincushion with
1.5 cups of crushed walnut shells.
